It is a respiratory condition which mainly affects the airways causing them to narrow down. This makes breathing difficult and causes shortness of breath.
Patients with severe asthma may even have trouble talking. The airways also produce extra mucus which leads to a whistling sound (wheezing) while breathing.Asthma is common among all age groups; children, adults and elderly. There is no cure for asthma and effective management lies in preventing and relieving the symptoms.
The following factors increase the risk of developing asthma
Your doctor may ask you to undergo any of the following tests to diagnose the type and severity of asthma.
Also, presence of bacteria or any other micro-organism in the sputum that is causing lung infection also increases the risk of developing asthma.
There is no definite cure for asthma. Symptomatic management with the help of inhalers and oral medicines is the treatment of choice. Your doctor will prescribe right medications depending on the type of asthma, severity of symptoms, age and allergens causing it. Your doctor will closely work with you and create an asthma action plan. He/she may ask you to track your symptoms and create your own list of triggers. The type, frequency and duration of the medicines will be altered depending on your progress. It is important to follow your doctor’s advice if you want to adequately control your asthma.
It is an episode of severe breathlessness which occurs due to marked constriction of the airway muscles (bronchospasm). Thick and more viscous mucus is produced which lines the inner walls of the airways making breathing very difficult. The condition is life threatening if not promptly treated. Other symptoms of an asthma attack include:
The symptoms of an asthma attack can quickly worsen. It is important to immediately use an inhaler (bronchodilator) to ease breathing. If the patient is not responding to the inhaler and symptoms continue to get worse, the patient should be rushed to the emergency department without losing any time.