Asthma is a chronic disorder that makes the airways of your lungs swell and narrow. It can cause breathing difficulty, trigger coughing, a whistling sound when you breathe out, and shortness of breath.
For some people, asthma is just a minor problem, but for others, it is a significant disorder that interferes with regular activities and sometimes leads to life-threatening asthma attacks.
Though asthma cannot be cured, its symptoms can be controlled. Since asthma changes with time, you must consult a doctor and track signs & symptoms so that treatment can be adjusted when required.
When it comes to asthma signs and symptoms, they differ from person to person. You can suffer from infrequent asthma attacks, have symptoms only at certain times, like when exercising, or experience symptoms all the time.
Asthma symptoms & signs include:
Symptoms that your asthma is possibly worsening include:
For some people, asthma symptoms flare up in some conditions:
Here are some factors that are responsible for causing asthma:
Having allergies can increase your risk of suffering from asthma
People might develop asthma after exposure to things that irritate airways. These substances include fumes, allergens, toxins & second or third-hand smoke.
These are usually harmful to infants and young children whose immune systems have not developed properly.
In case your family has a history of asthma or allergic diseases, then you can have a high risk of developing this medical ailment.
Certain respiratory infections like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) might damage the developing lungs of young children.
When you breathe normally, muscles around the airways relax and allow air to move quickly. During an asthma attack, the following things might happen:
Muscles around the airways constrict. Once they are tightened, they make your airways narrow. This further restricts air from flowing correctly through constricted airways.
During an asthma attack, your body starts creating more mucus. The thick mucus blocks airways.
The lining of the airways becomes swollen and doesn't let air pass in or out of the lungs.
When airways get tighter, you automatically start making a sound known as wheezing while breathing. This noise is caused by your airways when you breathe out.
Also, you can hear an asthma attack known as exacerbation or flare-up. It's the term for when your asthma is not controlled.
Asthma is divided into types based on the cause and severity of symptoms. Doctors identify asthma as:
This type of asthma comes and goes, which can make you feel normal in between asthma flares.
Persistent asthma means you experience symptoms most of the time. Symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe. Doctors consider asthma severity on how often you suffer from symptoms. They also think about how well you can perform during an asthma attack.
The doctor will first review your medical history, including information about your parents. The doctor will also ask about your symptoms. Your healthcare provider will know about a history of allergies, eczema, and other lung disorders.
Your doctor might use spirometry to measure airflow through the lungs. It is also helpful in diagnosing and monitoring your progress with asthma treatment. A chest X-ray, blood test, or skin test might be conducted.
Asthma medications can be categorised Based on the action's nature and the effects produced.
Here are the different types of asthma medications:
Several patients might need asthma medicine to prevent asthma and its symptoms effectively. This type of treatment can take a few months to show its complete effects.
Some long-term medicines include:
These anti-inflammatory medicines reduce symptoms of swelling and constriction in muscle and blood vessels along your airways.
Corticosteroids have high effectiveness and help manage asthma in the long term.
When triggered, the immune system starts releasing chemicals called leukotrienes, which activate inflammatory symptoms of asthma.
Leukotriene modifiers assist to modify this behavior and prevent symptoms for 24 hours.
Some Leukotriene modifiers include Zileuton, Montelukast, and others.
Short-use asthma medications show quick action and work on the lungs by relaxing and loosening your airway.
When taken, they begin working within minutes and last for a few hours. Such medicines are safe for daily use.
These rescue inhalers provide quick relief from asthma symptoms and are used twice a week only.
Some commonly used short-acting beta-agonists are Albuterol and Levalbuterol.
These medicines reduce swelling and inflammation in the airways. It would help if you took them with a rescue inhaler to treat asthma attacks.
Systemic corticosteroids can be taken orally or given intravenously to experience quick action.
Some common systemic corticosteroids include Prednisolone, Methylprednisolone, and others.
Anticholinergics are bronchodilators that air with expanding airway muscles. They are used alone or with short-acting beta-agonists.
Doctors recommend some frequently used anticholinergics such as Tiotropium bromide and Ipratropium.
You can purchase genuine asthma medications online from Cheapmedsdeal at reasonable prices. Our pharmacy provides only FDA-approved medications. You can get medicines delivered to your doorstep with just a few clicks.
