Runny nose, congestion, sore throat, cough or wheezing? At what point should you become concerned?
These symptoms can become recurrent, but if there is no fever, you may question if you need to see a provider. In many cases, these symptoms can be caused by allergies or asthma, and once you know that there is more involved than just a viral or bacterial cold, you can seek an answer to help relieve symptoms.
There are many things a person can be allergic to, as well as different ways a person reacts to allergens. Allergies can develop to anything in the environment, including pollen, animals, foods, and medications. An allergic reaction can present through several body systems like the skin, eyes, and respiratory.
Allergic Rhinitis
When a person has allergic rhinitis and is exposed to an allergen, the nasal mucosa becomes inflamed. The airborne allergen usually affects the eyes, nose, sinuses, throat and bronchi (large airway of the lungs) and the inflamed mucosa produces mucus. This type of rhinitis is usually seasonal or perennial. Pollens may cause the symptoms during specific seasons, or dust, mold and pets may cause symptoms to occur throughout the year.
A person with allergic rhinitis may have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Stuffy nose and/or decreased ability to smell
- Sneezing
- Itchy nose and/or clear drainage from the nose
- Cough that is from feeling of drainage at the back of the throat
- Sore throat
- Itchy and/or watery eyes
- Feeling of not able to get full breath or wheezing with breathing
A healthcare provider may recommend testing for allergies, but it is not always recommended or needed. Usually, the provider can perform an exam and make recommendations for treatment by asking about specific symptoms. If testing is recommended, skin testing is the most common way to check for allergies.
Tips for Treating Allergic Rhinitis
Treatment typically starts with trying to avoid what is causing the allergic reaction.
- Pets – avoid letting pets in the bedroom, or if allergic reaction is severe, remove the pet from the home.
- Dust - frequent cleaning may be needed.
- Seasonal – pay special attention to pollen counts and learn when the best time is for you to be outdoors.
- Over-the-counter medications – antihistamines and decongestant are available in pill and nose spray forms to help decrease or prevent symptoms.
- Prescription medications - if the over-the-counter products do not relieve symptoms, your healthcare provider can recommend prescription nasal corticosteroid sprays.
With any medication, it is best to check with your provider to make sure it is safe to use, even if it is over the counter. You want to ensure you won’t have a reaction with something else you might be taking.
Asthma
Asthma is a chronic or long-term disease that affects the airways, caused by inflammation that blocks the airways. Many think that children develop asthma, but it can be diagnosed at any age. Asthma is typically triggered by some type of allergy or irritant. Sometimes mild asthma is overlooked and is not found or treated until a more severe illness occurs. While there is no cure for asthma, there are very effective treatments.
Asthma can have several causes or triggers such as cold air, medications, allergens or environmental factors (pollen, dust, mold or animals), infections, exercise induced or stressful events. The trigger will start an inflammatory response that causes narrowing in the upper airways (bronchioles) and can trigger mucus production that makes breathing harder.
Common symptoms of asthma include:
- Feeling like you cannot get enough breath
- The chest feels tight with breathing
- Cough
- Wheezing or whistling sound with breathing
Treating Asthma
A healthcare provider will likely want to perform breathing tests to measure how much force a person with asthma can blow out. This helps determine how the asthma is affecting the lungs, but also is used to make sure the medication is helping. Based on symptoms and other factors, the provider will have choices on what medications to recommend. Medications can be short acting for immediate use to stop symptoms when they occur, or long acting to try to prevent symptoms from starting. Other treatments can be to avoid triggers and the best treatment is to stay healthy.
Remember that having a diagnosis by a healthcare provider can help to provide correct treatment for allergy or asthma symptoms that seem to recur and last for a while. Equally important is taking the recommended medications to help reduce symptoms and risks that can come with decreased ability to properly breathe. When in doubt about symptoms, contact your healthcare provider to see if it is time to have a check-up.
ATI Active Care is a walk-in clinic, located in Waukesha, WI, that provides immediate care for non-emergency acute conditions, physicals, health screenings, preventive health and wellness programs. For more information contact BobbieJo Paul at bobbiejopaul@activatehealthcare.com or call (262) 574-2711.