When you have asthma, it means your airways are inflamed. Asthma usually causes episodes of breathlessness, chest tightness, and wheezing. The severity of the symptoms often varies by time of year.

Allergic rhinitis and asthma are often present in the same patient and runs in families. There is a genetic predisposition for both conditions, and having one condition can significantly affect the other. Chronic sinusitis may also co-exist in patients with asthma and allergic rhinitis. However, do not confuse allergic rhinitis with chronic sinusitis. 

Although both conditions can co-exist and exacerbate the chronic inflammation leading to nasal symptoms, the condition and treatment of both differ. Both conditions must be treated to improve your symptoms long-term.

Tests

Physical exam
Your ENT doctor will perform a thorough physical exam and ask you questions about your medical history to make a diagnosis of asthma, as well as other associated conditions causing chronic inflammation of your respiratory system, including allergic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis. An allergist or pulmonologist may be consulted.

Lung function test
A lung function test can determine how well your lungs function, and if you may have asthma. You may be referred to a pulmonologist.

X-ray
Your ENT doctor may order an X-ray of your chest or sinuses if they suspect you may have asthma. However, X-rays alone may not be sufficient enough to make the diagnosis of asthma, and you will likely need to also undergo pulmonary function testing.

Computerized tomography (CT) scan
If your specialist suspects you may have other chronic inflammatory conditions of the lungs and windpipe (bronchials), such as bronchiectasis, you may need to undergo a computerized tomography (CT) scan of your chest.

Treatments

Medications
Your ENT specialist may prescribe a long-term control medication and a quick-relief medicine to help control your asthma symptoms.

Why Choose UHealth?

Ranked in the nation’s top tier by U.S. News & World Report. The ranking reflects the team’s dedication to excellence in research patient care and outcomes. Surgeons, audiologists, biomedical engineers, speech pathologists, researchers, and psychologists collaborate with many research programs at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine to deliver the best possible multidisciplinary care to pediatric and adult ear, nose, and throat patients.

Multidisciplinary team to provide you with relief. The experts at University of Miami Health System are here to help you breathe easier, smell better, and rest better, with accurate diagnosis and leading edge treatments in a compassionate setting. The multidisciplinary team of rhinologists, allergists and pulmonary experts provide the best clinical setting to help control chronic inflammatory diseases of the upper and lower airway.

Academic health center provides you with more treatment options. Our ENT specialists are experts in the field of rhinology. As part of an academic health center, we are proud to offer breakthrough treatments not available to other facilities in South Florida. We also offer our patients early access to clinical trials and new medical and procedural treatments. We provide comprehensive care for a wide array of rhinologic conditions, backed by expertise, research, and education.