Could your Asthmatic Attack be because of your Dad?

Across the U.S., more than 15 million people over the age of 18 and another 5 million under 17 have been diagnosed with the chronic disease called asthma. A diagnosis of asthma should be taken seriously, as it can lead to a life-threatening situation without any warning. 

If you are one of the millions who are living with asthma, it's important that you know the factors that increase your risk of an asthmatic attack. Knowing those risks can be the difference that saves your life.

Genetics

A pattern of allergies and asthma amongst family members could be an indication that you will be susceptible to developing this disease as well. Know your family history to determine if this is a risk factor for you. Yes, the fact that that your mom or dad has asthma - could be a predictor if you are going to have it.

Prenatal Lung Damage

When an expectant mother smokes, the fetus is subjected to the pollutants in the same manner as the woman, during the critical developmental process. Was your biological mother a smoker? This could increase your risk of allergies and/or asthma.

Also true is the fact that a premature birth can interrupt the development of a person's airways. Anyone who is born earlier than projected could have a higher susceptibility to asthma.

Chemical Pollutants

Breathing in chemicals and harsh pollutants can cause damage to the sensitive air passages that our bodies need to survive. When you are working with these substances, wearing appropriate safety gear is always recommended. Otherwise, you may find yourself in further danger of experiencing asthma for the rest of your life.

For more information on avoiding the worst of the asthma and asthmatic allergies, please contact us at Adult & Pediatric Allergy Associates, P.C.. 

Asthma can be fatal: take steps to protect yourself!

Asthma seems to be a growing problem in Arizona. Our state sees more cases every year according to a study done by University of Arizona. Even though scientists have not yet found a cure for asthma, there are steps you can take to reduce or eliminate its risks.

Here are some points to keep in mind for guarding against this sometimes fatal disease that relates to how inflammation in the lungs causes breathing difficulties.

Is Phoenix to blame?

Specialists know that there is not one specific cause of asthma, but there is plenty of evidence that it can be managed if you pinpoint what triggers your attacks. Keep in mind the Phoenix desert is prone to many allergens. Here are some of the known causes:

1. Heredity (yes, family genetics comes into play again!)
2. Exposure to allergens at a young age
3. Environmental conditions (pollen, pollution)
4. Mold and mildew
5. Chemical products such as cleansers and perfume
6. Animal dander from pets
7. Other: Non allergic asthma can be caused by reflux disease, inappropriate exercise, weather or various illnesses. 

Protect Your Lungs:

The main focus for preventing asthma is to protect the bronchial in your lungs. Inflammation can lead to coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and weakened response to allergens. Obviously, all asthma patients should avoid smoking or breathing in any substances that make symptoms worse. 

Learn Your Triggers:

There are many possible triggers to asthma attacks, but they can also be categorized into groups, as listed above. You can learn what elements or conditions affect your illness by eliminating items such as certain foods, chemicals or indoor plants one at a time. Lifestyle plays a huge role in managing your disease, so pay attention to nutrition, exercise and a sense of well being. 

Asthma…. Way more common than you think!

Although asthma can be managed relatively easily, it remains a potentially deadly illness. While genetics can play a large role in the development of asthma, environmental factors can also cause a person to develop the illness. Nor does a person have to be born with it. Specialty Asthma and Allergy Doctors  see thousands of adults a year who never suffered as children. Furthermore,  the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, roughly 8% of adults in the US had asthma.

A number of factors may increase your asthma risk:

Allergens both inside the home, such as dust mites and pet dander, and outside, such as pollens and dust.

Smoke, whether from a smoker or fire, can be both a factor and trigger for asthma.

Certain chemicals used for cleaning, particularly those that have fumes or include particles that can be airborne.

Environmental pollution can be a significant cause for the development of asthma, and allergies. If you live in an area where smog is a frequent problem, particularly in the summer months, this can be a serious problem for your lungs, even beyond causing the development of asthma.

Acid reflux, more commonly known as heartburn, can contribute to the development of asthma. When the digestive system pushes food back up the esophagus, stomach acid is included with the food, burning the esophagus. With the close proximity of the esophagus and airway passages, the acid may also trigger asthma.

Obesity is also a likely contributing factor as a greater percentage of those who have asthma are obese, compared to those who are overweight or at a normal weight.

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.

Tips For Hiring the Best Allergy Doctor

When it comes to your health, do you want a Scottsdale allergy clinic that is superb or so-so? Finding a great allergy doctor can help you more quickly determine the cause of your allergies – and identify effective methods of control that can return your quality of life back to normal. What are the tricks to finding this paragon of knowledge?

Research reputation.

The best allergists will get results, gaining great word of mouth. Forget flashy advertisements - they will hold superior online and personal reviews. Don’t be afraid to schedule an initial consultation to interview the doctor and get references.

Get credentials.

Board certification by The American Board of Allergy and Immunology (ABAI) shows an allergy doctor has the training and experience necessary to get the results you need, and a lack of malpractice claims and disciplinary actions means your health is safe in their hands.

Verify experience in your condition.

How many has the allergist treated? The more, the better.

Consider gender.

Gender-specific care is becoming increasingly common. Does the doctor have experience treating the allergy in your gender, or does your allergy involve an issue you’d be more comfortable discussing with a particular sex?

Love their location.

Does the allergy doctor in question have offices conveniently located to you, with scheduling that meets your hectic lifestyle? If these things don’t fit, you’re unlikely to follow up on treatments and get results.

Hone-in on hospital quality.

1. Is the hospital the allergist has privileges at top-rated and conveniently located? Both accessibility and quality can effect outcomes in situations in which hospital care is necessary.
2. Rely on respect.
3. A superior allergist will be open to questions, interested in getting to know you, and considerate of your treatment preferences and decisions. Asking questions and noting responses is a great way to gauge communication styles.

It’s your health. Find the right area allergist to help you. Contact a top rate allergy clinic near you today.

Going beyond the symptoms in treating allergies

Allergies are pretty common in the spring. For a lot of people over the counter medicines work fine, but that is just treating the symptoms. Immunologists say shots can help a person develop a tolerance for allergies, and even cure them. The shots are an extreme measure though, and usually only done when allergies reach a severe level.

The allergies have to be severe enough, but doctors say allergies can be overcome with shots. You get the shots after going through a battery of tests to determine exactly what is causing your allergies, and to what degree. She shots are custom designed for each person, and you have to be consistent in going to the doctor to get the shot each week for it to work. After about six months the serum, or the shots, can be adjusted. A Scottsdale allergy clinic will advise you on the best approach for your individual condition by performing specific allergy tests on you.

The most common allergies are grass and ragweed pollens. People are also allergic   to tree pollen, mold, dust, food and other things. Sometimes it is a combination of things, like ragweed and mold, that cause symptoms.

A daily pill that can be used for grass and ragweed allergies, which work as well as shots. But it only works for those two things. If you have mold allergies too, you will have to get shots. The shots may also be tailored to fit your individual condition, and can address both pollen and mold, or any combination you might have.

The goal of immunology is to completely cure the allergy problem by helping a person build up a tolerance for the thing that is causing an allergic reaction. If symptoms are beyond minor, or if they last all year, this might be a reasonable alternative. The shots do require that you go to see the doctor once a week, which is a commitment of time and money. Immunology or immunologist and Scottsdale Allergy Doctor will closely monitor your progress and adjust the shots as time passes to get the best overall effect.

Things Your Immunologist Wishes You Knew About Allergies

It goes without saying enduring allergy symptoms is a miserable experience. Add to that allergy ignorance, and you’re looking at long-term suffering. Fortunately, that suffering can be alleviated. Unfortunately, your Glendale Asthma & Allergy Clinic may assume you have the necessary information to address the situation when, in fact, you’re seriously in the dark.

Shed some light on stubborn allergy symptoms with these potentially missing links:
If the immunologist at your local allergy and asthma clinic could get in your head, you might discover…

•You may be taking the wrong medication.
Avoiding the doctor with over-the-counter (OTC) oral antihistamines isn’t helping. Prescription steroid nasal sprays and prescribed antihistamines work significantly better.

•You waited too long.
Starting medication prescribed by your allergy and asthma clinic after allergies set-in makes treatment difficult.

•You need some personal space from your pet.
Keeping them out of your bedroom will make a huge difference – as will a HEPA air purifier.

•Your pet’s NOT hypoallergenic.
He might shed less hair, but you could be allergic to dander or saliva.

•You DO need those expensive bedding covers.
Pillow and mattress encasings between 2-4 microns prevent dust mite migration for those with dust mite related allergies.

•Neti pots work.
Even allergists use them.

•You can’t outrun allergies.
No matter how far away you move, you could develop allergies anywhere at any time. And if you’re allergic to one kind of pollen, it increases your likelihood of developing allergies to other (new) pollens.

•You don’t have to suffer.
Though you might feel like it, you won’t die from allergic rhinitis. But suffering through them without visiting the immunologist won’t win you a medal. Untreated symptoms could end up costing you more in sinus and ear infections – and lost sleep. Stop waiting for spontaneous remission and get help.

Tired of sneezing your way through the day? Find an allergy and asthma clinic near you today!

6 Simple Tips for Reducing Fall Allergies

Your allergist in Avondale knows fall can be a miserable time for allergy sufferers. Why do fall allergies seem to wreak more havoc than in the spring? Cooler weather and changing foliage leading plants and weeds to release pollens, in addition to the additional punch of outdoor molds proliferating under fallen leaves.

Before ragweed and other fall allergens have you running to your allergist-immunologist, try implementing these simple, common sense tips for foiling fall allergies:

1. Plan ahead.
   Before you plan outdoor activities, check pollen counts, scheduling events for when pollen is at its lowest.
    
2. Take an antihistamine.
   Consult your allergist in Avondale to determine the best over the counter antihistamines to take before heading outdoors.
    
3. Reduce exposure.
   If you can’t skip outdoor activities, consider donning a mask and leaving tasks until the middle of the day when pollen is at its lowest. Avoid outdoor activities in the early morning hours
    
4. Stay clean.
   Your home – and your body. Wash off as soon as possible after spending time outside. When possible, change clothes before entering your home to prevent distributing allergens inside. Store shoes outside, and don’t hang clothes out to dry either.
    

Make sure air conditioning system is clean!
When allergy season is in full bloom, close your windows and let your heating and air system help you keep indoor air clear of allergens. Change your filter regularly, particularly during allergy season. To prevent the distribution of allergens throughout your home.  Also, investing in a HEPA air filter would be worthwhile! Don’t hide out in your home, manager allergies with ease this fall season. With these simple tips and the help of your immunologist, you too can get back to enjoying the great outdoors!