Asthma Healing

You're already familiar with asthma and its symptoms: coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. The type of asthma you have depends on what triggers your symptoms. If they are triggered by your body's reaction to year-round allergens in the air, you may have allergic asthma. This is the most common type, affecting more than 60% of Americans with asthma — 10 million adults and children.

An allergic asthma attack can occur when you inhale allergens and your body's immune system responds by making too much of a substance called Immunoglobulin E (IgE). This causes chemical reactions that tighten and swell your airways, making it harder to breathe and potentially leading to an asthma attack.

If you have allergic asthma, it's important to find out what allergens trigger your symptoms so you can avoid them as much as possible. Some of the most common ones include: dog and cat dander, dust mites, molds, and cockroach droppings.

Is Your Current Treatment Enough

Some patients have difficulty controlling their allergic asthma even though they take their medicine (including inhaled steroids) and try to avoid their triggers. If this sounds like you, you may need additional therapy.

Your allergic asthma is not well controlled if you:

• Wake up at night with symptoms
• Need more reliever medications than usual
• Seek urgent medical care
• Have a peak flow below your personal best
• Must cut back on your usual physical activities

Take your first step toward gaining better control by talking to your doctor. Learn how elevated IgE can be affecting you and getting tested to see if your levels are elevated. Only a doctor can confirm whether or not you have allergic asthma. If you do, you may want to ask about a treatment called Xolair^®. It blocks IgE and may help you reduce asthma attacks and symptoms.