By Asthma is a common lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. One of the most important things to know about asthma is that it is reversible. People with asthma need to use treatments that control symptoms and prevent flare-ups. If you use your medicines every day, you can keep your asthma under control and lead a normal life..
Table of Contents
What Is Asthma? – Related Questions
What is the main cause of asthma?
The main cause is exposure to allergens including pollution. This causes the lining in the bronchial tubes to become inflamed which leads to produce excess mucus. Inflammation in the lining of the bronchial tubes can also result in asthma. Exercise and stress can also cause asthma attacks..
What are the 4 symptoms of asthma?
Inhaled allergies: Allergens, such as pollen, dust, and pet dander, trigger the immune system to release inflammatory chemicals that can constrict airways and make them swell. Babies with asthma often wheeze or grunt and have trouble breathing, especially when they are sick or have a cold. Exercise-induced asthma: As you exercise, your air passages become smaller and swell. This can cause wheezing and shortness of breath. Weather-related asthma: Warm, dry air can lead to asthma flare-ups in some people. Pollen, mold, and other allergens, as well as changes in temperature and humidity, can also trigger asthma symptoms. Exercise-induced asthma is the most common form of asthma in children. Asthma medications and steroids can help you control your asthma..
What are the 3 types of asthma?
There are 3 main types of asthma: 1. Acute Asthma – Acute asthma is the common and most prevalent form of asthma. It is characterized by short but debilitating attacks that usually last minutes or hours, but can last days. 2. Chronic Asthma – Chronic asthma is a persistent and long term condition where symptoms are experienced over several months. 3. Allergic Asthma – This type of asthma is triggered by allergens such as dust mites, mold, pet dander, cockroach droppings, etc. Such allergens are commonly found indoors, which is why allergic asthmatics have higher levels of asthma symptoms. Further, the severity of an asthma attack is based on the frequency and the severity of the attacks, as well as on the underlying cause of the asthma. Asthma symptoms include: * Feeling of tightness in the chest * Difficulty breathing * Wheezing, whistling sound when breathing in * Coughing/sputtering * Chest tightness * Feeling tired, sluggish, and out of breath * Increased heart rate * Loss of breath * Chest pain * Difficulty swallowing * Feeling light-headed and dizzy.
Is asthma a disease?
Asthma is a very peculiar condition. Asthma attacks are no doubt a disease but since it is both controllable and treatable, it is not a disease. It is a condition. People with asthma can do perfectly normal tasks without any problem. Some even have been given the Nobel prize. They have an asthma inhaler with them to use in case of any attack but otherwise, they live perfectly normal lives. So there really isn’t much to call it a disease..
Does asthma go away?
The good news is that asthma generally does not go away as long as you are alive. However, asthma can be managed at early stages through suitable medicines and also by changing one’s lifestyle. Asthma is a serious disease and can cause death. In the past, asthma was thought to be a temporary condition. But it is not temporary as it can be very severe at times. It is a chronic disorder of the respiratory system, which makes it difficult to breathe. Some of the symptoms include wheezing, stridor, and breathlessness..
How can asthma cured?
Asthma is a condition of the airways, which makes breathing difficult by producing extra mucus, tightening the airways and causing breathing problems. It is caused by various factors such as dust, pollution, pet dander, house-dust mites and cigarette smoke. There is no cure for the condition itself but there are many things you can do to manage it effectively. So here are a few tips to manage asthma. Avoid triggers such as cigarette smoke. Seek treatment if you have an allergic reaction in form of skin rash, swelling, difficulty in breathing or hives. Usually an asthma attack needs to be treated in the hospital. Although there is no cure for asthma, but you can manage it effectively..
How do I tell if I have asthma?
Do you find it hard to breathe? Do you wheeze and cough at night? If yes, then you should consult a doctor. Asthma is a chronic medical condition, which affects your respiratory system. Asthma is predominantly caused by environmental factors and genetic susceptibility. People with asthma will cough, wheeze and have difficulty in breathing. They might feel chest tightness, have difficulty in breathing, and may even have difficulty talking. You can also feel dizziness, light-headedness, and chest tightness..
Can asthma damage your lungs?
Asthma causes airways in the lungs to narrow, leading to difficulty in breathing. The narrowing occurs because smooth muscle surrounding the airways contract. The contraction can last a few seconds or throughout the entire respiratory cycle. As the airways narrow, less air flows through the lungs. This causes wheezing and coughing. However, there is no permanent damage to the lungs. The lining of the bronchial tubes and alveoli do not become scarred even after repeated and prolonged attacks..
How can you detect asthma?
Asthma is a chronic lung disease. It is a common chronic disease in children. It’s also the most common cause of school absenteeism. There are about 10 million people with asthma in US. Asthma is not a single disease, but a group of different signs and symptoms. Asthma is hard to detect, because the signs and symptoms vary from person to person. Common symptoms are coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. It is hard to detect asthma, because most of the symptoms are similar to the symptoms of other lung diseases. So, How can you detect asthma? There is no easy answer. There are no lab tests or X-rays to detect asthma. The doctor may suspect asthma, based on your medical history and a physical exam. If you or your child have allergy, then you may have asthma. So, if you or your child have any symptoms of asthma, consult the doctor..
How many types of asthma are there?
Asthma is treated by a variety of medicines, with several different classes of drugs being used to treat the condition. These are known as anti-inflammatory medications and they include steroids, leukotriene receptor antagonists and immune system suppressors. In addition, bronchodilators are frequently used to relax the muscles lining the airways, reduce the sensitivity of the airways and help make the lungs easier to breathe..
What is silent asthma?
Quite simply, quiet asthma is asthma that is not related to symptoms of wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath. An asthma attack may occur without wheezing or other symptoms and may even go unrecognized as asthma. People with quiet asthma may feel tired, light headed, or experience other non-specific symptoms..
Is asthma an allergy?
Asthma is a condition characterized by difficulty of breathing, wheezing and coughing. These symptoms are caused by a narrowing of the air passages that are normally open in the lungs. Asthma is a chronic disease that is usually present for life. So the question arises, is asthma an allergy? It is not directly an allergy because there is no immune system response in asthma. It is an inflammatory disease that affects the bronchial tubes of the lungs. In asthmatic patients, the airways tend to over-react to certain triggers resulting in inflammation, which narrows the airways and makes breathing difficult..
Who is at risk of asthma?
Asthma is an inflammation of the airways in your lungs. The walls of your airways become tight, and breathing in triggers the muscles around the airways to tighten up even more. This makes it hard to breathe out, and it can cause coughing, wheezing, or a feeling of tightness in your chest. Children are particularly afflicted by asthma, as approximately __% of kids have asthma at some point. Asthma can be triggered by things such as allergies and infections..
Does asthma worsen with age?
The symptoms of asthma get worse with age due to the weakening of the immune system and cardio vascular disease. It is mostly seen in the ages above 40 years, where the immune system gets weaker and therefore becomes unable to fight the disease at the onset of asthma..
Do inhalers weaken your lungs?
A common misconception is that inhalers weaken your lungs. In actuality, bronchodilators are used to open the airways in the lungs to let oxygen flow freely. There are two types of inhalers: short-acting ones, which are taken every 4-6 hours, and long-acting ones, which need to be taken only once daily. Both are safe to use, but short-acting inhalers tend to have a stronger effect. They do not cause damage to your lungs, and can be used for years if necessary..
