In the thousands of people in the country suffer from asthma and allergies. In asthma, a person’s airways get inflamed, swollen and narrow, and produce extra mucus, making it difficult to breathe. Allergies, on the other hand, occur when the body’s immune system perceives something ordinary as harmful and reacts accordingly. Asthma and allergies can be overlapping in the sense that one can suffer from asthma allergy itself. So, let’s find out more about the types and main triggers of asthma and allergies.

Types and triggers of asthma
Asthma can broadly be divided into the following types with specific or common triggers:

• Allergic Asthma
  When it comes to the types and main triggers of asthma and allergies, the two overlap as mentioned before, and this is known as allergic asthma. Common symptoms are coughing and shortness of breath. The triggers can be many, including tobacco smoke, dust mites, cockroach allergen, pets, latex and outdoor air pollutants.
• Non-allergic Asthma
  Non-allergic asthma affects patients seasonally and leads to symptoms like coughing, difficulty in breathing, wheezing and tightness in the chest. The main triggers are viral respiratory infections, stress, excess exercising and certain medications and food additives.
• Occupational Asthma
  Occupational asthma affects people working around chemical fumes, irritants or dust in the air. Since the main trigger is the person’s occupation or place of work, such as a factory, it is called occupational asthma. This can develop over a period of time and subside when you are away from the triggers.

Types and Triggers of Allergies
Following are some of the main types of allergies and their respective triggers:

• Medication Allergy
  This allergy is not too common, but specific medicines like sulfur or penicillin can cause allergic reactions. This reaction can be mild or severe and include upset stomach, skin rashes, and fever.
• Food Allergy
  Food allergies are triggered by specific foods and can be IgE-mediated, non-IgE mediated, or food intolerances. The last type is the most commonly observed and triggers usually come in the form of eggs or seafood such as shrimp.
• Insect Allergy
  Triggers such as bees, wasps, yellow jackets and hornets are found to cause allergic reactions in many. In fact, even non-stinging insects can cause allergies as well as asthma.
• Pollen Allergy
  Pollen happens to be one of the most common triggers of allergies that are seasonal. Also referred to as hay fever or seasonal allergic rhinitis, this can completely go away when there is no trigger.

So, now that you know about the types and main triggers of asthma and allergies, remember that staying away from the triggers and taking prescribed medicines can help relieve the symptoms of both. Consult your doctor for a proper diagnosis and further guidance.