Each patient that is attended requires a comprehensive service to satisfactorily solve their problem. During the consultation there are many adversities that can occur and a fairly common one is that there are diseases and conditions with similar symptoms. That is why you must pay attention to people’s annoyances and responses to get to the origin of everything. Among the most common things that can happen is receiving cases of asthma and allergies, but do you know what the differences are between the two?
In the first instance, asthma is among the first 20 causes of disease in Mexico. It is estimated that seven percent of the population suffers from it and the symptoms appear from the first five years of age. On the other hand, allergies affect 40 percent of Mexicans.
What is asthma?
Asthma is a chronic disease that causes the airways in the lung to become inflamed. When that happens there are difficulties in breathing. Although it can occur at any age, 30 percent of all cases occur in children from 5 to 14 years old.
What is the relationship between asthma and environmental allergies?
For some children, environmental allergies can trigger asthma symptoms or make them worse. They can also cause allergic asthma (environmental asthma triggered by things you breathe in like pollen or dust).
What are the differences between asthma and allergies?
There are different symptoms of asthma and allergies. Allergies generally affect the eyes, nose, and throat; instead, asthma damages the lungs.
allergy symptoms
- runny nose
- sneezing
- Itchy watery eyes.
- Irritated throat.
asthma symptoms
- Shortness of breath.
- Chest tightness.
- Cough at night.
- wheezing
How should asthma and allergies be treated?
According to the procedures of the pediatric area of Massachusetts General Hospital The treatment to be followed for each problem consists of the following:
allergies
- Keep children away from allergens (things you are known to be allergic to).
- Allergy shots (also called allergy immunotherapy) to fortify the body against allergens.
- Medications, such as allergy pills or inhalers (always with a doctor’s prescription).
Asthma
- Long-acting inhalers (also called controller inhalers) to manage daily symptoms.
- Rescue inhalers for emergencies.
- Nebulizer (machine that delivers asthma medicine as a mist that goes deep into the lungs).
Tips to keep allergens away from patients
dust mites
- Remove as many rugs as you can from the home. If this is not possible, they should be vacuumed 2 to 3 times a week.
- Cover the child’s mattress with a dust-proof cover.
- Wash the sheets every week in hot water.
- Do not keep more than 2 soft toys in the child’s room because dust mites can live on the surface of soft toys and other soft surfaces.
Pollen
- When there is a lot of pollen outside, keep the windows of the car and home closed, as well as take the child to bathe after arriving home.
- To remove pollen from clothing, wash your child’s clothing in hot water frequently.
Pets
- The easiest way to avoid pet allergies is to not have them, but this is not always an option for families.
- Keep pets out of the child’s room.
- Vacuum 2-3 times a week to remove pet hair or dander from floors and furniture.