What is Asthma?
Asthma is a disease that causes breathing difficulty due to inflammation of the air passages in the lungs that allow oxygen to the body. This causes coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. Types of asthma include bronchial asthma and exercise-induced asthma.
A nebulizer or inhaler provides relief from breathing difficulties by reducing the inflammation and expanding the constricted air passages. For some, asthma may just be a minor nuisance while for others, asthma can affect normal daily activities, and can be life threatening if left untreated. Asthma cannot be cured but its symptoms can be managed with the appropriate treatment plan.
What are the symptoms of Asthma?
Asthma symptoms vary from person to person, these include:
- Chest tightness or pain
- Recurrent cough that are worsened by a respiratory virus, such as a cold or flu
- Shortness of breath
- Trouble sleeping due to the shortness of breath or persistent coughing
- Wheezing or noisy breathing when exhaling
What causes Asthma?
Asthma may be caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Asthma triggers vary from person to person and can include:
- Airborne allergens such as pollen, dust mites, pet dander or mold spores
- Air pollutants such as smoke
- Cold air
- Physical activity
- Respiratory infection such as a cold
- Strong emotions and stress
What are the risk factors of Asthma?
There are a number of factors believed to increase your risk of developing asthma, such as:
- Having a family member with asthma
- Having a pre-existing allergy
- Being overweight
- Being a smoker or being exposed to secondhand smoke
- Exposure to occupational pollutants such as chemicals used in manufacturing or hairdressing
How can you prevent Asthma?
Although there is no way to definitively prevent asthma, there are steps you can take to manage your condition and prevent future asthma attacks:
- Follow your asthma management plan: Asthma is a chronic condition that requires regular monitoring. Be sure to follow the detailed medication plan your healthcare provider has written up to properly manage your asthma.
- Get vaccinated for influenza: Being vaccinated may prevent the flu from triggering an asthma flare-up.
- Identify and avoid your asthma triggers: Outdoor allergens and pollutants such as pet dander, pollen or the cold air may trigger your asthma. Identify what triggers or worsens your asthma and take steps to avoid it.
When should I seek medical treatment?
If you notice the following signs of an asthma emergency, seek emergency medical treatment immediately:
- Rapid worsening of shortness of breath
- No improvement despite use of quick-relief inhaler
- Shortness of breath when performing minimal physical activity
How is Asthma diagnosed?
Spirometry Test
A spirometry test measures how well your lungs work. They measure how well you’re able to breathe and how effective your lungs are able to bring oxygen to the rest of your body.
