What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic (long-term) lung illness. It has an effect on your airways, which are the tubes that transport air into and out of your lungs. When you have asthma, your airways might become irritated and narrowed. This can cause wheezing, coughing, and chest discomfort. When these symptoms worsen, this is referred to as an asthma attack or flare-up.

What causes asthma?

Asthma’s exact cause is unknown. Who gets asthma is most likely determined by genetics and your environment.

When you are exposed to an asthma trigger, you may experience an asthma attack. Asthma triggers are things that can cause or aggravate asthma symptoms. Asthma can be caused by a variety of triggers, including:

• Airborne allergens, such as pollen, dust mites, mold spores, pet dander or particles of cockroach waste
• Respiratory infections, such as the common cold
• Certain medications, including beta blockers, aspirin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve)
• Strong emotions and stress
• Sulfites and preservatives added to some types of foods and beverages, including shrimp, dried fruit, processed potatoes, beer and wine
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition in which stomach acids back up into your throat
• Physical activity
• Cold air
• Air pollutants and irritants, such as smoke

Who is at risk of developing asthma?

• Being exposed to secondhand smoke while your mother is pregnant or as a small child
• Working with certain substances, such as chemical irritants or industrial dusts
• Family history and genetics If one of your parents has asthma, you are more likely to develop it, especially if it is your mother.
• Ethnicity or race. Black and African Americans, as well as Puerto Ricans, are more likely to develop asthma than people of other races or ethnicities.
• Obesity and allergies are examples of other diseases or conditions.

• In children, asthma is more common in boys. In teens and adults, it is more common in women.

What are the symptoms of asthma?

• Chest tightness
• Coughing, especially at night or early morning
• Wheezing, which causes a whistling sound when you breathe out
• Shortness of breath

The severity of these symptoms can range from mild to severe. You can have them every day or only occasionally.

When you have an asthma attack, your symptoms worsen dramatically. Attacks can occur gradually or suddenly. They can be life-threatening at times. They are more prevalent in people with severe asthma. If you are having asthma attacks, your treatment may need to be adjusted.

What are the treatments for asthma?

If you have asthma, you will work with your doctor to develop a treatment plan. The plan would include strategies for managing asthma symptoms and preventing asthma episodes. It will include the following:

• Strategies to avoid triggers. For example, if tobacco smoke is a trigger for you, you should not smoke or allow other people to smoke in your home or car.
• Short-term relief medicines, also called quick-relief medicines. They help prevent symptoms or relieve symptoms during an asthma attack. They include an inhaler to carry with you all the time. It may also include other types of medicines which work quickly to help open your airways.
• Control medicines. You take them every day to help prevent symptoms. They work by reducing airway inflammation and preventing narrowing of the airways.

If you have a severe attack and the over-the-counter pain relievers do not help, you will require emergency care.

Your treatment may be adjusted by your provider until your asthma symptoms are under control.

Asthma can be severe at times and is uncontrollable with other therapies. If you are an adult with uncontrolled asthma, your provider may recommend bronchial thermoplasty in some situations. This is a heat-based technique that shrinks the smooth muscle in the lungs. Shrinking the muscle limits the capacity of your airway to tighten, allowing you to breathe more readily. There are potential dangers associated with the procedure, which should be discussed with your practitioner.

The impact of asthma on daily life

Asthma is frequently misdiagnosed and undertreated, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

People with untreated asthma may experience sleep disturbances, fatigue during the day, and difficulty concentrating. Asthmatics and their families may miss school and work, causing financial hardship for the family and the wider community. If symptoms are severe, people with asthma may require emergency medical attention and may be admitted to a hospital for treatment and monitoring. Asthma can be fatal in the most severe cases.