Asthma Treatment with Allergy Drops

Asthma is the most common chronic childhood disease, affecting more than 25 million Americans, causing 14 million out-patient visits, 500,000 hospitalizations, 2 million ER visits, and more than 4,000 deaths per year. On an average day, 40,000 people miss school or work due to asthma.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lower airway with classic symptoms that include:

• Wheezing relieved by a bronchodialator such as albuterol
• Cough
• Chest tightness
• Frequent respiratory infections

Allergen exposure, respiratory infections, air pollution including tobacco smoke, and exercise — particularly in cold weather — may make symptoms worse.

For some people, symptoms occur only a few times per year, particularly with acute exposure to mold, dust, grass, weeds, tree pollens, or animal dander — especially in the fall. For others, particularly those allergic to dust mite and mold, asthma symptoms can be experienced daily, are debilitating and can be life threatening.

The only long-term way to prevent the long-term effects of asthma is to treat the underlying cause of the inflammation, such as avoiding tobacco exposure or in the case of people with allergies, reducing allergen exposure and treating the underlying allergy with immunotherapy.