Approximately 34 million people in the United States suffer from the wheezing and discomfort of asthma. Affecting patients of all ages, advancing research into the treatment of asthma is providing promising results for sufferers.
Often occurring as a response to an environmental or physical trigger, cases of asthma are not curable, but can be effectively controlled through appropriate treatment.
“Currently, no cure is available for asthma sufferers,” explains Marc W. Cromie, M.D., board-certified asthma, allergy and immunology specialist, and partner/owner of the Chattanooga Allergy Clinic in Chattanooga, TN.
“Although no cure is available, treatments can be tailored to the specific needs of a patient, minimizing the impact of asthma and allowing for a full, healthy life.”
Advances in Treatment
For many years, allergy shots have provided drastic relief for seasonal allergy sufferers. Based on the principle of immunotherapy, allergy shots allow patients to build a resistance to their allergy triggers. Ultimately, patients become less sensitive to allergy triggers and enjoy reduced reactions and fewer troubling symptoms.
As with seasonal allergies, immunology has proven to be successful in the prevention of asthma, particularly with kids. In young children, hay fever and other symptoms of seasonal allergies tend to develop into cases of asthma later in life. Providing younger patients with a series of allergy shots minimizes the impact of seasonal allergies, eventually reducing the likelihood that the child will develop asthma by about 50%.
By MD News staff writer
June 14, 2011
mdnews.com