Asthma and allergies are fairly common in the U.S. Two out of every 10 Americans suffer from allergies of some sort and an estimated 20 million adults and children have asthma. Often, the two go hand in hand.

Allergies can be caused by many things. You can have an allergic reaction to animal dander, fabrics, foods, insects, grass, pollen, mold, mildew or even latex. When you have an allergy, your immune system overreacts to the presence of the allergen. The result is the symptoms you often associate with an allergy: a runny nose, itchiness, swelling, etc.

Asthma is a disease of the branches of the windpipe, which are known as the bronchial tubes. When these tubes become inflamed they narrow, causing a tight feeling in the chest, shortness of breath and coughing.

Allergies and asthma can be very serious. At Florida Hospital Celebration Health, we work with you to identify the problems that are triggering these conditions. Once the condition has been diagnosed, the board-certified physicians at Florida Hospital Celebration Health will develop a treatment plan that will relieve symptoms, prevent flare-ups and restore full health as quickly as possible should an episode occur.

Medical options include medications to prevent or treat asthma and allergies, behavioral modifications or avoidance of situations that can trigger the asthma or allergy. For example, a food allergy may require you to modify your eating habits and require you to ask what is in certain foods that you plan to order at a restaurant.

You may also have the opportunity to participate in clinical trials to test treatments that are still in the testing stage and won't be available to the general public for months, even years. As a leading research facility, Florida Hospital Celebration Health has access to many key clinical trials being conducted nationally and internationally.