Asthma is a common respiratory disorder that is the result of a hypersensitive immune system. When an asthmatic's respiratory system becomes slightly irritated, the immune system overreacts, leading to sudden inflammation and swelling of the airway. This immune reaction leads to the symptoms of asthma. There are a wide variety of triggers for asthma, including cold air, heartburn, anxiety and allergies.
Chronic Asthma Symptoms
Allergic and non-allergic asthma have the same symptoms because they both involve an unusual activation of the immune system. In some cases, people with allergic asthma have chronic symptoms that affect them all the time. One chronic symptom is a cough, which is the result of overactive mucus-secreting cells within the lungs. This cough may be productive (results in mucus being coughed up) or non-productive. Another chronic symptom is wheezing, which causes a noticeable sound when the patient is breathing. This wheezing is caused by chronically constricted airways.
Acute Allergic Asthma Symptoms
People with allergic asthma will periodically suffer from acute asthma attacks. These episodes are marked by a sudden increase in asthma symptoms, resulting in severe coughing fits and loud wheezing or a whistling sound upon breathing. Asthma attacks also cause chest tightness or pain and a sensation of having trouble breathing. When these attacks become more frequent, or when the severity of the attacks becomes worse, this means that the overall asthma is getting worse. Most asthma treatments work to minimize the frequency and the intensity of these acute asthmatic episodes.
Allergic vs. Non-Allergic Asthma
Although there are a variety of triggers for asthma, the symptoms are generally the same among all the different kinds of asthma. What differentiates allergic asthma is that the triggers are inhaled allergens, which means that asthma attacks are caused by airborne particles, as opposed to other triggers such as cold or exercise. Consequently, most people with allergic asthma also suffer from allergic rhinitis or conjunctivitis (allergies that affect the nose or eyes). Allergic asthma can be treated by identifying which allergens are triggering the asthma and attempting to avoid them.
