Asthma and Allergens Make their Seasonal Appearance.
As the seasons change and the weather warms up, flowers begin to bloom, and asthma and allergens make their seasonal appearance. Unfortunately for the 65 million people in the U.S. affected by asthma and allergies, their condition worsens in the springtime, triggering symptoms of asthma, making it more difficult to breathe.[1]
May is considered the peak season for allergies and asthma flare-ups, which makes it the perfect month to help educate patients, families, and friends about these conditions. Join numerous organizations all over the country during National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month to help drive awareness and extend support to improve lives.
How Asthma and Allergies Effect Us.
Allergies occur when the body’s immune system identifies a foreign substance as harmful and reacts to it by causing an allergic reaction such as coughing, sneezing, scratchy throat, hives, rashes, itchy eyes, or a runny nose. Although there is no cure, allergies can be managed with prevention and treatment. The main treatment options for allergies include medicine, immunotherapy, and avoidance of allergens.
Asthma is a chronic disease affecting the airways in your lungs, making it difficult to breathe. If not managed well, asthma can easily reduce your quality of life. Common symptoms include shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing, and coughing. The exact cause of asthma is unknown, however, there are numerous risk factors such as: genetics, allergies, infections, medicines, and environmental exposures. Treatment depends on the severity of your condition and the main types of medications used to help control a patient’s asthma include short-acting inhalers, long-acting inhalers, and injectables or biologics.
Allergies and asthma often occur together; however, most treatments are designed to treat either asthma or an allergic response. There are few treatments that may help with both conditions which include leukotriene modifiers, immunotherapy, or anti-immunoglobulin E (IgE) therapy.
Help Us Drive Awareness and Improve Lives.
Medvantx is pleased to help drive awareness and provide support to improve the lives of patients nationwide living with asthma and allergies. Last year, we dispensed over 310k allergy and asthma related prescriptions, and our pharmacists helped provide thorough prescription consultations to ensure each patient felt confident in their injection and/or inhalation technique.
This month, we urge you to be aware of potential triggers, especially if you plan to be outside. Check your outdoor air quality, your local pollen count, and make sure to have an asthma or allergy action plan in place. Take a preventative stance, familiarize yourself with your inhaler, and speak with your prescriber about effective medication options that will help you better manage and control your condition.
