If you’ve been searching for lasting relief from the symptoms of allergic asthma, it’s time to turn to the specialized care at Advanced Sinus and Allergy Center in Park Ridge, Illinois. Dr. Nadia Caballero offers comprehensive management of allergic asthma including addressing the root of the problem - your allergies. She offers several modalities of immunotherapy to reprogram your immune system and decrease your lung’s hyperactivity to inhalant allergens. This results in less wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath and a more enjoyable quality if life. If you are ready to breathe better and enjoy life again, call or book a consultation online today.
Allergic asthma is the most common form of asthma. It’s triggered by inhaling allergens, such as pollen, pet dander, dust mites, or mold. When you are sensitized to those allergens, being exposed to them leads to an allergic response in your immune system. Your immune system overreacts, causing inflammation and swelling in the lungs. Your airways tighten, making it difficult to breathe. You may wheeze, cough, and experience chest tightness.
Allergic and non-allergic asthma share many of the same symptoms. In both cases, the most common symptom is wheezing. Other symptoms include:
Some patients may experience all of the symptoms of allergic asthma, while others may experience only one symptom such as a chronic cough.
At Advanced Sinus and Allergy Center, Dr. Caballero takes a thorough medical history and examination. She typically asks you to perform a breathing test called spirometry to assess your lung function. Sometimes more extensive testing may be needed, called Pulmonary Function Testing. Dr. Caballero may also recommend allergy tests and an exhaled nitric oxide test, which measures lung inflammation.
There are several medications used in the management of asthma. These include rescue albuterol inhalers (ProAir ®), steroid inhalers (Flovent ®), leukotriene modifiers (Singulair ®) and combination medications like Symbicort ®, to name a few. The medications chosen depend on the severity of your asthma, and a step-wise approach is followed to achieve adequate control of asthma symptoms.
In addition, there are new injectable medications like XOLAIR® (Omalizumab) that decrease IgE levels in your blood. IgE is the antibody in your blood responsible for allergy symptoms. Another injectable medication, FASENRA™ (benralizumab), reduces the number of eosinophils in your blood. Eosinophils are white blood cells that play a role in asthma.
Depending on your condition and overall health, Dr. Caballero recommends immunotherapy to give you lasting relief from allergic asthma. Immunotherapy reprograms your immune system to decrease or turn off the hyper reactive response of your airway.
Immunotherapy is sometimes called allergy shots. Advanced Sinus and Allergy Center offers immunotherapy as shots and in a drop form.
If allergic asthma symptoms are affecting your quality of life and you are ready to Breathe Better and Enjoy Life Again, call or book a consultation online today with Advanced Sinus and Allergy Center.