Do I Have Asthma, or am I Just Out of Shape?

Can’t make it to a 10 count without gasping for air? It may not be an exercise routine that’s too difficult for you – it may be asthma, or exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) to be precise. How can your Phoenix asthma specialist tell the difference?

Diving into EIB:

One in 10 experience exercise-induced bronchospasm – when airway muscle spasms constrict airflow. This asthma-related coughing or shortness of breath typically occurs 5 to 10 minutes after exercise starts or ends. It is typically accompanied by wheezing, chest tightness, and fatigue, and may be more pronounced in cold, dry environments.

Drop and give me 20:

A  Phoenix asthma specialist can diagnose this condition with the help of breathing tests performed after exercise and while resting. They will also take a thorough medical history to identify other potential triggers, which can worsen this condition, such as air pollution, high pollen counts and respiratory infections.

Reaching your potential:

Luckily, a diagnosis of EIB doesn’t mean the end of exercise goals. A trained allergy and asthma doctor can help you reach new heights with lifestyle changes and proper treatment, including:

• Proper hydration.
• Effective warm-ups and cool-downs that will benefit your condition.
• The prescription of inhaled bronchodilators such as albuterol or formoterol before exercise as bronchospasm prevention or as needed for symptom relief.
• Identifying environmental triggers.
• Advice on new exercise routines or ways to minimize exposure to environmental triggers, such as wearing a scarf during cold weather, exercising in a climate-controlled environment, and more.

Tired of struggling through your exercise routine? Don’t throw in the towel – take it to the next level. Find a Phoenix asthma specialist near you today.

Egg Allergy: Unscrambling the Symptoms

If you or your child aren’t feeling on the sunny side after your morning scramble, it could be egg allergy. The second most common food allergy after milk, egg allergy reactions can vary from person to person, making them difficult to confirm without a food allergy skin test.

An omelet of allergy symptoms:

Reactions to egg in allergic individuals can vary drastically each time they occur, and can include…

• Skin inflammation or hives (the most common reaction).
• Runny nose and sneezing.
• Congestion, coughing, wheezing, chest tightness or shortness of breath.
• Digestive upset: cramps, nausea, vomiting.
• Anaphylaxis, a life-threatening emergency presenting as dizziness, rapid pulse, constriction of airways and swelling of the throat that make it difficult to breathe.

Don’t let egg allergies poach your health:

If these symptoms are experienced shortly after eating eggs or egg-containing foods, an immediate consultation with an allergist including an allergy skin test is warranted, as reactions could worsen rapidly or over time.

Egg allergy skin tests are over-easy:

To confirm the allergy, a drop of liquid egg extract is placed on the skin of the forearm or back, which is then gently punctured by a special device. If the skin reddens, or more importantly, if it swells, the egg allergy is confirmed.

Hard boiled treatment:

Living with an egg allergy mostly involves a little foresight and common sense. Those effected by egg allergy are advised to have quick access to an epinephrine auto-injector in case of anaphylactic reaction. As is apparent, eggs and products containing eggs should be avoided. Be sure to read the labels of all packaged food products, which are required to list use of eggs on the label. Common sources include:

Pasta/macaroni

Baked goods

Mayo

Marshmallows

Nougat

Marzipan

Meringue

Surimi

Lecithin

Albumin

Take charge of your health and start looking on the sunnier side of things. Uncover the truth. Schedule a food allergy skin test at an allergy doctor near you today.