Allergy vs Asthma: Key Symptoms & Tests to Get the Right Diagnosis

A whiff of pollen, a sudden cough, a tight chest. Sound familiar? All of these could point toward an allergy or maybe asthma. The tricky part? They often show up together, making diagnosis challenging. But misreading one for the other can delay proper care and make your condition worse.

This is why it’s important to decode the difference between the two with the right test. In this blog, we’ll break down their overlapping and distinct symptoms so you know exactly what to look for. Let’s get started!

Key Symptoms: Allergy vs Asthma?

Allergy symptoms often affect the upper airway, which includes the nose, eyes, and throat. On the other hand, asthma involves the lower airway, i.e. bronchi and lungs. But remember: many people with asthma have allergic triggers, and many with allergies develop asthma later in their lives.^{1, 2}

Here’s a broad list of symptoms that can, to some extent, help differentiate an allergy from asthma.

Symptom	Suggests Allergy	Suggests Asthma
Sneezing, itchy/watery eyes, runny nose	Yes	No
Nasal congestion, sinus symptoms	Yes	No
Wheezing, whistling sound when breathing	Yes	Yes
Shortness of breath, chest tightness	No	Yes
Symptoms triggered by exercise or cold air	No	Yes
Nighttime coughing	No	Yes
Symptoms flare after exposure to allergens (pollen, pets, mould, dust mites)	Yes	No

 

However, as mentioned earlier, these tests are only suggestive. And a confirmatory test is needed to make a proper diagnosis. An ideal choice could be our Asthma/ Rhinitis Allergy Panel. The test checks if you’re allergic towards certain allergens or whether your symptoms tick the signs of asthma.

Next, let’s take a look at the different types of allergies & asthma.

Types of Allergies

Commonly, you may come across people with the following allergies:

• Insect stings and bites, such as bee stings
• Dust mites
• Foods like peanuts and egg whites
• Drugs
• Molds
• Pets and other animals
• Poison ivy rashes and other contact dermatitis reactions
• Seasonal allergies, such as from pollen

Now, let’s understand the different kinds of asthma.

Types of Asthma

Asthma can be of several types:

• Allergic asthma: This is the type of asthma in which your allergies trigger the symptoms of asthma.
• Cough-variant asthma: Unlike other types of asthma, where the symptoms include wheezing and breathlessness, cough-variant asthma only causes a cough.
• Exercise-induced asthma: This type, as the name suggests, is triggered when you exercise.
• Occupational asthma: It’s caused when the inhaled substances at your workplace cause you to develop asthma attacks. Often seen in construction workers, cleaners or those breathing in different chemicals and toxins on their job sites.
• Asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS): The condition when you have both asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) together.

Allergy vs Asthma: Their Causes

Allergy and asthma may have overlapping causes at times. Allergies occur when your immune system mistakenly identifies harmless substances, such as pollen, pet dander, certain foods, or medications, as something dangerous.

The first time your body encounters the substance, it “takes notes” by creating antibodies. The next time it reacts, causing symptoms such as sneezing, itchy eyes, or rashes. You’re more likely to have allergies if your parents do, or if you have conditions like asthma or eczema.

Asthma is a bit more complicated, and experts aren’t entirely sure why it happens. Some common risk factors include having allergies or eczema, exposure to smoke or environmental toxins, repeated respiratory infections as a child, or a family history of asthma.

Management Of Allergies & Asthma

The management of allergies and asthma may require different approaches.

If you have an allergy, the best thing for you to do is avoid triggers. But that’s not always possible. To treat allergies, your doctor might recommend the following:

• Antihistamines (medicines to treat allergies)
• Steroid nasal sprays
• Leukotriene modifiers
• Omalizumab (injections for food allergies or hives)
• Allergy immunotherapy
• Epinephrine auto-injector (for severe cases)

For asthma, the management plan includes:

• Maintenance inhalers (inhaled steroids with or without a combination of bronchodilators, medicines that open your airways)
• A rescue inhaler (fast-acting bronchodilator)
• A nebuliser (sprays a fine mist of medication through a mask)
• Leukotriene modifiers (daily pill form)
• Oral steroids
• Antihistamines
• Biologic therapy (medication to reduce the immune system attack)
• Bronchial thermoplasty (Using heat to thin the muscles around your airways)

Summing Up

When it comes to allergy vs asthma, the line between the two can feel blurry. And for good reason. They often show up together or trigger one another when your body overreacts to environmental triggers. The real trick isn’t obsessing over which one you have, but getting the right test and coming to a confirmatory diagnosis.

An ideal choice here could be our Asthma/ Rhinitis Allergy Panel, which tests 9 parameters and also helps evaluate the intensity of your allergic response. To know more about this test or book one, simply call 18002665533.

FAQs

Are Allergies And Asthma The Same?

No, but they’re closely related. Allergies affect your immune system, while asthma affects your airways. Allergic reactions can sometimes trigger asthma symptoms.³

Do Allergies Cause Asthma?

Not directly, but they can lead to it. People with strong allergic reactions are more likely to develop asthma over time, especially if allergies aren’t managed well.⁴

What Are The Early Warning Signs Of Asthma?

Frequent coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath, especially at night or after exercise, are early signs of asthma.