Understanding allergic asthma

For millions of Americans, taking a breath is a major accomplishment. The culprit, asthma, affects more than 17 million Americans, including 5 million children.

Asthma is a chronic disease that inflames the airways. The bronchial tubes swell and constrict, making it hard for air to flow easily in and out of the lungs. 

Most asthma in children is allergic asthma, although adults also can have allergic asthma. Allergic asthma means that asthma symptoms become more intense, perhaps resulting in an asthma attack, when the individual is exposed to allergens to which their immune system is sensitive. The inflamed airways of asthmatics are sometimes described as twitchy, and inhaling pollens, molds, animal dander or other allergens can cause the airways to become even more inflamed, produce mucus and constrict.

With non-allergic asthma, sufferers’ symptoms worsen when they are around certain irritants, such as viruses, weather changes, anxiety or other triggers. Unlike allergens, these irritants do not cause a reaction in the immune system, but they do worsen symptoms for asthmatics.

For both types of asthma, environmental control and avoidance of triggers, plus the use of anti-inflammatory medications for persistent asthma, will decrease symptoms. For more information on environmental controls, visit the Patients & Consumers Center.