asthma is a chronic and often lifelong condition that causes the airways to narrow, swell, and produce more mucus.
there are varying degrees of asthma. some people have more mild cases, in which symptoms do not cause any severe direct effects on health. others with more severe cases can experience a decreased quality of life and life-threatening asthma attacks.
people with asthma can have symptoms at specific times, such as if they exert themselves during exercise, or they can experience the symptoms at all times. the duration and severity of the symptoms experienced will depend on a person-to-person basis.
the typical symptoms of asthma can include:
• shortness of breath and wheezing
• a cough
• chest pain or tightness
• trouble sleeping caused by coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath
• worsened cough or wheezing attacks when a person gets sick with a respiratory infection
in some cases, asthma can worsen over time. there will be signs associated with the worsening of asthma, such as symptoms becoming more frequent or more severe, and increased difficulty with breathing, and the need for an inhaler more often. asthma can also flare in specific situations. for example, exercise can cause a worsened asthma attack, as well as being around certain inhalable irritants or allergens.
to diagnose asthma, doctors will conduct a physical exam, a symptom health history collection, and tests to measure lung function. the tests used are peak flow meters and spirometry. they are designed to measure how narrow bronchial tubes are as well as how much air a person can expend in a single breath. other types of tests used in the diagnostics process include:
• methacholine challenge
• imaging tests, such as x-rays
• allergy testing
• nitric oxide tests
• sputum eosinophils to check for white blood cells in the mucus
• provocative testing to see how exercise and cold air affects the airways
there are four classifications for asthma: mild intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent, and severe persistent. the intermittent type is characterized by mild symptoms that occur up to two days a week and up to two nights a month. for mild persistent, the symptoms are still not severe, but they happen more often than twice a week with only one asthma attack happening in a single day.
moderate and severe persistent are characterized by symptoms that occur once a day and more than one night a week, or symptoms that occur throughout the day and night on most days, respectively.
there is no cure for asthma, so once a diagnosis has been confirmed, treatment revolves around controlling the symptoms to ensure that it doesn’t become severe or life-threatening. the first step in a treatment plan for asthma revolves around learning about and avoiding triggers to keep symptoms at bay. a quick-relief inhaler can also be used during an asthma flare-up. other treatments include:
• medications, including inhalable corticosteroids, leukotriene modifiers, and combination inhalers
• quick-relief medications, such as short-acting beta agonists, anticholinergic agents, and oral corticosteroids
• allergy medications, such as shots or biologics
people with severe asthma that doesn’t respond to traditional medicines may be able to get a bronchial thermoplasty treatment, which is a more invasive therapy in which a doctor heats up the insides of the airs using an electrode to reduce the smooth muscle inside them. this procedure helps to hinder the airways ability to tighten.
research continues to look for new and exciting ways to tackle asthma for those who have it, and future therapies are geared toward making it an easier condition to live with.
advertisement