Can You go to Allergy Doctor for Asthma?

Asthma can be diagnosed by allergists/immunologists. These physicians specialize in immune health and hypersensitivities affecting the immune system. Pulmonologists, and lung specialists, can also diagnose asthma.

The different types of asthma include:

• Allergic Asthma — Allergic asthma is an asthmatic condition caused by exposure to allergens, substances that induce an allergic reaction.

• Aspirin-Induced Asthma — Also known as Samter’s syndrome, this type of asthma is caused by the asthma symptoms that develop after taking aspirin or another non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).

• Cough-Variant Asthma — This type of asthma is characterized by a dry cough, which is the only symptom. Cough-variant asthma is often undiagnosed as the cough is the only symptom, which can be mistaken for a wide range of other conditions.

• Exercise-Induced Asthma — As the name suggests, exercise-induced asthma is triggered by physical activity.

• Nighttime Asthma — Nighttime asthma is a condition where asthma symptoms are most prevalent at night; symptoms may be minimal or even nonexistent during the day.

• Steroid-Resistant Asthma — In order to be diagnosed with steroid-resistant asthma, the patient must show no sign of improvement to a 7 to 14-day course of treatment, such as with prednisone.

• Occupational Asthma — Occupational asthma is a type of asthma that is caused by inhaling chemical fumes, gases, dust, or other airborne particulates on the job. This type of asthma is much more common in some professions than in others, including carpentry, construction, demolition, and factory work.

No, asthma cannot be cured. However, some people with childhood asthma can “outgrow” the disease when they reach adulthood. Furthermore, asthma is a highly controllable disease and can be easily managed with the right treatment plan. Patients with well-managed asthma can essentially reach a “virtual cure,” as they live a good quality of life free of asthma attacks.

Unfortunately, some people have asthma that is not well controlled; this may involve poor control of symptoms, frequent exacerbations, and severe asthma symptoms that negatively impact the quality of life. Signs of uncontrolled asthma may include:

• More severe asthma symptoms than previously experienced
• An increase in the frequency of asthma symptoms
• Losing sleep due to asthma symptoms
• Controller medications are not as effective as before
• Using quick-acting asthma medications more often
• Unable to exercise as previously
• Peak flow measurements are 50 percent less than the baseline
• Missing work/school due to asthma symptoms
• Hospitalized due to asthma flare-ups

Untreated asthma can result in a number of serious complications that require immediate treatment in order to achieve a promising prognosis. If you have asthma and are experiencing any of the complications listed above, please seek the care of an experienced asthma specialist as soon as possible.
 
If you or someone you love is experiencing asthma symptoms, the professionals at Piniella Asthma + Allergy can help. Call us today to book an appointment with our asthma specialist, or visit one of our two locations: we have one in Coral Gables, FL; and one in Palmetto Bay, FL. We look forward to serving you! We serve patients from Coral Gables FL, Palmetto Bay FL, Westchester FL, Brownsville FL, Kendall FL, Pinecrest FL, Richmond West FL, and Goulds FL.