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B E S S I E

M A E

F A M I L Y

H E A L T H

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May 2015
ASTHMA OVERVIEW
these every day. Learn all
you can about asthma. It's
the first step toward erasing these long-held myths
and living a full, active life.

Asthma...does the word

make you think of people
who cough and wheeze all
the time? Don't people
with asthma have to avoid
sports and strenuous activities? And, when it comes
right down to it, isn't it "all
in their heads?" If you're
one of the 25.9 Americans
with asthma, you challenge stereotypes like

Asthma is a disease in
which the airways become
blocked or narrowed.
These effects are usually
temporary, but they cause
shortness of breath,
breathing trouble, and other symptoms. If an asthma episode is severe, a
person may need emergency treatment to restore
normal breathing.

This health problem is the

reason for nearly 479,000
hospital stays each year.
People with asthma can be
of any race, age or sex. Its
treatment costs billions of
dollars each year.

An estimated 25.9 million

people in the United States
have asthma and, despite
the availability of treatments, it remains poorly
controlled among many.

Despite the far

reaching effects
of asthma, much
remains to be
learned about
what causes it
and how to prevent it. Although
asthma can cause
severe health
problems, in most
cases treatment
can control it and
allow a person to
live a normal and
active life.

mon and serious chronic respiratory illnesses (such as

sinusitis and asthma). Factors
such as your family history
with allergies, the types and
frequency of symptoms, seasonality, duration and even
location of symptoms (indoors or outdoors, for
example) are all are taken

into consideration when

a doctor diagnoses
allergies. Additionally,
allergic reactions can
be severe and even
fatal. However, with
proper management
and patient education,
allergic diseases can be
controlled, and people

Allergy Overview
Allergies reflect an overreaction of the immune system
to substances that usually
cause no reaction in most
individuals. These substances
can trigger sneezing, wheezing, coughing and itching.
Allergies are not only bothersome, but many have been
linked to a variety of com-

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Your Journey To Better Health
220 South Harrison Street
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973-766-1303 (phone)
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Our Services Include: Primary care for men, women and children; obstetrics/gynecology; chiropractic services; mental and behavioral health;
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Mattie Berry Education and Career Development Program

Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Advocacy

Cancer Survivor Group Sessions

Weight Management Program

Pastoral Care Counseling

Social Services (rental, mortgage, car, tuition, food distribution, child

care)

Parenting and Co-Parenting Workshops

ACA Healthcare Enrollment Education and Assistance

Becoming A Mom (BAM) Workshops

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220 South Harrison Street

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Allergic (extrinsic) asthma

Asthma symptoms
triggered by an allergic reaction: Characterized
by airway obstruction and inflammation that is at least
partially reversible
with medication and
is always associated
with allergy. Allergic
asthma is the most
common form of
asthma. Many of the
symptoms of allergic

and non-allergic asthma

are the same (coughing,
wheezing, shortness of
breath or rapid breathing, and chest tightness).
However, allergic asthma is triggered
by inhaling allergens such as
dust mites, pet
dander, pollens,
mold, etc.
Through a complex reaction,
these allergens

cause the passages in the

airways of the lungs to become inflamed and swollen.
This results in coughing,
wheezing and other asthma
symptoms.

Non-Allergic (intrinsic) asthma

Asthma symptoms triggered
by factors not related to
allergies Like allergic asthma, non-allergic asthma is
characterized by airway
obstruction and inflammation that is at least partially
re-

versible with
medication, however symptoms in this type
of asthma are NOT associated with an allergic reaction. Many of the symptoms of allergic and nonallergic asthma are
the same (coughing,
wheezing, shortness of
breath or rapid
breathing, and chest

tightness), but non-allergic

asthma is triggered by other factors such as anxiety,
stress, exercise, cold air,
dry air, hyperventilation,

WHAT CAUSES ASTHMA

People with asthma have

inflamed airways which are

super-sensitive to things
which do not bother other
people. These things are
called "triggers." Substances that cause allergies: such
as dust mites, pollens,
molds, pet dander, and
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even cockroach droppings In many people with

asthma, the same substances that cause allergy symptoms can also trigger an
asthma episode. Irritants in
the air, including smoke
from cigarettes, wood fires,
or charcoal grills. Also,
strong fumes or odors like

household sprays, paint,

gasoline, perfumes, and
scented soaps. Although
people are not actually
allergic to these particles,
they can aggravate inflamed, sensitive airways .

Types of Allergies
Allergic rhinitis: (hay fever or indoor/outdoor,
seasonal, perennial or
nasal allergies): Characterized by
nasal stuffiness, sneezing,
nasal itching, clear nasal
discharge, and itching of
the roof of the
mouth and/or
ears. Food
Allergy:
Symptoms
may include

itching or swelling of lips

or tongue; tightness of the
throat with hoarseness;
nausea and vomiting; diarrhea; occasionally chest
tightness and wheezing;
itching of the eyes. Drug
Allergy: Is characterized

by a variety of allergic
responses affecting any
tissue or organ. Drug allergies can cause anaphylaxis; even those patients who
do not have lifethreatening symptoms initially may progress to a

life-threatening reaction.
Anaphylaxis: (extreme
response to a food or
drug allergy): Characterized by life-threatening
symptoms These can progress into seizures, cardiac arrhythmia, shock and
respiratory distress. Possible causes can be medications, vaccines, food,
latex, and insect stings

Insect Sting/Bite Allergy:

Characterized by a variety of allergic reactions;
stings cannot always be
avoided and can happen
to anyone. Symptoms include pain, itching and
swelling at the sting site or
over a larger area and
can cause anaphylaxis.
Insects that sting include

bees, hornets, wasps, yellow jackets, and fire and

harvest ants. Urticarial:
(hives, skin allergy): A reaction of the skin, or a skin
condition commonly known
as hives. Characterized by
the development of itchy,
raised white bumps on the
skin surrounded by an area of red inflammation.

Contact Dermatitis: (skin

allergy): Characterized by
skin inflammation; this is the
most common occupational
disease representing up to
40 percent of all occupa-

tional illnesses. Allergic

Conjunctivitis: (eye allergy): Characterized by
inflammation of the eyes;
it is the most common form
of allergic eye disease.

mouth. Frequent culprits

include shrimp, peanuts and
other nuts. Injected. Such as
medications delivered by
needle like penicillin or other injectable drugs, and
venom from insect stings and

bites. Absorbed through the

skin. Plants such as poison ivy,
sumac and oak and latex are
examples.

WHAT CAUSES ALLERGIES

The substances that cause
allergic disease in people
are known as allergens. Antigens, or protein particles like pollen,
food or dander enter our
bodies through a variety
of ways. If the antigen
causes an allergic reaction,
that particle is considered

an allergen and antigen that triggers an allergic reaction. These allergens can get into our body
in several ways: Inhaled
into the nose and the
lungs. Examples are airborne pollens of certain
trees, grasses and weeds.
Ingested by

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Special Thank You To All Our Partners!

New Jersey Department of Health & Senior Services

Jois Angels
Kingdom Church Repairer of the Breach Community Fellowship
Victory Cathedral
WIC (Women, Infant & Children)
Elegance Plan, LLC
Lovin-Hart
Big Als Professional Multi Cleaning Services
Saint Michaels Medical Center-NJCEED, In
The Pink Program
Bio-Reference
Washington Shop Pharmacy
Verizon Wireless
Shop Rite Supermarket (Wake Farm)
Purple R.E.I.G.N. Social Services, Inc.
The Wellness Center of America
The Mattie Berry Family
The Unity Way of Essex and West Hudson
The Urban League of Essex
WOCAWomen of Color Association
Spread The Purple Agency
Coach Caryl On Call
Urban Life Counseling Center, Inc.
Open Arms Adoption Agency
St. Barnabas Hospital ER Department
New Jersey Citizens Action
Rutgers/RWJ Medical School: HIV C&T
Helms Medical Services
LabCorp
AccuReference Laboratory Services
Health Mart, Inc.
Essex County Family Justice Center
National Career Institute
Drake College of Business
Anthems Business Institute
Community Food Bank of NJ
March of Dimes
Orange ACA Navigator Project
Community Science Group
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B E S S I E

M A E

F A M I L Y

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C E N T E R

Asthma Treatment & Management

There is no cure for asthma,
but symptoms can be controlled with effective asthma
treatment and management.
This involves taking your
medications as directed and
learning to avoid triggers
that cause your asthma symptoms. Your allergist will prescribe the best medications
for your condition and provide you with specific instructions for using them.
Controller medications are
taken daily and include inhaled corticosteroids (fluticas
one (Flovent Diskus, Flovent
HFA), budesonide (Pulmicort
Flexhaler), mometasone
(Asmanex), ciclesonide

(Alvesco), flunisolide
(Aerobid), beclomethasone
(Qvar) and otheuick-relief or
rescue medications are used
to quickly relax and open the
airways and relieve symptoms during an asthma flareup, or are taken before exercising if prescribed. These include: short-acting
beta-agonists. These
inhaled bronchodilator (brong-koh-DIE
-lay-tur) medications
include albuterol
(ProAir HFA, Ventolin HFA, others),
levalbuterol
(Xopenex HFA) and
pirbuterol (Maxair

Autohaler). Quick-relief medications do not take the place

of controller medications. If
you rely on rescue relief
more than twice a week, it is
time to see your allergist.