What is Asthma and How to Treat it?
Asthma is a disease that affects your lungs. It is one of the most common long-term diseases of children, but adults can have asthma, too. Asthma causes wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing at night or early in the morning. The cause of asthma isn’t completely understood yet but it seems that it’s an autoimmune disease in which your body mistakes something harmless for something harmful.
Cause of asthma
The cause of asthma is not clear. In people with asthma, there are higher than normal numbers of certain white blood cells called eosinophils in their lungs. These cells cause swelling and inflammation that make breathing difficult. Exposure to an allergen such as pollen, dust mites, pet dander or tobacco smoke can trigger an asthma attack by causing these cells to release chemicals that constrict airways. People with asthma may have a genetic tendency towards overproduction of these white blood cells but they usually won't develop asthma until they're exposed to something that triggers an attack or exacerbates symptoms.
Symptoms of asthma
According to America’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), asthma symptoms usually include: Wheezing that starts during or right after an asthma attack. Wheezing from being around something that irritates your lungs. Trouble sleeping because of wheezing, cough, or shortness of breath during sleep. Chest tightness. Cough that lasts a long time. Shortness of breath not relieved by taking deep breaths or using your inhaler (breathing in medicine). Airway swelling due to lung inflammation caused by asthma. If you think you have symptoms of asthma, check with your doctor for diagnosis and treatment options for asthma in adults and children .
Treatment of asthma
Asthma has many available treatments. These can be prescribed by a doctor, although some people with mild symptoms use over-the-counter remedies, such as antihistamines or inhalers. The two main types of drug treatment are inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta agonists. Oral steroids might also be prescribed by a doctor but may not help control asthma symptoms in all cases. Steroid tablets can be very strong, so they should only be used when absolutely necessary. Inhaled corticosteroids can help prevent asthma attacks from coming back too often, but if you have severe asthma your doctor may suggest that you take long-acting beta agonists more often.
Prevention of asthma
There are many ways that you can try to prevent asthma from developing. For example, if you have a family history of asthma, talk with your doctor about whether you should get allergy shots. If allergies are a big problem for you, consider getting an air filter at home and wearing a dust mask when cleaning. And while we're on the subject, avoiding cigarette smoke will also help cut down on your risk of developing asthma.
