Unidad de Inmunología y Alergia Teknon

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Respiratory allergy: asthma and allergic rhinitis

What are respiratory allergies?

Respiratory allergies occur when the susceptible person inhales particles capable of causing an immune reaction. Signs and symptoms are then produced which, depending on whether they affect the upper or lower respiratory tract, manifest themselves as allergic rhinitis or asthma, two pathologies that are frequently associated.

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What is allergic rhinitis?
Conjuntivitis

ConjunctivitisWhen an allergen and IgE antibodies synthesized by the allergic person come into contact, an inflammatory disorder of the mucous membranes lining the inside of the nose, known as allergic rhinitis, occurs. It is characterized by nasal itching, sneezing, abundant mucus and nasal obstruction.

Allergic rhinitis affects 10-25% of the population and has a strong impact on their quality of life: it reduces school and work performance and constitutes a significant economic burden.
Allergic rhinitis is also a risk factor for developing asthma. Other frequent complications are sinusitis, nasal polyps and conjunctivitis.
What is allergic bronchial asthma?
Allergic bronchial asthma is an inflammatory disease of the bronchi that causes them to become obstructed, making breathing difficult. The obstruction is due to an immunological reaction between the inhaled allergen and the antibodies produced by the allergic person.

Allergic asthma accounts for 70% of all types of asthma and is the most common chronic disease in children and young adults. Inflammation is associated with bronchial occlusion (bronchospasm) and increased mucus secretion. In many cases the bronchi also react in this way to respiratory infections, cold air and physical exercise (bronchial hyperresponsiveness).

The symptoms of asthma are recurrent coughing attacks, shortness of breath (dyspnea), chest tightness and wheezing. Very often asthma appears in the form of an attack. It can become very severe and requires emergency treatment. Asthma is accompanied by alterations in the functional examination of the respiratory system (spirometry) which allows to certify the diagnosis, to determine its severity and to know the response to treatment.

Allergic asthma is frequently associated with spasmodic cough and allergic rhinitis, which may precede it in time.
What are the causes of respiratory allergies?
Once asthma and/or allergic rhinitis have been diagnosed, it is necessary for the specialist to take an exhaustive clinical history to discover what the possible triggers are and to carry out a detailed allergological study, consisting of:
- Prick testPrick testSkin tests with specific allergens. The tests are almost always performed with the "prick" technique and are quick, painless, sensitive, reproducible and virtually risk-free for the patient's health.
- Blood and mucous secretion tests can be used to check for allergy markers (increased immunoglobulin E (IgE), increased eosinophilic leukocytes (eosinophilia). It is very important to measure the level of IgE antibodies specific for the allergens detected (mites, pollens, animal epithelia, fungi).
- Mucosal challenge tests, using the allergens involved in a controlled manner, in addition to certifying the relationship between allergen exposure and symptoms, can be essential in the study of some types of allergies such as occupational allergies.
What is the treatment of respiratory allergy?
The treatment of respiratory allergy, once it has been correctly diagnosed and the responsible allergens have been determined, is based on three essential aspects that can be complementary:
- Avoidance of exposure to the allergen, which may be sufficient to control the disease, in the case of allergic exclusively to animal epithelia. It is practically impossible to avoid exposure to the vast majority of environmental allergens (mites, pollens and fungi), but the application of some hygienic measures can reduce this exposure.
- Administration of drugs with an effect on symptoms, such as antihistamines, anti-inflammatory drugs or inhaled bronchodilators. It should be considered that the beneficial effect disappears when the medication is withdrawn and that some of these drugs may have undesirable side effects on the patient's health.
- Desensitizing immunotherapy is considered the most complete treatment for respiratory allergy and is achieved through allergy vaccines. Specific immunotherapy makes it possible to achieve immunological tolerance after prolonged treatment, which should always be carried out under the supervision of a specialist

Contact us

Centro Médico Teknon

Unidad de Inmunología y Alergia Teknon

Marquesa Office's (office 32)

Marquesa de Vilallonga, 12

08022 Barcelona

93 290 64 32

alerteknon@telefonica.net

Schedules

	Morning	Afternoon
Monday	9.00 - 19.30 h	-
Tuesday	9.00 - 19.30 h	-
Wednesday	9.00 - 19.30 h	-
Thursday	9.00 - 19.30 h	-
Friday	9.00 - 14.00 h	-

Carrer de Vilana, 12, 08022 Barcelona

932 906 200 / 900 301 013