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All About
Asthma
Symptoms
The most common symptom is wheezing. This is a scratchy or whistling sound when you breathe. Other symptoms include:
• Shortness of breath
• Chest tightness or pain
• Chronic coughing
• Trouble sleeping due to coughing or wheezing
Causes
Asthma flareups or asthma attacks are caused by allergies and exposure to allergens such as pet dander, dust, pollen or mold. Other triggers could also include smoke, pollution, cold air, changes in weather.
More about Treatment
Asthma is a chronic disease involving the airways in the lungs. These airways, or bronchial tubes, allow air to come in and out of the lungs.
If you have asthma your airways are always inflamed. They become even more swollen and the muscles around the airways can tighten when something triggers your symptoms. This makes it difficult for air to move in and out of the lungs, causing symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and/or chest tightness.
For many asthma sufferers, timing of these symptoms is closely related to physical activity. And, some otherwise healthy people can develop asthma symptoms only when exercising. This is called exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), or exercise-induced asthma (EIA). Staying active is an important way to stay healthy, so asthma shouldn't keep you on the sidelines. Your physician can develop a management plan to keep your symptoms under control before, during and after physical activity.
Asthma Diagnosis
An allergist diagnoses asthma by taking a thorough medical history and performing breathing tests to measure how well your lungs work.
One of these tests is called spirometry. You will take a deep breath and blow into a sensor to measure the amount of air your lungs can hold and the speed of the air you inhale or exhale. This test diagnoses asthma severity and measures how well treatment is working.
A FeNO test or exhaled nitric oxide test, in patients with allergic or eosinophilic asthma, is a way to determine how much lung inflammation is present and how well inhaled steroids are suppressing this inflammation. With allergic or eosinophilic asthma, sometimes you may feel your breathing is fine, but when you measure your exhaled nitric oxide, it may still be significantly elevated, and you might do better in the long-term using slightly more of your inhaled steroid to suppress this inflammation.
Many people with asthma also have allergies, so your doctor may perform allergy testing. Treating the underlying allergic triggers for your asthma will help you avoid asthma symptoms.
FAQ on this Treatment
What are the types of asthma?
Asthma can be of two main types; one which is triggered by exposure to allergy producing substances like pollen, dust; and another type which is triggered by exercise or physical exertion.
Who is prone to developing Asthma?
Major risk factors for asthma are having a parent with asthma, allergies, exposure to chemicals and irritants in early age and later. In some cases, a history of respiratory infection as a child may be significant.
At what age do you develop symptoms of asthma?
Asthma can begin showing signs in childhood (mostly associated with allergy) or it can develop later in life in adults (mostly exertional).
Is asthma an inherited disease?
Though transmission from parent to child is not proven, but chances of developing asthma are high if there is history in parents. Genetics play an important role in asthma.
Can asthma be prevented?
Though asthma cannot be prevented, but once the symptoms appear, an “attack” can be prevented by not getting exposed to allergy inducing substances, avoiding smoke and following the therapy diligently. In children, pneumonia and influenza vaccination may also help.
What are the medicines for asthma?
Most common medicines prescribed in asthma are of the class bronchodilators – drugs that open up the swollen airways. Some are leukotriene modifiers, inhaled corticosteroids and theophylline. Steroids may be injected in cases of severe attacks for quick relief.