Key takeaways:
Allergic asthma is the most common type of asthma. It often causes symptoms of asthma and allergies. Allergic asthma and nonallergic asthma have different triggers.
For any type of asthma, knowing and avoiding your triggers is important.
There are many effective treatment options for both allergies and allergic asthma. Some are available over the counter (OTC), and others need a prescription.
Many people ask this question when they have a stubborn cough, a stuffy or runny nose, or noisy breathing: “Do I have allergies or asthma?” It’s a good question to ask. Allergies and asthma are both very common. In the U.S., up to 30% of adults have allergies, and nearly 8% of adults have asthma.
Although you might have either allergies or asthma, it’s also quite common to have both. There’s a specific kind of asthma known as allergic asthma. Knowing the basics about allergies and asthma can help you identify what’s causing your symptoms.
What is allergic asthma?
Allergic asthma is a medical condition that’s triggered by inhaled allergens that cause inflammation in the small airways of your lungs. Inhaled allergens cause your immune system to overreact. As a result, the airways and lungs become inflamed and swollen. This can cause symptoms, like coughing and difficulty breathing.
Allergic asthma, or allergy-induced asthma, is the most common type of asthma. It tends to start in childhood, although you can also develop symptoms as an adult.
Allergic asthma causes and triggers
Allergic asthma is linked to the same types of cells and antibodies that cause allergies. When you breathe in something that you’re allergic to (an allergen), your body produces an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE). This can set off inflammatory reactions in the lungs that lead to an asthma attack. In both allergic asthma and allergies, IgE levels are very high.
Some common triggers that cause allergic asthma attacks include:
Dust mites
Pollen
If you have asthma and you’re allergic to these triggers, they may cause an asthma attack.
What are the symptoms of allergic asthma?
Common symptoms of allergic asthma are the same as in other types of asthma. These include:
Difficulty breathing (shortness of breath)
Wheezing
Coughing
Tightness in the chest
Allergy symptoms may also be present in allergic asthma. These can include:
Runny nose
Itchy nose, ears, or throat
Red, itchy, or watery eyes
Sneezing
What’s the difference between allergic asthma and nonallergic asthma?
One difference between the types of asthma is the type of symptoms. Both allergic asthma and nonallergic asthma cause asthma symptoms, like coughing and wheezing. But people with allergic asthma often experience allergy symptoms, too.
Another main difference is the trigger of symptoms. In allergic asthma, the airways in the lungs are also overly sensitive to allergens, like pollen or dust mites. These allergens can trigger asthma symptoms in people with allergic asthma. But these aren’t typical triggers for nonallergic asthma.
Nonallergic asthma has triggers like:
Respiratory infections
Exercise
Cold air
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Stress
Hormonal changes
How is allergic asthma diagnosed?
Diagnosis of allergic asthma is based on three main things:
Symptoms and medical history: People with allergic asthma are likely to also have eczema, allergic rhinitis, and/or food allergies.
Physical examination: During a physical exam, a healthcare professional will watch your muscles as you breathe and listen to your lung sounds.
Lung testing: Testing with spirometry can show reversible airflow obstruction or hyperresponsive airways.
Other tests can sometimes help with making a diagnosis, but not everyone needs them. Examples include:
Imaging tests of the lungs
Skin prick testing for allergies
Blood tests
What are the treatments for allergic asthma?
The right treatment for allergic asthma depends on many things, including what type of symptoms you have and how severe they are. There are also steps you can take to prevent — or at least minimize — the symptoms.
Avoiding triggers
The first step is identifying what allergens are triggering your asthma. This may require a test by an allergist. Once you know your triggers, try to lower your exposure to them as much as possible. For example, this might mean staying indoors when the pollen count is very high or avoiding second-hand smoke.
Over-the-counter medications
For allergy symptoms, like stuffy nose and sneezing, there are several over-the-counter (OTC) medications that can help. Here are some examples:
Antihistamines: Azelastine nasal spray (Astepro) and antihistamine tablets (Zyrtec, Claritin, Allegra) both block histamines to relieve allergy symptoms.
Decongestants: Oxymetazoline nasal spray (Afrin) decreases inflammation in your nose.
Nasal steroid sprays: Fluticasone (Flonase) also helps to lower inflammation.
Nasal rinse: Neti pots and saline nasal washes use saline (salt water) to help flush allergens from the nasal passages.
Some of these medications are also available in combination. For instance, azelastine and fluticasone nasal sprays can be prescribed as a combined azelastine / fluticasone nasal spray (Dymista).
Decongestants combined with antihistamines (like Allegra-D) are also available OTC. It’s important to note that decongestants aren’t the safest choice for everyone. If you have other medical problems, it’s best to ask a healthcare professional before starting them.
Prescription medications
There are also several prescription medications used to treat allergic asthma, depending on how frequent and severe your symptoms are.
Some medications work quickly to open the airways. They can make breathing easier during an asthma attack. Examples include:
Short-acting beta agonist (SABA) inhalers: SABA inhalers, like albuterol (ProAir), relax the airways, so they can let more air into the lungs.
Oral steroids: Oral steroids, like prednisone, reduce inflammation in the lungs and airways.
Many people require regular, long-term treatment to reduce inflammation in the airways and help keep airways open. This helps prevent the start of an asthma attack. Examples include:
Inhaled steroids: Inhaled steroids include fluticasone propionate HFA (Flovent).
Long-acting beta agonist (LABA) inhalers: Serevent (salmeterol) is an example of a LABA inhaler.
Combination therapy: Combination therapy, like fluticasone / salmeterol (Advair), combine two medications into one inhaler.
Leukotriene modifiers: These are medications in pill form — such as montelukast (Singulair) — that help treat both allergies and asthma.
Some treatments help lessen the immune system’s response to allergens. These can help people with severe allergic disease. Examples include:
Allergy shots: This form of immunotherapy regularly exposes your immune system to the allergen, which makes it less reactive over time.
Xolair (omalizumab): This medication blocks IgE and helps moderate to severe allergic asthma symptoms. Similar options include medicines like Dupixent (dupilumab) and Tezspire (tezepelumab).
It’s important to work with your healthcare team to determine the best treatment plan for you.
Is allergic asthma curable?
There’s no cure for allergic asthma. But there are very effective treatments that can help prevent and control your symptoms in the short and long term.
Allergy shots are the closest thing to a cure, since they gradually decrease your sensitivity to allergens. After having allergy shots, you may be able to cut back or even completely stop your allergy medications. But it generally takes at least 1 year of allergy shots to benefit from them.
Do allergies cause asthma?
Allergic asthma is likely due to a combination of factors, including genetics and environmental factors. But there’s definitely a link between allergies and allergic asthma. As mentioned above, IgE levels are high in allergies, and they trigger histamine release and inflammation. This response leads to reactive airways and asthma symptoms.
But not all asthma is allergic asthma. Half of adults with asthma have non-allergic asthma. Non-allergic asthma usually involves different inflammatory pathways than allergic asthma.
Quiz: Could I have asthma?
Frequently asked questions
No, there isn’t a single blood test that confirms a diagnosis of asthma. Healthcare professionals typically use a combination of symptoms, a physical exam, and lung tests to make a diagnosis.
Asthma and allergies are very closely linked, and inflammation is a big part of both. But asthma isn’t the same thing as an allergy. Most people with allergies don’t ever have an asthma attack. And some people with asthma don’t experience allergic symptoms.
For those with allergic asthma, allergic triggers can set off an asthma attack. Allergic asthma is a combination of the two conditions (allergies and asthma).
Asthma can appear at any age. Allergic asthma is more common in children and teens, whereas nonallergic types of asthma are more common in adults.
No, there isn’t a single blood test that confirms a diagnosis of asthma. Healthcare professionals typically use a combination of symptoms, a physical exam, and lung tests to make a diagnosis.
Asthma and allergies are very closely linked, and inflammation is a big part of both. But asthma isn’t the same thing as an allergy. Most people with allergies don’t ever have an asthma attack. And some people with asthma don’t experience allergic symptoms.
For those with allergic asthma, allergic triggers can set off an asthma attack. Allergic asthma is a combination of the two conditions (allergies and asthma).
Asthma can appear at any age. Allergic asthma is more common in children and teens, whereas nonallergic types of asthma are more common in adults.
The bottom line
Allergies and asthma are very common. And many people actually have both conditions. Knowing and avoiding your triggers is an important first step in treatment. Controlling allergies can also help control asthma. There are also over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications that can help. Your healthcare team can walk you through treatment options after your diagnosis is confirmed.
Why trust our experts?
References
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American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. (n.d.). Allergic asthma.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. (2022). Allergens and allergic asthma.
Dennis, R. J., et al. (2011). Asthma in adults. BMJ Clinical Evidence.
Global Initiative for Asthma. (2025). 2025 global strategy for asthma management and prevention.
Hoyte, F. C., et al. (2018). Recent advances in allergic rhinitis. F1000Research.
Humbert, M., et al. (2019). IgE-mediated multimorbidities in allergic asthma and the potential for omalizumab therapy. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.
MedlinePlus. (2018). Allergic asthma.
Pakkasela, J., et al. Age-specific incidence of allergic and non-allergic asthma. BMC Pulmonary Medicine.
