What is Asthma? Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that affects your airways. Asthma causes them to narrow and fill with mucus, making breathing difficult. It leads to recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm, often triggering asthma attacks.
Common Symptoms of Asthma include:
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Chest tightness
- Shortness of breath
Symptoms can occur daily or weekly, worsening at night or during exercise, and may require immediate medical attention during severe attacks.
According to the CDC, Asthma impacts physical activities due to breathing difficulties and affects approximately 25 million people in the US.
What are the Symptoms of Asthma?
Asthma symptoms may include:
- Coughing
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Difficulty sleeping
- Anxiety
- Chest tightness
- Rapid breathing
- Trouble talking
- Fatigue
If you notice any of these symptoms or experience severe, persistent Asthma, consult a doctor immediately. Additionally, explore asthma inhalers for symptom management.
What are the Causes of Asthma?
Asthma can be caused due to multiple reasons. Below, we have listed some of the most prevalent causes of Asthma.
Viral infections
Frequent viral respiratory infections, especially in early childhood, can increase the risk of developing Asthma. Common viruses linked to Asthma include respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and others.
Genetics
Asthma can have a genetic component. If close family members have Asthma, your likelihood of developing the condition increases.
Environmental factors
Exposure to chemical fumes, toxins, allergens, and thirdhand smoke can contribute to the development and worsening of asthma symptoms.
Hygiene hypothesis
Exposure to dirt, dust, or unhygienic environments can contribute to asthma problems. Maintaining good hygiene helps reduce the risk of such issues.
Smoking
Smoking increases the risk of Asthma by exposing the airways to harmful smoke and toxins, leading to airway inflammation and damage.
Read Also - Related Diseases to Asthma is COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
What are the Types of Asthma?
There are several types of Asthma, as discussed below:
Allergic Asthma:
Triggered by allergens like mould, pet dander, and pollen.
Nonallergic Asthma:
Nonallergic Asthma flares up due to stress, exercise, illness, or nonallergic factors.
Occupational Asthma:
Asthma is caused by exposure to workplace substances like dust, gases, and fumes.
Aspirin-Induced Asthma:
Triggered by aspirin or NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen.
Cough Variant Asthma:
Characterized by a persistent dry cough, distinct from other asthma types.
Nocturnal Asthma:
Symptoms worsen at night, often due to heartburn, dust mites, or pet dander.
Childhood Asthma:
Occurs in children under the age of 5.
Exercise-Induced Asthma:
Triggered by physical exertion, leading to symptoms like breathing difficulty, coughing, and wheezing.
What are the Risk factors for Asthma?
Factors that increase the chances of developing Asthma include:
- Overweight
- Family history of Asthma
- They have allergic conditions such as atopic dermatitis, which causes red, itchy skin and hay fever and might contain symptoms like runny nose, congestion, and itchy eyes.
- Being a smoker
- Exposure to smoke released from industries and vehicles, exhaust fumes, or other types of pollution
- Exposure to chemicals, farming waste, and pesticides
What are the Complications of Asthma?
Uncontrolled Asthma can lead to various complications, as it impacts your daily life:
- Persistent fatigue
- Stress, depression, and anxiety
- Delayed growth or puberty in children
- Underperformance at work or in physical activities
- Lung infections, such as pneumonia
These complications may worsen if Asthma is ignored. Proper management is essential to prevent them.
What is the Diagnosis of Asthma?
Asthma diagnosis involves multiple steps to confirm the condition:
- Health History:
- Your doctor will inquire about your family history of asthma or related conditions to assess your likelihood of developing it.
- Physical Exam:
- The doctor listens to your breathing with a stethoscope.
- Skin tests may be conducted to identify allergies linked to Asthma.
- Breathing Tests:
- Spirometry measures the speed and volume of air moving in and out of your lungs, assessing airway function.
- X-ray/CT Scan:
- Imaging provides detailed views of your lungs to detect infections or other conditions contributing to Asthma.
What are the Prevention and safety measures for Asthma?
The following measures can help you prevent Asthma:
- Smoking causes irritants to the lungs when you have Asthma. Hence, avoid Smoking.
- Avoid taking stress.
- Have a healthy, balanced diet that improves health.
- Avoid staying near chemicals and fumes.
- Prevent coming in contact with substances that trigger allergies(allergens) that make your Asthma worse.
- Avoid common Asthma triggers like cold air, dust, pollens, and smoke.
- Maintain a healthy body weight.
- Perform regular exercises.
Also, Discover Home Remedies that may help you Deal with An Asthma Attack.
What are the Treatments for Asthma?
Some of the treatments mainly prescribed for Asthma are listed below.
Bronchodilators
Bronchodilators are fast-acting treatments for Asthma that relax tightened airway muscles, improve airflow, and ease breathing.
Usage:
- Often delivered via nebulizers or inhalers.
- Typically used for sudden asthma symptoms.
Biologics
Biologics are used for asthma patients who are unresponsive to standard medications. They target specific antibodies responsible for inflammation.
Administration:
Typically administered as injections by a healthcare provider.
Medications
Daily medications can help manage Asthma, though they are not immediate treatments. Common types include:
- Anticholinergics:
- Prevent muscle tightening around the airways.
- Often combined with anti-inflammatories for daily symptom relief.
- Anti-Inflammatories:
- Reduce airway swelling and mucus production.
- Clear airways, ease breathing and help avoid asthma triggers.
Bronchial thermoplasty
Bronchial thermoplasty is a treatment especially advised for severe Asthma that uses an electrode to heat the airways. This process relaxes tightened airway muscles, improving breathing. A doctor performs it in a hospital setting.
Final Lines:
Asthma, if untreated, can lead to severe complications like sudden attacks or significant breathing difficulties. If you notice any symptoms, consult a doctor for evaluation and management.
Inhaled corticosteroids like fluticasone and budesonide are highly effective for asthma management. Antileukotrienes, including montelukast and zileuton, are also beneficial.
Asthma is an Asthmac condition where inflamed and narrowed airways make breathing difficult, impacting airflow in and out of the lungs.
Asthma is a lifelong condition that doesn’t go away but can be effectively managed with medical treatment and lifestyle changes.
Steam can help reduce airway irritation and thin mucus, providing temporary relief. It can also wash away lingering irritants like pollen.
Uncontrolled Asthma can cause long-term lung and airway damage, known as airway remodelling, leading to irreversible scarring.
