Roughly 5400 die from it annually. Allergy-Induced Asthma Asthma can be triggered by a number of different factors, such as respiratory infection, exercise, certain foods or medications, or anxiety. Another common trigger of an asthma attack is allergies. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology says up to 78 percent of people with asthma also have allergies. When asthma is triggered by allergies, patients may benefit from allergy shots, or immunotherapy.
Doctors first perform a skin test to confirm the allergy.
Then, on a regular schedule, the patient gets a series of shots. The first shot contains only a very minute dose of the allergy. Each week, the shots are progressively more concentrated until the patient reaches a top dose, known as the maintenance dose. At first, the maintenance dose is given every one to two weeks. Gradually the interval between doses can be spread out.