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Do you wheeze and gasp after physical activity? Do you feel like your chest is filled with mucus and have impaired breathing after you have been around pollen and a long haired cat? If you answered 'yes' to either of these questions then you may suffer from asthma, allergies, or both asthma and allergies. It is easy to confuse asthma and allergies because they have very similar symptoms. While there symptoms may be the same, the underlying causes of each condition are different and the treatment for each condition is very different. Therefore, it is critical to know how to identify the difference between allergies and asthma symptoms.

So what are the symptoms of asthma? The common symptoms of asthma include: persistent coughing, gasping for air, wheezing, a tight chest, decreased tolerance of physical activity, and persistent chest colds.

So what are the symptoms of allergies? Allergies come in many forms from skin allergies to sinus allergies. Symptoms of allergies include coughing, sneezing, wheezing, and itching in reaction to triggers such as pet dander, pollen, and mold. If you have allergies you can suffer from persistent chest colds and rhinitis as well.

As you can see the symptoms of asthma and allergies are similar. Some people even suffer from allergic asthma. Environmental triggers such as perfumes and cigarette smoke cause their airways to constrict and experience an asthma attack.

What causes asthma? Asthma is the result of inflammation in your airways. It is a chronic disease that requires both short term and long term medication. Most people with asthma have a genetic predisposition to condition. Their asthma is revealed either in childhood or adulthood based on outside factors such as exercise or environmental triggers.

What causes allergies? Allergies are the result of environmental factors as well as genetics. Allergies do not inflame your airways like asthma.

So how do you know if you have asthma, allergies, or allergic asthma? You will need to have a doctor give you a proper diagnosis. It is important to see a doctor so that you can find the most effective medication for your condition.

How will a doctor determine the diagnosis between asthma, allergies, and allergic asthma? Since asthma has to do with the inflammation of your lungs, your doctor will test your lungs. Basically, you will blow into a spirometer to measure your air flow and a variety of medical factors. They will also have you track your symptoms and give your medical history.

Once your doctor has determined whether or not you have asthma they will create a health wellness plan to follow. For example, if you do have asthma you will learn about the various asthma medications. You will learn what to do to stop an asthma attack as well as remove asthma triggers from your environment.

If you do have asthma, one of your strongest weapons is to learn all you can about asthma. Find out what medications are available, look for support groups, and learn the best way to manage this chronic disease. You can find a plan that best meets your needs while living a healthy, normal life.