The connection between asthma and eczema

Eczema affects the skin barrier and causes dry, itchy, inflamed patches. Asthma affects the airways and can cause wheeze, cough, chest tightness or breathlessness. Having one condition does not prove that a new skin or breathing symptom comes from the other.

Both conditions can reflect an immune system that reacts strongly to certain environmental exposures. Family tendency and allergens may contribute, although each person has a different pattern. House dust mites can aggravate symptoms in someone who is sensitised, while fragrances or cleaning products may irritate skin and airways without being a true allergy.

Keep separate written treatment instructions for skin flares and asthma symptoms. Use eczema moisturisers and prescribed skin medicines as directed, and follow the prescribed asthma controller and reliever plan. Choose fragrance-free skin products if scented products irritate you, avoid smoke, and reduce only triggers that have a consistent personal link to symptoms.

Arrange a review if sleep is disturbed by itching or breathing, eczema is spreading or weeping, asthma limits activity, or reliever use is increasing. Bring all medicines to the appointment so dosing and technique can be checked without confusing skin treatments with inhaled treatments.

Get urgent help for severe breathing difficulty, trouble speaking, blue or grey lips, confusion, or poor response to prescribed reliever medicine. Prompt clinical assessment is also needed for eczema with rapidly increasing redness, warmth, pain, pus, fever, or clusters of painful blisters, because these features can indicate skin infection.

Ask which exposures are likely irritants or allergens, whether allergy assessment would change management, and how to tell an infected eczema flare from ordinary inflammation. Confirm how each medicine should be used and request an updated asthma action plan.