Most people do not have to think about breathing-it just happens. Breathing might be complicated by a cold or allergies, but they are usually just temporary issues. People breathe in, they breathe out-nothing very difficult. It is not that way for those twenty million Americans with asthma. Asthma can vary in severity, but an asthma attack can be very serious-even causing death.
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways. Airways carry the air to and from the lungs. With asthma, a person’s airways are inflamed and swollen. Because they are inflamed, the airways react strongly to any perceived irritant. This reaction causes the airways to constrict and less air can get to and from the lungs. This brings about the wheezing, coughing, tightness of the chest and difficulty breathing.
What are Asthma Attacks?
When the symptoms of wheezing, coughing, tightness and difficulty breathing are worse than normal, it is an asthma episode or attack. Asthma attacks can be bad or life-threatening. When oxygen is restricted so much that it is not getting to vital organs, it becomes an emergency. People can die in severe asthma attacks.
What Causes Asthma?
Researchers are still searching for a specific cause of asthma. Asthma does run in families. In fact, if one parent has asthma, the chance that the child has it is one in three. If both parents have it, the chance for the child having asthma goes up to seven in ten. When children are exposed to certain irritants like tobacco smoke, allergens and infections early in life, they have a greater chance to get asthma.
What Causes Asthma Symptoms?
Asthma symptoms (and attacks) can be brought on by a variety of things. Allergens such as animal dander, pollen, dust mites and mold can cause symptoms. Irritants like cigarette smoke, perfumes, cold air, air pollution and stress can also cause symptoms. In addition, other things can cause symptoms-things like certain medicines, infections, and certain chemicals.
How is Asthma Diagnosed?
A doctor will ask many questions about family history and the patient’s own symptoms. He will listen to the patient’s breathing. He will also do a test of the patient’s lungs with a spirometer, and that device can reveal if the patient’s airways are inflamed. He will also want to eliminate other conditions as the culprit behind the symptoms. Once asthma is the diagnosis, he will want to know the severity to choose the right course of treatment.
How is Asthma Controlled?
The patient will need to work closely with the doctor to find the right medications and learn how to manage his condition. The doctor and the patient will work together to make a plan of what happens in an asthma attack. In addition, the patient will need to stay away from those allergens and irritants that cause asthmatic symptoms.
What are Asthma Medications?
Most prescription asthma medications are taken through an inhaler so that they get right to where they need to go. There are two kinds of asthma medications that asthmatics usually take. First is the quick-relief medicines that help to subdue asthma symptoms. The second is the long-term control medications used to reduce the incidence of asthmatic symptoms.
There are other options that work right alongside these medications and can help improve airway and lung function, reduce the number and severity of asthma attacks and help a patient achieve excellent quality of life. They are all-natural with no side effects.
Reference:
aafa.org/display.cfm?id=8⊂=42
