RESPIRATORY DISORDERS – Allergy & Asthma
The incidences of Asthma and Allergies are in alarming rise all around the world. Even though pollution, chemicals, fast foods, changes in life style are all blamed for occurrences and frequent recurrences, weakened immune mechanisms, negligence in initial period of complaints / disease or lack of proper treatment or maltreatment of the disease also plays a major role to lead one to asthma or persistent allergicdisorders. Those peoples will be
most often compelled to sacrifice many of their favourites (food items or life styles) which all seem to act as triggers for an episode. Sometimes, they may also need to lead a restricted unsatisfied life with continuous dependence on antihistamines / steriodal inhalers or sprays or tablets / immune therapies.
Asthma has close relationship with allergic respiratory disorders and allergic skin disorders (dermatitis / eczematous skin diseases), i.e. they promote each other for their perseverance and prevalence. Asthma seems to be more common with the persons who had a family history of allergy rhinitis / dermatitis. Most often children below the age of five are most common victims. Even though, asthma can occur on any one in any of the time irrespective of age, race and sex, familial asthma usually manifest its symptoms before the completion of teenage. Further, the habit of smoking, snuffing, drinking, tobacco chewing and using unnecessary drugs can precipitate the asthma or allergic disorders in more intensified manner.
Allergy
Allergy symptoms are always resulting because of too much hypersensitiveness. Allergies can be due to any foreign material ? natural or artificial. Our immune system usually protects us from diseases by producing antibodies that fight against bacteria and disease. Immunoglobulin (IgE) antibody is responsible for this antibody reaction (i.e., immune response). In allergic patients, these antibodies will be found in blood high titer values for fighting against disease. Normally, antigen (otherwise called as immunogen ? it may be a part of bacteria / virus / fungus, i.e., cell parts / proteins or toxins) when get ingested or inhaled or injected or get contacted with surface of skin usually get attach to blood cells to form mast cells. These cells secrete histamine to cause allergic reactions (i.e., to trigger sneezing, coughing or feeling of itch / rashes). This sort of allergic reactions can crop up in any one in any of the time. All these allergic reactions are very uncomfortable and can also turn serious medical emergency endangering life by any time. when the skin is confronted with any foreign irritant
substances, our immune system counteracts to withstand all sorts of ill effects from that substance. During that occasion, antigen-antibody reaction will develop to inhibit all the ill effects caused thereby. If it is excessive, it will create a disease like condition called Allergy. In simple, allergy can be explained as over reactions. For example, normally, when any foreign objects enters the nose or any irritation occurs in nose, every one happened to sneeze once or twice as a natural defensive mechanism to throw away the foreign substance or irritation. In case of allergic condition, sufferers happened to sneeze continuously for 20-40 times and sometimes even more. Likewise, with exposure to irritant or smoke, normally make one to cough to exhale all the irritant or smoke from lungs, but the same reaction in sensitive allergy patients can cause a violent continuous barking cough to end in wheeze. These (allergic reactions) are all the heightened reaction of the body to external agent (allergen). Allergies are of different types as allergic rhinitis, allergic sinusitis, asthma, allergic skin disorder etc. Some times, allergic reactions will be immediate. Some times it will be late. Some body will have allergic tendency to one substance, but many people often have an allergy response to more than one substance. Some reactions may be 100% reversible and some may not. Some may be transient and some may be persistent (seasonal or perennial). The incidences and intensity of allergic reactions cannot be predicted at any moment even while under treatment.
Asthma:
commonly occurs due to
- Inflammation and swelling of airways (tracheo bronchial tree)
- Increased sensitivity of airways to allergens or irritants
- Narrowing / obstruction of airways (may be due to bronchospams or thick mucous coating / collections or foreign bodies)
- Asthma as a reactive lung disease, is usually caused by heightened reactions of sensitivity airways to allergens or triggers. Altogether, the muscles surrounding the airways get tightened to cause narrowing of airways and turbulance in breathing. Sometimes they cause obstruction of airway too. One such acute violent exacerbation of asthmatic is called as ?Status Asthmaticus?. This extreme condition need to be attended as a medical emergency, since it is often potentially life threatening due to repiratory or lung failure.
- The incidences of Allergic asthma may also be transient or persistent (seasonal or perennial) as like allergies. Transient wheeze will usually go off after a certain period of suffering. It can also go off permanently after clearing the lung complaints or after getting widening of airways with growth. Any how, frequency of occurences and precipitation factors may differ from person to person and may vary in same person in different times. It may be due to foods, drinks, polluted air, temperature variation, strenuous exercise, woolen clothes, perfumes, soaps, room sprays, etc. Asthma may be of different types according to their symptom presentation.
- Asthma without cough ? called also as classical asthma where broncho-spasm causes asthmatic symptoms
- Asthma with cough ? violent cough occurs due to heightened cough reflex (may have elevated eosinophils counts in blood)
- Allergic asthma ? tendency to have wheezing with recurrent cold, cough and sneeze with raised levels of eosinophils in blood
- Asthma with dermatitis (atopic dermatitis ? occurs commonly in children especially in face, bends of elbow, knee, etc) – asthma with raised IgE levels & skin lesions. Usually come with family history
- Just as cough – recurrent and irritant cough occurs with out spasmodic contraction or airway narrowing, i.e., not at all having any wheezing
New perspective of medical world classified asthma under two categories
- Childhood asthma
- Adult asthma
Even though, both of them have similar causes, triggers, sufferings, treatment plans in most of the cases, childhood asthma can go off with growth (natural cure) / proper treatment (cure with medicines), whereas adult asthma need to be managed life long with medicines. Anyway treatment result may also vary from person to person.
for new hope
Dr. S. Chidambaranathan, BHMS, MD (Homeo)
Laxmi Homeo Clinic
24 E. New Mahalipatti Road
Madurai, TN 625 001
India
Tel: +91-452-233-8833 | +91-984-319-1011 (Mob)
Fax: +91-452-233-0196
E-mail: drcheena@yahoo.com
(Disclaimer - The contents of this column are for informational purpose only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional healthcare advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of healthcare professional for any health problem or medical condition.)