Asthma and Allergies: Allergens, Allergic Rhinitis, and Asthma Triggers
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Allergies and asthma often occur together. For many people, the same trigger that brings on a runny nose or itchy eyes can also tighten the chest and make each breath harder to pull in. The two are linked closely enough that an everyday allergic reaction can build into something serious, sometimes within minutes. What separates a frightening moment from a dangerous one is a short, clear response that brings someone back to steady breathing.
The Link Between Allergies And Asthma Symptoms
Allergies and asthma are connected through the body’s immune system response. In an allergic person, the immune system treats a harmless substance as a threat and reacts to it. That reaction causes inflammation, and when it reaches the lungs it can narrow the airways and bring on asthma symptoms. This is one of the main types of asthma, called allergic asthma. Allergy testing, through a skin prick test or blood tests, can show which allergens a person reacts to and whether their asthma is linked to them.
Common Allergens
The allergens that trigger allergies and asthma travel through the air to reach the nose and lungs. House dust mites live in bedding and soft furnishings. Grass, tree, and weed pollen rise through spring and summer. Pet dander comes from the skin flakes, saliva, and fur of cats and dogs. Mould spores grow in damp corners, bathrooms, and around leaks. These are common indoor allergy triggers.
Other allergens cause severe, whole-body reactions. Food allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, egg, and milk, along with insect stings from bees and ants, some medicines, and latex, can each trigger anaphylaxis in a person who is allergic to them.
Allergic Rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis, known as hay fever, is an allergic reaction that affects the nose and eyes. The lining of the nose responds to an inhaled allergen with a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes. People with asthma and allergic rhinitis may find that the two move together.
Hay fever is one of several allergic conditions that can make asthma and allergies worse. When hay fever is left untreated, asthma can become harder to control, and the ongoing nasal swelling may raise the chance of developing allergic asthma over time. Treating the nose with a saline rinse, an antihistamine, or a steroid nasal spray can ease rhinitis symptoms and improve asthma control at the same time. For confirmed triggers, allergen immunotherapy guided by an allergy specialist can lower how strongly the body reacts over time.
How An Allergic Response Can Set Off Asthma Triggers
An allergic response begins when the immune system reacts to an allergen it has come across before. The airways swell, mucus builds up, and the muscle around them tightens. The airways narrow, and air moves in and out of the lungs with more difficulty. This narrowing brings on the wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath of an asthma attack.
The same allergens that drive allergies and asthma can act fast. Pollen and other particles are small enough to travel deep into the airways of the lungs, so a reaction that begins in the nose can move down to the chest.
In a thunderstorm, ryegrass pollen takes up moisture and bursts into fragments small enough to reach deep into the lungs, which can trigger severe asthma symptoms across a whole region. This is called thunderstorm asthma, and it can affect people who have never had a serious asthma and allergies attack before.
First Aid For An Asthma Attack
When allergies and asthma are linked, an allergen can bring on an asthma attack within minutes, so a fast and ordered response is needed. Treat an attack as an emergency and call triple zero (000) straight away. Australian asthma first aid, set out by the National Asthma Council, follows four steps, often called four by four by four:
- Sit the person upright and stay calm beside them.
- Give four puffs of a blue or grey reliever puffer, one puff at a time through a spacer, with four breaths after each puff.
- Wait four minutes. If breathing has not improved, give four more puffs the same way.
- If there is still no improvement, call triple zero (000) for an ambulance. Keep giving four puffs every four minutes until help arrives.
A reliever puffer is unlikely to harm someone even if they turn out not to have asthma, so it is safer to give it than to hold back. People with asthma may carry an asthma action plan from their doctor that names their asthma medication and the steps to follow.
First Aid For A Severe Allergic Reaction
Anaphylaxis can occur in people who have allergies and asthma, and at its onset it can be hard to tell apart from an asthma attack. The signs include swelling of the tongue or throat, a tight or hoarse voice, trouble breathing, a persistent cough, and sudden collapse. Young children may turn pale and go limp. Follow the steps set by the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA):
- Call triple zero (000) for an ambulance.
- Lay the person flat and do not let them stand or walk, as standing can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure. If breathing is hard, let them sit with their legs out in front, and place anyone who is unconscious or pregnant on their side.
- Inject the adrenaline injector, such as an EpiPen or Anapen, into the outer thigh, bringing the injector to the person rather than moving them.
If there is no improvement after five minutes and a second injector is available, give another dose.
First Aid Training for Asthma and Allergies
One asthma and allergies trigger can travel from the nose to the lungs and, at its worst, into a whole-body reaction. The steps for an asthma attack and for anaphylaxis are precise and easy to mix up under pressure, so practising them by hand is what makes them hold when they are needed. A first aid course puts a reliever puffer and an adrenaline injector in your hands and takes you through both responses until they feel steady. When someone close to you fights for breath, you will already know exactly what to do, and that readiness is worth having in place long before you need it.
FAQs
What Is Occupational Asthma?
Occupational asthma is brought on or worsened by something a person breathes in at work, such as flour, wood dust, paint chemicals, or latex. Symptoms may ease on days off and during holidays, then return at work.
Can You Develop Asthma And Allergies As An Adult?
Yes. Asthma and allergies can both start in adulthood, even in someone who had no sign of either as a child. A family history of allergies raises the chance of developing them. An allergy that was mild earlier in life can also grow stronger over time.
What Is The Difference Between A Reliever And A Preventer Puffer?
A reliever puffer opens tight airways quickly during symptoms or an attack. A preventer puffer is taken every day to lower the underlying swelling in the airways, which reduces how often symptoms occur.
