Allergy INFO

ASTHMA

Over 5.2 million people in the UK have asthma – that's around 1 in 12 adults. Asthma is a condition that affects the airways – the small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. In asthma sufferers these airways are almost always sensitive and inflamed. If you have asthma, coming into contact with something you are allergic to, or something that irritates your airways (a trigger), makes them become narrower, making it harder to breathe. The muscles around the walls of the airways tighten, the lining of the airways becomes inflamed and starts to swell and often sticky mucus or phlegm is produced. This will lead to asthma symptoms.

Asthma symptoms can vary, and include coughing and wheezing, shortness of breath, or a tight feeling in the chest. Wheezing does not always occur. In fact, coughing is the most common asthma symptom

Asthma can be inherited (like the related allergic conditions eczema and hay fever or allergic rhinitus). It’s believed that many aspects of modern lifestyles – such as changes in housing and diet and a more hygienic environment – may have contributed to the rise in asthma over the last few decades.

Smoking during pregnancy increases the chance of a child developing asthma. Environmental pollution can make asthma symptoms worse but has not been proven to actually cause asthma. Late-onset asthma may develop after a viral infection. Irritants found in the workplace may also lead to a person developing asthma.

ECZEMA

Eczema, or dermatitis, is a group of skin conditions which can affect all age groups. In the United Kingdom up to one fifth of all children of school age have eczema, along with about one in twelve of the adult population. In mild types of eczema the skin is dry, hot and itchy, whilst in more severe forms the skin can become broken, raw and bleeding. Although it can sometimes look unpleasant, eczema is not contagious. With treatment the inflammation of eczema can be reduced, though the skin will always be sensitive to flare-ups and will need extra care.

The causes of eczema are many, and depend on the particular type of eczema that a person has. Atopic eczema is believed to be a hereditary condition. People with atopic eczema are sensitive to allergens in the environment which are harmless to others. In atopy there is an extreme reaction by the immune system producing inflamed, irritated and sore skin. Linked atopic conditions include asthma and hayfever. Other types of eczema are caused by irritants such as chemicals and detergents, allergens such as nickel, and yeast growths. In later life eczema can be caused by blood circulation problems in the legs. The causes of certain types of eczema are still being explored, and are thought to be linked with environmental factors and stress.

ALLERGIC RHINITIS

There are two types of allergic rhinitis: seasonal and perennial (ongoing). Seasonal allergic rhinitis is better known as "hay fever". Tree and grass pollens and some fungi trigger seasonal nose and eye allergy during springtime and early summer (March to June). Sneezing, a blocked or runny nose and itchy eyes are common symptoms of hay fever. This condition affects 15 to 20 percent of people in the UK and, like other allergic conditions such as eczema, seems to be becoming more common, especially in children.

Perennial allergic rhinitis or a "permanent cold" is caused by a llergens such as house-dust mite droppings, cat and dog dandruff, horse hair, cockroach droppings and perhaps hamster or rabbit urine result in perennial allergic rhinitis with symptoms all year round. People with this condition are often misdiagnosed as having a "permanent" cold and are sometimes given inappropriate treatment with antibiotics. Symptoms can include constant nasal blockage, snoring at night, runny nose, loss of taste and smell sensation and sneezing only on waking in the morning. Glue ear and chronic sinusitis are also common.