Breathefree - The Link Between Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis

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The Link Between Asthma and Allergic
Rhinitis Asthma is a chronic disease that affects
your airways. Your airways are tubes carrying air
in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma,
the inside walls of your airways will become
swollen and narrow. This makes them very
sensitive, and they may react strongly to things
that you are allergic to or find
irritating. Allergic rhinitis is a diagnosis
associated with a group of symptoms affecting the
nose. These symptoms occur when you breathe in
something you are allergic to, such as dust,
animal dander, or pollen. Allergic rhinitis
symptoms can also occur when you eat food that
you are allergic to. Signs and Symptoms Signs
and symptoms of asthma include shortness of
breath, cough (especially early in the morning or
at night), wheezing, and chest tightness. It
can be difficult to determine allergens on your
own so it is best to contact an allergist. Skin
prick test is the most common method of allergy
testing but a blood test or a radioallergosorbent
test (RAST) could also be used for the diagnosis
of allergic rhinitis. Asthma and Allergic
Rhinitis Allergic rhinitis is considered to be a
risk factor for asthma development. People with
allergic rhinitis have a three times higher
chance of developing asthma. Interestingly, the
relief of allergic rhinitis symptoms over time is
associated with the improvement of asthma
symptoms. People with severe and repeated
rhinitis are at greater risk of developing
asthma. The incidence of asthma and allergic
rhinitis also increases with age. Allergic
Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) was a
study done in collaboration with the World Health
Organization to study the link between the two
conditions and create guidelines for medical
professionals for diagnosis and treatment. The
2001 study stated that allergic rhinitis is an
extremely prevalent disease that affects 10-25
of the global population and can have a
significant impact on the quality of life,
work/school performance, and even put an
economic burden in terms of the direct cost of
illness in terms of treatment and indirect ways
like the inability to work. The ARIA study
proposed that allergic rhinitis should be
considered a risk factor for asthma and those
with persistent allergic rhinitis should be
evaluated for asthma by history, chest
examination, and assessment of airflow
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obstruction before and after using a
bronchodilator. It also suggested that those with
asthma should be evaluated for allergic rhinitis
as sometimes people might not recognize the
symptoms. Allergic Rhinitis Treatment The best
treatment is to avoid the pollen that causes your
symptoms. It may be impossible to avoid pollen
completely but you can often take steps to reduce
your exposure. Allergic rhinitis treatment
includes antihistamines, corticosteroids,
decongestants taken as tablets, capsules, and
inhaled medications. If you have asthma along
with allergic rhinitis, you may find difficulty
in breathing or feel tightness in your chest.
The purpose of medications is to prevent symptoms
like these from happening. A variety of inhalers
are available to help control symptoms. Many
inhaled medications are prescribed to be used
daily to keep your airways healthy, even if you
do not experience symptoms all the time. This is
part of managing the condition and prevents it
from getting worse. With inhaled medications,
the medicine is delivered directly to your
bronchial tubes, helping to open your airways.
Also, these medicines have fewer side effects
than others taken by mouth or by injection. There
are three basic types of devices that deliver
inhaled medications metered-dose inhaler (MDI),
nebulizers, and dry powder inhalers (DPIs). The
most common of these is the metered-dose inhaler
(MDI). No matter which you use, getting the
medication to your lower airways is essential for
the medication to work.