It’s World Allergy Week

This year’s event focuses on the global impact of airway allergies.

Though it may seem hard to believe in this day and age, many people are not getting proper care for airway allergies. This can place a huge socio-economic burden on individuals and society, not to mention drastically reduce the quality of life of the allergic individuals. According to the World Health Organization, the prevalence of the two main airway allergies, allergic rhinitis and asthma, is increasing in both the developing and the developed world. The WHO estimates that by 2025, an additional 100 million people around the world will have asthma.

In order to help shed light on this problem, the 95 member societies of the World Allergy Organization have made airway allergies the focus of this year’s World Allergy Week. From April 13 to 19, many different events will be taking place to educate the public about the connection between allergic rhinitis and asthma and, in some cases, provide diagnosis and treatment.

What You Need to Know About Airway Allergies

You may have both allergic rhinitis and asthma: Allergic rhinitis (aka hay fever) and asthma have epidemiological, pathophysiological, and immunological links and share a similar inflammatory process, so it should come as no surprise that they often manifest together. According to the World Allergy Organization, while fewer than 40 percent of individuals with hay fever have asthma, 80 percent of individuals with asthma have hay fever. It is very important to treat both conditions because the constriction of the respiratory passages caused by allergic rhinitis can make asthma attacks worse.

Uncontrolled airway allergies burden individuals and society: If airway allergies are not treated, they can make it extremely difficult for afflicted individuals to sleep, exercise, or enjoy a normal quality of life. This also affects the individual’s family as well as society at large. Individuals with untreated airway allergies tend to miss school and work more often, be less productive, and are more prone to costly hospitalizations and ER visits.

Numerous treatment options exist: The good news is that there are many excellent strategies for controlling allergic rhinitis and asthma and preventing them from feeding off of one another to create ever-worsening symptoms and consequences. If you have hay fever, avoidance of the outdoors or reliance on medication isn’t necessarily the only option—immunotherapy or allergy shots could help too.

Stop in and Celebrate World Allergy Week

If you have been troubled by respiratory symptoms that you suspect may be related to an airway allergy, we invite you to make an appointment at Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology Medical Group. Our expert allergists will be happy to provide a professional diagnosis if needed and help you find better ways to manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life.