Asthma patients in Crystal Lake get short-term relief; prevent long-term damage caused by airway obstruction with effective treatments

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Asthma patients in Crystal Lake get short-term relief; prevent long-term damage caused by airway obstruction with effective treatments

Illinois is among 23 states with the highest percentage of adult asthma sufferers. More than 9 percent of those residents aged 18 and over have this chronic condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Along with inflammation and irritation, airway obstruction is one of three key features of the disease.

How it happens

In a non-asthmatic or during normal breathing, the muscles around the airways are relaxed. This allows air to move through these passageways with ease.

If you have asthma, the usually relaxed muscles around your airways tense up. The air traveling through these breathing passages is constricted and it can’t flow freely. You may feel like you can’t breathe. A high-pitched whistling sound may be heard when you exhale. This wheezing is actually the air trying to move through narrowed airways.

Also known as “bronchospasm,” this narrowing can worsen already inflamed airways. Yet another key feature, irritation, can set off a chain of events that ultimately leads to obstruction. Asthmatics’ easily irritated and overly sensitive airways can spasm or contract at the slightest exposure to stimuli such as cold air, allergens, exercise, and smoke.

As an asthmatic, you may complain of stubborn mucus that just can’t be coughed up. The glands producing this sticky substance work in hyper-drive. This mucus causes coughing and further obstructs already inflamed and irritated airways.

Treating obstruction

The good news is underlying narrowing and inflammation are reversible. In addition to avoiding irritants, allergens, and other environmental triggers, Dr. Noga Askenazi can prescribe inhaled, quick-relief medications to immediately relax the muscles and open up your airways. Long-term control medications work over days or weeks to treat the root cause: inflammation.

It’s important not to depend on quick-relief inhalers. These changes in the airways can evolve from episodic to permanent should your asthma be undertreated between attacks and over the long term. When asthma is only treated acutely, airways can become scarred, and an irreversible process called “airway remodeling” occurs. The narrowing may appear similar to a fixed airway obstruction like COPD, though the causes of the two conditions are very different.

To not only get you feeling better over the short term, but to prevent long-term lung damage, contact Advanced Allergy & Asthma Associates and Food Allergy Center of Illinois to learn more about your options for airway obstruction with asthma near Crystal Lake. Our Crystal Lake office is conveniently located at 730 East Terra Cotta Avenue, Suite A. Call (847) 888-8802.

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Meredith Cirrincione | Dr. Noga Askenazi

Amy Schack, a distinguished board-certified Physician Associate, brings a wealth of expertise to patient care. Specializing in allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, asthma, and rashes, Amy is renowned for her commitment to excellence and compassionate approach. With a background in immediate care and orthopedics, she holds a Master's in Physician Assistant studies from Midwestern University and a Bachelor of Science from Northern Illinois University. A member of esteemed professional associations, including the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the Association of PAs in Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, Amy Schack instills confidence, ensuring you can trust her unwavering dedication to your health and well-being.


Meredith Cirrincione is a board certified Physician Assistant and specializes in treating allergies, with a focus on asthma, rashes, environmental allergies, chemical and food allergies. She holds a Masters in Physician Assistant Studies from The Chicago Medical School - Rosalind Franklin University of Health Sciences. She is a Fellow member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the Illinois Academy of Physician Assistants, and the Association of PAs in Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. She likes to approach things holistically. She is a strong patient advocate and adored by her patients. She enjoys singing, reading, cooking, and the great outdoors.


Dr. Noga Askenazi is a nationally recognized asthma and allergy specialist who is board certified in pediatric and adult allergy. Her areas of special interest are innovative treatment of rashes, sinusitis, food allergies, asthma and immune disorders. She was past President of the ISAAI (Illinois Society of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology), works on state and national committees for advancement of the allergy field and is a consultant for Advocate, Ascension Health, Northwestern amongst other health care systems. Her joy is helping patients reach their goals after together determining best treatments. Her staff and patients are a chosen family, and she invests in their happiness. She enjoys gardening, biking and cooking to good music.


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