What is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic disease that affects your lungs and airways (tubes that carry the air in and out of your lungs). It is most prevalent in children, but can affect adults as well.
Symptoms of asthma include coughing and wheezing, tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, and fast or noisy breathing. These symptoms can range from mildly annoying to severe and even life-threatening.
During an asthma attack, the sides of your lungs swell and the airways become inflammed or swollen. Muscles around the airways tighten, inflammation increases and the airways become even narrower. Cells in the airways may also make more mucus than usual, which makes it even more difficult to breathe. Less air gets in and out of your lungs and this causes symptoms, such as wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and nighttime or early morning coughing.
Common asthma triggers include:
- Animal dander
- Dust mites
- Cockroaches
- Pollen from trees and grass
- Mold
- Cigarette smoke
- Air pollution
- Cold air or changes in the weather
- Strong odors from painting or cooking
- Scented products
- Strong emotional expressions and stress
Other triggers might include medicines, such as aspirin and beta-blockers, sulfites in food or beverages, gastro esophageal reflux, irritants or allergens you are exposed to.
Diagnosing Asthma
To diagnose asthma, your physician will do a physical examination and take a medical history that includes questions regarding your breathing and whether or not your breathing is more difficult at a particular time of year or during a particular activity. He or she will listen to your breathing and look for other signs of asthma or allergies. A lung function test called spirometry, which measures the largest amount of air you can exhale after taking very deep breaths, may also be used.
If your spirometry results are normal, but you still have asthma symptoms, your doctor may prescribe additional tests.
According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, there are four levels of asthma severity:
- Mild intermittent -- symptoms twice a week or less; bothered by symptoms at night twice a month or less
- Mild persistent asthma -- symptoms more than twice a week, but not more than once a day; bothered by symptoms at night more than twice a month; asthma attacks that affect your activity
- Moderate persistent asthma -- symptoms every day and you are bothered by nighttime symptoms more than once a week; attacks may affect your activity
- Severe persistent asthma -- symptoms throughout the day on most days, and you are bothered by nighttime symptoms often; physical activity is likely limited because of asthma symptoms
Treating Asthma
There is no cure for asthma. Once you have been diagnosed with asthma, you have asthma for life. However, by working closely with your doctor and following your treatment plan, you can control your asthma.
Your treatment plan may include:
- Working closely with your doctor
- Avoiding asthma triggers
- Using asthma medicines
- Monitoring your asthma so you can recognize when your symptoms are getting worse and respond quickly
There are two types of medicine for asthma -- quick relief and long-term. Quick-relief medicines are used to control the symptoms of an asthma attack, such as wheezing and difficulty breathing. Most often, these are inhaled medications. You should keep this medication with you at all times. In addition, your doctor may recommend you take your quick-relief medicines at other times as well, for example, before you exercise. Long-term medicine helps you have fewer and milder attacks. The most effective of these medications is an inhaled corticosteroid. In some cases, steroid tablets or liquid may be recommended over short periods of time.
Special populations, such as children, older adults, women who are pregnant, and those with exercise-induced asthma may need special consideration and require special medication. It is important to follow the plan you and your doctor develop to keep your asthma under control.