May Is Asthma Awareness Month: Here's What You Need To Know

May marks Asthma Awareness Month, a health issue that's estimated to affect 25.9 million Americans with more than 50 million suffering from different types of allergies with similar symptoms.

It's a peak season for asthma and allergy sufferers. Particularly during the spring, allergies can be high on breezy days when the wind picks up more pollen, dusting it through the air. On rainy days, on the other hand, it can cause a drop in pollen counts due to rain washing away allergens.

But just what are the symptoms of spring allergies? Some may include the following: runny nose, watery eye, sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes and nose, dark circles under the eyes, airborne allergens also can triggerasthma, a condition in which the airways narrow, making breathing difficult and leading to coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.

An allergy is characterized by an overreaction of the human immune system to a foreign protein that's breathed into the lungs, or in some cases, eaten, injected or touched. An immune overreaction will result in symptoms that can cause coughing, sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, scratchy throat and in more severe cases, rashes, hives, lower blood pressure, difficulty breathing, asthma attacks and potentially, even death.

Statistics show that while there is no cure for allergies, they can be properly managed with the right prevention and treatment methods. 

If you or someone you know is dealing with allergies, talk with your doctor about the proper treatments. Allergies countinues to be one of the countries most common, yet overlooked, health issues.