Allergies vs. asthma
Allergies and asthma are different, though they may have related reactions and some of the body’s chemicals that are involved in allergies are also involved in asthma.
- An allergy is an inflammatory reaction or response to a specific substance.
Allergic reactions can involve nasal membranes, the eyes, the skin, and the tongue, and the breathing passages in severe reactions. Allergy symptoms include an itchy, stuffy, or runny nose; sneezing; itchy, red, or irritated skin; and itchy, burning, or watery eyes.
- Asthma is a chronic, inflammatory lung (lower respiratory) disease that causes difficulty breathing.
The things that trigger allergies can also trigger asthma attacks. Allergy symptoms may be a sign of irritants in the air that can provoke asthma symptoms. Allergy attacks can lead to asthma attacks.
With both allergies and asthma, people’s immune systems react to fight off the allergens. In people with asthma, the resulting inflammation causes the airways to become significantly narrowed.
