Asthma
What is asthma?
Asthma is a chronic disease marked by wheezing, chest tightness and/or shortness of breath. Allergens, irritants, respiratory infections and/or exercise can trigger asthma symptoms.
What causes asthma?
Asthma is often placed in different categories according to symptom “triggers.” For treatment, it is important to recognize asthma “triggers.” Airway inflammation may always be there, even when you are seemingly symptom-free.
- Allergic Asthma
- Non-allergic Asthma
- Exercise-induced Bronchospasm
More than 25 million Americans have asthma.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 13 people have asthma.
What are the three common asthma triggers?
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Allergic Asthma
Allergic asthma is triggered by allergic reactions to allergens such as pet dander, dust or dust mite, mold, or seasonal allergic reactions to allergens such as trees, grasses or weeds.
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Non-allergic Asthma
Non-allergic asthma is triggered by irritants in the air that you breathe such as tobacco smoke, wood smoke, room deodorizers, fresh paint, perfume, etc.
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Exercise-induced Bronchospasm
Exercise-induced bronchospasm is triggered by exercise or physical activity.
What are the most common asthma symptoms?
Asthma symptoms are caused by the constriction (tightening of the muscles) and the inflammation (swelling and irritation) of the airways. Constriction and inflammation of the airways and increased mucosa make it difficult and sometimes impossible to breathe.
- Coughs a lot while exercising or following exercise
- Has shortness of breath
- Wheezes while breathing
- Has a tight feeling in the chest
How is asthma diagnosed?
To diagnose asthma, your doctor will discuss your medical history with you and perform a physical exam. You may need a lung function test and maybe other tests, such as a chest or sinus X-ray.
- Physical Examination: A careful exam can often identify or exclude other medical problems.
- Medical & Family History: Be ready to answer questions about your family history, the medicines you take and your lifestyle. This includes any current physical problems and symptoms.
- Lung Function Tests: To confirm asthma, your doctor may have you take one or more breathing tests known as lung function tests. These tests measure your breathing. Lung function tests are often done before and after inhaling a medicine known as a bronchodilator (brahn-ko-DIE-ah-lay-tor), which opens your airways.
How is asthma treated?
Prevention and long-term control are key to stopping asthma attacks before they start. Treatment usually involves learning to recognize your triggers, taking steps to avoid triggers and tracking your breathing to make sure your medications are keeping symptoms under control. In case of an asthma flare-up, you may need to use a quick-relief inhaler.
- Long-term asthma control medications: inhaled corticosteroids, leukotriene modifiers, combination inhalers, theophylline.
- Quick-relief (rescue) medications: short-acting beta agonists, anticholinergic agents, oral and intravenous corticosteroids.
- Biologics - A biologic is a medication made from the cells of a living organism, such as bacteria or mice, that is then modified to target specific molecules in humans. For asthma, the targets are antibodies, inflammatory molecules, or cell receptors
Additional Asthma Information
The 4 Levels of Asthma
There are four levels of asthma, based on how severe it is. How often you have symptoms and your lung function determines how bad your asthma is. Your doctor will ask you questions about how often you have symptoms and wake up at night from coughing or trouble breathing. They might also ask how often you have trouble doing normal activities or use a rescue inhaler.
Asthma Diagnosis in Children
Diagnosing asthma in children under 5 is a little different. Children this age usually are not given a breathing test. Instead, the doctor asks about certain signs and symptoms and prescribes a bronchodilator if they think it might be asthma. If the bronchodilator helps reduce your child’s symptoms, that is a sign that your child may have asthma.
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