National Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month

April showers bring May flowers 

And, with those flowers, brings in allergy season. This might be the case with some people, but for many sufferers, allergic rhinitis last all year long. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, over 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year. Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S. with an annual cost of $18 billion. People with perennial allergic rhinitis experience these symptoms year-round. Perennial allergic rhinitis is generally caused by sensitivity to house dust mites, animal dander, bugs and/or mold spores. 

Allergies are not something that can be prevented however allergic reactions can be. Once diagnosed, there are multiple ways that allergic rhinitis can be treated, including: avoidance, eliminating or decreasing your exposure to the irritants or allergens that trigger your symptoms, medication and allergy shots. Allergy shots can reduce the symptoms of rhinitis in about 85% of people. 




Asthma is a chronic disease involving the airways in the lungs. These airways allow air to come in and out of the lungs. If you have asthma your airways are always inflamed. They can become even more swollen and the muscles around the airways will tighten when something triggers your symptoms. This makes it difficult for air to move in and out of the lungs. Symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and/or chest tightness will arise.



For many asthma sufferers, timing of these symptoms is can be closely related to physical activity. And, some otherwise healthy people can develop asthma symptoms only when exercising. This is called exercise-induced broncho-constriction, or exercise-induced asthma. Staying active is an important way to stay healthy, so asthma shouldn't prevent you hold you back. Your physician can assist in developing a management plan to keep your symptoms under control before, during and after physical activity.

To learn more about Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month, go to www.aafa.org

For facts about Asthma, check out the Asthma Foundation

For Allergy Facts, learn more here

And, for the most up-to-date CDC information, go to CDC Asthma and CDC Allergies