Upper Cumberland allergists advising residents to monitor for increased asthma symptoms as combination of viral illnesses and high pollen counts create peak season for respiratory issues.
Allergist William Travis Cain said rhinovirus serves as a primary trigger for asthma exacerbations during the fall months. Cain said the current environment features a dangerous mixture of airborne mold and ragweed following a period of dry, hot weather.
“Couple those together, you’ve got a disastrous combination for the immune system and that can trigger asthma symptoms in a lot of patients,” Cain said. “We’re back in school with all of our friends and family in close quarters and it just contributes to a lot more symptoms this time of year.”
Cain said a cough is the most common warning sign for children, particularly during sleep or physical activity. Adults often experience chest tightness alongside coughing, which indicates a potential asthma issue rather than standard seasonal allergies.
“It’s very scary to feel like you can’t breathe,” Cain said. “If the cough is so bad that you can’t catch your breath, if the cough is so bad that you feel like it’s hard for you to do normal activities, you can experience some chest tightness, you experience wheeze, you can get lightheaded.”
Cain said patients should ensure they have a current, unexpired albuterol inhaler available for immediate use. Those experiencing symptoms more than twice a week may require an inhaled steroid to manage internal inflammation.
“I tell all those patients don’t wait around and whether it’s a walk in clinic, an emergency room, or your regular doctor,” Cain said. “The regular doctor’s the best place to start and then obviously I’m an asthma specialist, so we see patients from all of those facilities direct encounters from the direct encounters from walk in clinics and referrals from primary care doctors.”
Cain said medical providers may use X-rays to rule out infections or refer patients to lung specialists for further evaluation. Some cases require antibiotics to address acute inflammation before establishing a long-term medication plan.
“It’s very troublesome if you’ve never experienced it,” Cain said. “So definitely, if you’ve got any of those symptoms, go see your doctor.”
Cain said a typical cold generally does not produce the same level of shortness of breath or chest tightness seen in an asthma attack.