
Treatment Options for Chronic Allergies and Asthma
Chronic allergies are mainly caused by Chronic Immune Dysfunction, but they may also be a result of microbes, unhealthy food, toxins, and most importantly, chronic stress. Since seasonal allergies, environmental allergies, pet allergies, or various other reasons may also be responsible for this, charting out the right course of treatment is crucial.
Similarly, one of the biggest inflammatory diseases to exist, chronic asthma is a disease of the lungs. The most common symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, wheezing, and coughing. The main causes of asthma are an early allergen exposure, genetics, hygiene hypothesis, and being prone to viral infections.
Treatment for chronic allergies
Most chronic allergies warrant a reaction in the immune system. The immune system triggers a certain protection mechanism so that the invading organism is attacked and this, in turn, causes the reaction.
Whether your allergies are limited to seasonal allergies or pet allergies, finding the allergen and the right cause is crucial in the management of chronic allergies. You may visit an allergist or an immunologist to figure out what is triggering the reactions that your immune system is causing. While there are plenty of chronic allergies, here are some of the topmost allergies discussed in detail in terms of how to manage them.
Seasonal allergies
Some of the most common seasonal allergies such as hay fever and year-round allergic rhinitis are best avoided through the following measures:
- Use an air conditioner which comes with an in-built HEPA filter so that you do not catch any chronic allergies caused by the normal air conditioner or by fans.
- Wear the right clothes as per the season for avoiding seasonal allergies.
Pet allergies
Most people may get allergies due to exposure from cats and dogs. Hence, getting allergy shots along with using nasal sprays, bronchodilators, and antihistamines may help alleviate the symptoms.
Environmental allergies
You may do a skin prick test, elimination diet, and even a blood test in case you get a food allergen. You may use over-the-counter medications such as antihistamine and even adopt home remedies such as using an air filter, keeping your windows shut, and using probiotics for preventing an environmental trick.
Treatments for asthma
Some of the main triggers for asthma consist of irritants in the air which may cause irritation and may even include emotions such as extreme shouting, laughing, and crying. For people suffering from chronic asthma, extreme weather conditions may act as severe irritants. Also, exercise-induced asthma is a common occurrence since the heart rate becomes quite high.
For the right management and proper treatment of asthma, you may take the following steps:
Breathing exercises
Breathing exercises are quite effective and will really help you control your asthma. This also improves your lung capacity and decreases the intensity of the symptoms of asthma. As for exercise-induced asthma, a combination of breathing exercises and physical exercises give positive results.
First-aid treatments
You may use one of the following products as first-aid treatments:
- Nebulizers : These are recommended for asthma patients who find it difficult to inhale asthma medicines through regular inhalers. They are generally used by infants to provide relief during an asthma attack, especially when breathing becomes challenging.
- Anti – inflammatories : These are used during severe asthma episodes. However, they may have to be included in a regular plan in order to manage asthma better. If a corticosteroid is not effective in combatting inflammation, then an anti-inflammatory drug becomes crucial.
- Rescue inhalers : Also known as bronchodilators, they are used by patients in order to open the passageways during an attack.
Home remedies
Some preferred home remedies for chronic asthma are:
- Drinking caffeinated tea and coffee as they have an effect similar to the theophylline-asthma drug
- Using essential oils such as eucalyptus and lavender oils
- Massaging mustard oil deep into the skin