Asthma: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment of Asthma

Asthma

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease—sometimes worrisome and inconvenient—but a manageable condition. With proper understanding, good medical care, and monitoring, you can keep asthma under control. Chronic condition characterized by difficulty in breathing due to spasm of the bronchi (air passages) in the lungs. Attacks may be provoked by allergy, infection, and stress. The incidence of asthma may be increasing as a result of air pollution and occupational hazard. An asthma attack can be very serious. If you have trouble breathing, call 9-1-1 for help right away. You can't cure asthma, but you can control it. Asthma is a chronic lung condition that is characterized by difficulty in breathing. People with asthma have extra sensitive or hyper responsive airways that cause symptoms of asthma. Airways react by narrowing or obstruction when something irritates them. Making a correct diagnosis is very important, because that is the only way to treat it appropriately.

Asthma is a disease that affects the breathing passages of the lungs (bronchioles). Asthma is caused by chronic (ongoing, long-term) inflammation of these passages. This makes the breathing passages, or airways, of the person with asthma highly sensitive to various "triggers." When an asthmatic person has an asthma attack the membranes inside the bronchial tubes release mucus and become inflamed. The inflammation causes the muscles to contract and create spasms. These muscle spasms are responsible for wheezing. Asthma is a common condition that causes coughing, wheezing, tightness of the chest and breathlessness.

Causes of Asthma

The exact cause of asthma isn't fully understood at present. Sometimes, the symptoms flare up for no obvious reason, but you may notice certain triggers that set off an asthma attack or make your symptoms worse. These triggers irritate the airways in your lungs and can include:

oinfections such as colds and flu

oirritants such as dust, cigarette smoke, fumes

ochemicals found in the workplace - this is called occupational asthma

ollergies to pollen, medicines, animals, house dust mite or certain foods

oexercise - especially in cold, dry air

oemotions - laughing or crying very hard can trigger symptoms, as can stress

oBronchoconstriction

oInflammation

oDietary changes

oOccupational exposure

oStrong emotional expression (including crying or laughing hard) and stress.

oA condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease that causes heartburn and can worsen asthma symptoms, especially at night.

Symptoms of Asthma

oCoughing is the most common asthma symptom. Coughing associated with asthma generally worsens at night and early in the morning, making sleeping difficult.

oRapid breathing is a common asthma symptom. When breathlessness occurs, you may try to breathe faster to try to get air in and out of your lungs.

oPeak flow numbers may be in the caution or danger range

oNeck area and between or below the ribs moves inward with breathing.

oWalking causes shortness of breath.

oGray or bluish tint to skin, beginning around the mouth.

Treatment

oControllers, also called "preventers," reduce inflammation in the airways. Controllers should be taken every day. You will know that the controller medication is working because you will, over time, have fewer and fewer symptoms. When your asthma is totally controlled and you have no symptoms, do not stop taking them.

oGenerally, dairy products are not good for asthmatics. They're too mucus-forming. We have heard, though, that cheddar cheese might be an exception. It contains "tyramine," an ingredient that seems to help open up the breathing passages.

oTurmeric is valuable in asthma. The patient should be given a teaspoon of turmeric powder with a glass of milk, two or three times daily. It acts best when taken on an empty stomach.

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