Asthma is a chronic disease in which inflammation of the air passages leads to a temporary narrowing in the airways that carry the oxygen to the lungs. It affects some 22 million Americans. Although it can be managed with lifestyle changes and medication, it can nonetheless result in serious complications if untreated. Every year about 2 million sufferers visit the emergency room, some even needing longer hospital stays.
Allergic rhinitis, also known as "hay fever," is another very common illness, affecting one fifth of the U.S. population. It involves inflammation of the nasal passages. Although not usually as serious in its complications as asthma, allergic rhinitis has significant impact on the daily lives of sufferers, and may lead to numerous sick days and doctor visits if not properly managed.
The first step in managing a disease is to diagnose it, so it is important to be familiar with the symptoms of these ailments.
Shortness of Breath
Struggling to breathe, or only being able to take very shallow breaths, is characteristic of asthma attacks. The narrowed air passages make it difficult to draw sufficient air into the lungs, so most asthma attacks are characterized by gasping for breath. The shortness of breath may only last a few minutes, or it may go on for several hours.
Wheezing
Wheezing is also characteristic of asthma, and takes the form of a high-pitched, whistling sound that is heard as the sufferer struggles for breath. Often the wheezing sound is heard just after exercise or other exertion. Although more typical for asthma, wheezing may also be symptomatic of allergic rhinitis, which also affects the air passages (albeit the nasal ones).
Coughing
Coughing after physical exertion is also characteristic of the asthma sufferer, as it can be another manifestation of the body's struggle for breath. Sometimes asthma sufferers will only exhibit a dry cough and have no other symptoms--this is known as cough-variant asthma (CVA) and may be used to describe a long-lasting (over 6 to 8 weeks) cough. A chronic cough may also be found in rhinitis sufferers, particularly those who exhibit the symptom of postnasal drip.
Sneezing
Sneezing is one of the symptoms typically associated with allergic rhinitis. It is often repetitive, and may be triggered or aggravated by exposure to pollen, dust or pet dander. Although sneezing is not in itself symptomatic of asthma, a prolonged bout of sneezing may lead to an asthma attack in an asthma sufferer.
Runny or Stuffed-Up Nose
Allergic rhinitis attacks the nasal passages, and as such impacts the production of mucus. Either the mucus is freely (and constantly) flowing, with a runny nose and/or postnasal drip, or it is not flowing at all and results in nasal congestion. Although symptoms of nasal congestion are not associated with asthma, many asthma sufferers also are susceptible to allergic rhinitis and may share these symptoms.
Itchy Eyes
The severe allergy attacks brought on by rhinitis often result in itchy, painful watery eyes, which usually take on a reddish color from the irritation. The itchiness and pain are caused by a substance your body releases called histamine, which is meant to fight the allergy-producing substances but in turn can cause a great deal of discomfort. The drugs often used to treat allergic rhinitis include histamine blockers called antihistamines, but blocking the histamines can lead to a general loss of bodily alertness--hence the warnings not to operate motor vehicles or other machinery while on such medications.
