Asthma
Asthma is a disease that affects the
breathing passages of the lungs (bronchioles). Asthma causes recurring periods
of wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), chest tightness, shortness of
breath, and coughing. The coughing often occurs at night or early in the
morning. Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most often starts during
childhood. In the United States, more than 25 million people are known to have
asthma. About 7 million of these people are children.
Symptoms
Asthma
symptoms vary from person to person. You may have infrequent asthma attacks,
have symptoms only at certain times — such as when exercising — or have
symptoms all the time.
Asthma
signs and symptoms include:
·
Shortness
of breath
·
Chest
tightness or pain
·
Trouble
sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing
·
A
whistling or wheezing sound when exhaling (wheezing is a common sign of asthma
in children)
·
Coughing
or wheezing attacks that are worsened by a respiratory virus, such as a cold or
the flu
Cause
The exact
cause of asthma is not known.
·
What
all people with asthma have in common is chronic airway inflammation and
excessive airway sensitivity to various triggers.
·
Research
has focused on why some people develop asthma while others do not.
·
Some
people are born with the tendency to have asthma, while others are not.
Scientists are trying to find the genes that cause this tendency.
·
The
environment you live in and the way you live partly determine whether you have
asthma attacks.
Risk factors
A number
of factors are thought to increase your chances of developing asthma. These
include:
·
Having
a blood relative (such as a parent or sibling) with asthma
·
Having
another allergic condition, such as atopic dermatitis or allergic rhinitis (hay
fever)
·
Being
overweight
·
Being
a smoker
·
Exposure
to secondhand smoke
·
Exposure
to exhaust fumes or other types of pollution
Exposure
to occupational triggers, such as chemicals used in farming, hairdressing and
manufacturing
Diagnosis
Your
primary care doctor will diagnose asthma based on your medical and family
histories, a physical exam, and test results. Your doctor also will figure out
the severity of your asthma—that is, whether it's intermittent, mild, moderate,
or severe. The level of severity will determine what treatment you'll start on.
You may
need to see an asthma specialist if:
·
You
need special tests to help diagnose asthma
·
You've
had a life-threatening asthma attack
·
You
need more than one kind of medicine or higher doses of medicine to control your
asthma, or if you have overall problems getting your asthma well controlled
·
You're
thinking about getting allergy treatments
Complications
Asthma
complications include:
·
Signs
and symptoms that interfere with sleep, work or recreational activities
·
Sick
days from work or school during asthma flare-ups
·
Permanent
narrowing of the bronchial tubes (airway remodeling) that affects how well you
can breathe
·
Emergency
room visits and hospitalizations for severe asthma attacks
·
Side
effects from long-term use of some medications used to stabilize severe asthma
Treatments
·
Become
a partner with your health-care provider and his or her support staff. Use the
resources they can offer -- information, education, and expertise -- to help yourself.
·
Become
aware of your asthma triggers and do what you can to avoid them.
·
Follow
the treatment recommendations of your health-care provider. Understand your
treatment. Know what each drug does and how it is used.
·
See
your health-care provider as scheduled.
·
Report
any changes or worsening of your symptoms promptly.
·
Report
any side effects you are having with your medications.
Prevention
While
there's no way to prevent asthma, by working together, you and your doctor can
design a step-by-step plan for living with your condition and preventing asthma
attacks.
·
Follow your asthma action plan. With your doctor and health care
team, write a detailed plan for taking medications and managing an asthma
attack. Then be sure to follow your plan.
·
Asthma is an ongoing condition
that needs regular monitoring and treatment. Taking control of your treatment can make you feel
more in control of your life in general.
·
Get vaccinated for influenza and
pneumonia.
Staying current with vaccinations can prevent flu and pneumonia from triggering
asthma flare-ups.
·
Identify and avoid asthma triggers. A number of outdoor allergens
and irritants — ranging from pollen and mold to cold air and air pollution —
can trigger asthma attacks. Find out what causes or worsens your asthma, and
take steps to avoid those triggers.
·
·
Monitor your breathing. You may learn to recognize
warning signs of an impending attack, such as slight coughing, wheezing or
shortness of breath. But because your lung function may decrease before you
notice any signs or symptoms, regularly measure and record your peak airflow
with a home peak flow meter.
·
Identify and treat attacks early. If you act quickly, you're less
likely to have a severe attack. You also won't need as much medication to
control your symptoms.
·
When
your peak flow measurements decrease and alert you to an oncoming attack, take
your medication as instructed and immediately stop any activity that may have
triggered the attack. If your symptoms don't improve, get medical help as
directed in your action plan.
·
Take your medication as prescribed. Just because your asthma seems
to be improving, don't change anything without first talking to your doctor.
It's a good idea to bring your medications with you to each doctor visit, so
your doctor can double-check that you're using your medications correctly and
taking the right dose.
·
Pay attention to increasing
quick-relief inhaler use.
If you find yourself relying on your quick-relief inhaler, such as albuterol, your asthma isn't under control. See your doctor
about adjusting your treatment.