2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43
Allergic (atopic) asthma
The immune system protects the human body from harmful bacteria and viruses. Allergy leads to the fact that the body begins to fight even with absolutely harmless substances. This is due to a failure in the production of immunoglobulin. Its level in the blood rises, and, therefore, the sensitivity to allergens increases due to the production of histamine.
Allergic asthma is the most common form of asthma, resulting in respiratory hypersensitivity to certain allergens. Inhaling the allergen, the body receives a signal about the irritant, the immune system starts to react, which is expressed by a sharp contraction of the muscles located around the respiratory tract. This process is called bronchospasm. As a result, the muscles become inflamed and the body begins to secrete mucus, thick and rather viscous.
Allergy is a disease of our time. More than 90% of children and 50% of the adult population in large cities suffer from allergic reactions.
Every person suffering from allergic asthma experiences approximately the same conditions as in other types: deterioration of health due to physical exertion in cold air, after inhalation of tobacco smoke, dust or strong odors.
Allergens are quite common in the environment, so it is so important to identify the range of main irritants in time, thereby preventing the exacerbation of symptoms and the development of the disease into a more severe form.
Content:
- Allergic asthma symptoms
- Allergic asthma in children
- Allergic asthma attack
- Allergic asthma treatment
Allergic asthma symptoms
Symptoms of the manifestation of allergic asthma are associated primarily with the work of the respiratory tract, and are the following features:
- the appearance of a cough;
- breathing is accompanied by a whistle;
- severe shortness of breath occurs;
- inhales and exhales become more frequent;
- there is pain in the chest area;
- the chest feels tight.
These are the main symptoms that any of the common allergens can cause:
- pollen (or pollen from trees and plants, for example, the common poplar fluff);
- particles of mold spores;
- animal wool or saliva (particles of skin and feathers of birds belong to this category);
- presence of dust mite excrement in the environment.
Any contact with an irritant can cause an allergic reaction. For example, a scratch will immediately lead to local itching and redness of the skin. In extreme cases, if such a substance enters the human body, a real danger may arise, because the rapid onset of anaphylactic shock, which is a serious asthmatic attack, is possible.
The mechanism of development of atopic asthma can be triggered not only by allergens. They are capable of causing an attack, and not the allergic reaction itself.
Then the cause of the attack becomes nothing more than the particles-irritants in the inhaled air:
- tobacco smoke;
- smoke from a candle (including aromatic), fireplace or fireworks;
- contaminated air;
- cold air (including during physical activities in the fresh air);
- odors of chemicals and their vapors;
- perfume aromas;
- dust.
The severity of the course of atopic asthma depends on the severity of the symptoms: mild, moderate or severe.
Allergic asthma in children
The manifestation of allergic asthma in a child can be at different age periods, but most often the disease affects the child's body after a year of life. Allergic reactions of various etiologies are the main risk factor.
Atopic asthma in childhood has an unpleasant feature - it can hide under the symptoms of obstructive bronchitis. It is possible to identify asthma by the number of manifestations of the disease throughout the year. If bronchial obstruction appears more than four times a year, this is a serious reason to consult an allergist or immunologist.
The specificity of the treatment of atopic asthma in children lies in the paramount importance of inhalation as the main remedy. Such procedures not only help to eliminate the allergen that triggered the disease mechanism, but also increase the body's defenses.
Allergic asthma attack
An attack of allergic asthma should be understood as such a reaction on the part of the human immune system, in which bronchospasm appears in response to an allergen. It is he who represents an attack as such, accompanied by a contraction of the muscle tissue surrounding the respiratory tract. As a result of this pathological condition, the muscles become inflamed and filled with viscous thick mucus. At the same time, the supply of oxygen to the lungs is sharply limited.
To eliminate an attack of atopic allergy, a whole range of measures is required. First of all, they are aimed at relieving the symptoms of the disease. A calm and relaxed state during an attack is a necessary component; if a person begins to worry and anxiety, then his situation is only aggravated. Slow breaths in and out, a stream of fresh air (not cold), a horizontal position of the body will help to cope with an attack of atopic asthma in a matter of minutes.
Ideally, you should have a medication inhaler. Its use will quickly relieve a suffocating attack and restore the smooth muscles of the respiratory system.
Asthmatic status. This form of atopic asthma manifestation, in which an asthmatic condition called status asthmaticus develops, is extremely dangerous for human life. It is a prolonged, not amenable to traditional drug treatment, suffocation, in which a person is simply unable to breathe out air. Such a state develops from a certain clouding of consciousness to its complete loss. At the same time, the general well-being of a person is extremely difficult. Lack of proper treatment can lead to disability and even death.
Allergic asthma treatment
Treatment of atopic asthma should be carried out under the supervision of a physician. Self-medication can worsen the condition. This type of asthma is treated by the same means as other forms of asthma, but it is important to take into account the allergic nature of the disease.
Timely intake of antihistamines can reduce the manifestation of symptoms and the severity of atopic asthma. The modern pharmaceutical market offers a wide selection of such products, so it is not so difficult to find the right drug. The antihistamine effect is achieved by blocking the receptors, as a result of which the release of histamine into the blood is either completely absent, or its dose is so small that it does not cause any response.
If a situation arises when it is impossible to avoid a meeting with an irritant, it is necessary to take an antihistamine in advance, then the likelihood of an acute response is significantly reduced.
In medicine, there is a technique in which an allergen substance is introduced into the human body. The dosage is gradually increased. This forms a susceptibility to a specific irritant, thereby reducing the likelihood of allergic attacks.
The most common method of combating atopic asthma is the use of inhaled glucocorticoids and long-acting β2-adrenergic receptor blockers. This is a basic therapy that helps control the course of the disease for a long time.
Antibodies-antagonists of immunoglobulin E serve to eliminate hypersensitivity of the bronchi and prevent possible exacerbation for a sufficiently long period.
A group of drugs called cromones is actively used in the treatment of childhood allergic asthma. However, in adults, treatment with these agents does not bring the desired result.
Methylxanthines are used in exacerbation of atopic asthma. They act very quickly by blocking adrenergic receptors. The main substances of this group of drugs are adrenaline and oral glucocorticoid.
Against the background of all medications, inhalation drugs are priority, which, with the help of a special device, penetrate directly into the respiratory tract of a person suffering from atopic asthma. In this case, an instant therapeutic effect occurs. In addition, inhalations are free of the side effects that drugs often have.
Allergic asthma can and should be treated, but therapy should be designed in such a way as to take into account the individual characteristics of the course of the disease. This can be done by a qualified doctor, based on the data of the clinical picture of the disease and diagnostic tools. Untimely treatment or improperly constructed therapy leads to a huge risk of developing pathological conditions in the body, as a result of which atopic asthma can turn into a more severe form, even death or disability.
In general, the prognosis for life with proper treatment is quite favorable. The main complications of atopic asthma include developing pulmonary emphysema, pulmonary and heart failure.
To date, there are no effective preventive measures that could completely exclude the possibility of allergic asthma. The problem is solved only when a disease occurs and comes down to the elimination of allergens and adequate treatment, the main task of which is to stabilize the course of the disease and reduce possible exacerbations.
The author of the article: Kuzmina Vera Valerievna | Endocrinologist, nutritionist
Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after NI Pirogov with a degree in General Medicine (2004). Residency at Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, diploma in Endocrinology (2006).
Recommended:
Effective Asthma Treatment With Folk Remedies
Asthma treatment with folk remediesContent:Asthma treatment with the method of Dr. BatmanghelijRespiratory gymnastics Strelnikova with asthmaAsthma treatment according to folk prescriptionOregano for asthma attacksOats for asthmaGinger for asthmaOther folk remedies for asthmaSalt lamp and halotherapy for asthmaPreventive measuresBronchial asthma is a complex chronic disease of the human respiratory system
Allergic Dermatitis In Adults And Children, Diet And Treatment
Allergic dermatitisAllergic dermatitis in adults and childrenContent:Description of the diseaseSymptomsThe reasonsDermatitis in childrenDermatitis on the faceDermatitis on the handsHow to treat?Diet and nutritionAlternative treatmentAllergic dermatitis in adults and children requires careful attention and competent treatment
Exogenous Allergic Alveolitis - Clinical Guidelines, General Information
Exogenous allergic alveolitis: etiology, pathogenesis, treatmentExogenous allergic alveolitis is also called hypersensitivity pneumonitis. The abbreviation of the disease is EAA. This term reflects a whole group of diseases that affect the interstitium of the lungs, that is, the connective tissue of organs
Bronchial Asthma In Children - Signs, Asthma Attack In Children, Treatment And Prevention
Bronchial asthma in childrenDue to environmental degradation and a significant increase in respiratory infections, children's immunity is significantly reduced. Because of this, childhood bronchial asthma and various allergic reactions are increasingly common
Child's Cough Is A Dry And Wet (wet) Cough In A Child. An Attack Of Allergic Cough In A Child Without Fever
Dry and moist (wet) cough in a childContent:Dry cough in a childMoist cough in a childWet cough treatmentCoughing fits in a childCough without feverAllergic cough in a childNight cough in a childChild cough compressA cough in a child is a symptom that occurs not necessarily due to colds, but due to the fact that it is a natural reaction of the body that helps cleanse the respiratory system from dust or from chemical elements that get from the air and irritate th
