What is Asthma?
What is asthma? Asthma has become an increasing problem not only in the United States, but in many countries throughout the world. It is important to understand this chronic health condition that affects millions of children and adults.
Asthma is a chronic medical condition that impacts your lungs and thus your breathing. Among children it is the number one chronic medical disorder. It also affects many adults. At this point in time, there is no cure for asthma. However, with proper medical treatment, personal awareness, and if needed, some adjustments in one's environment and lifestyle, asthma symptoms can be kept to a minimum for many people.
Asthma is often episodic in nature. What that means is that an individual who has asthma may go days, weeks or months with no noticeable symptoms. However, some people with asthma experience symptoms much more regularly than others.
Asthma symptoms can be triggered by many different things. These may include irritants in the environment, such as pollen, dust, pet dander, fumes, or smoke to name several. Symptoms can also be brought on by things such as physical exertion or exercise, or stress and anxiety.
When a person begins to experience asthma symptoms, he will usually start to cough, wheeze, and have shortness of breath. He may experience some tightness or pain in his chest, and depending on the severity of the attack, may have a difficult time finishing sentences or talking at all.
These symptoms occur when the bronchial airways become irritated. When they are irritated they become swollen or inflamed, and they also become clogged with extra mucus that is produced by the body. In addition, the surrounding muscles begin to tighten. All of these things make it more difficult for air to get to and from the lungs, making breathing more difficult.
When a person experiences these symptoms it is called an asthma attack. While most asthma attacks are relatively minor, in some instances they can be very severe, rendering the person unable to breathe and potentially fatal if immediate medical treatment is not received.
The treatment for asthma may include medications such as a rescue inhaler or other type of short acting medication, and long acting medications. The rescue inhaler works by quickly opening up the airways and restoring the person's ability to breathe normally. The longer-acting medications are often something taken daily which help prevent asthma episodes.
It is important to understand what is asthma in order to best work with your doctor in treating your symptoms. Keeping them under control will allow you to go about your daily activities as normal and reduces the risk of a serious attack.