When a foreign substance such as pet dander or pollen enters your body, the immune system reacts to the same. This is when allergies occur. It can even be present in the form of food, which is normal for many people but is a foreign body for certain people. The immune system is responsible for making antibodies that will identify the foreign bodies. So, when this foreign body is identified, then the immune system inflames the skin, which is called skin allergy and when it affects airways or causes sinuses, then it is called asthma.

Allergies usually stay for a few days and eventually go away by themselves. But if your allergy gets worse with time then you may be suffering from chronic allergies. There can be many symptoms of chronic allergies and they depend on the substance that is causing the allergy.

• Sneezing
• Itchy skin
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Swollen red eyes
• For environmental allergies, rashes, hives, and itchy skin are the common symptoms.

What causes chronic allergies?
There can be many different causes of chronic allergies, for instance:

• Seasonal allergies are normally caused by pollen.
• Pet allergies are caused by exposure to animal urine, saliva, and
• Food allergies (i.e., dairy, nuts, eggs, fish, soy, and others).

How can chronic allergies be treated?
The first step towards the treatment of chronic allergies is to identify the allergen. Your doctor will identify the allergen so that it can be easy for treating and stopping the symptoms. Your doctor may also prescribe medication based on the allergen and the condition of allergy.  For example, immunotherapy (or allergy shots or injections) may be used for those chronic allergies where the allergens cannot be removed with the help of other treatment options available. These injections will help reduce the immune response to the allergen from the body and provide some symptomatic relief.

What is chronic asthma?
Asthma is a condition where the airways become narrow and start to swell. This will also produce some extra mucus. Many patients are unable to breathe when asthma is triggered.

Asthma also causes symptoms of wheezing, coughing,  and shortness of breath. When this condition is severe, even after providing the right kind of treatment, it is called as chronic asthma. Chronic asthma is typically treated with the following.

• Avoidance of triggers
  There can be certain situations that can worsen the asthma attack (i.e., exposure to pets or exercise-induced asthma) and in these cases, it’s best to avoid the trigger as much as possible.
• Quick-relief medication
  Quick-relief medication is very important for a patient suffering from asthma. For instance, a bronchodilator is used to quickly open the airway passages for immediate relief from the symptoms of asthma. However, it is advisable to consult your doctor before using the same.
• Long relief medication
  Long-acting bronchodilators are sometimes used in combination with inhaled steroids (corticosteroids) to help in reducing the triggers of asthma and the frequency of asthma attacks.
• Lifestyle changes
  Your doctor may also prescribe an asthma action plan to prevent the frequency of chronic asthma attacks (i.e., elimination diet for food allergies).