Asthma is a disease affecting the airways that carry air to and from your lungs. People who suffer from this chronic condition (long-lasting or recurrent) are said to be asthmatic.
The inside walls of an asthmatic's airways are swollen or inflamed.
This swelling or inflammation makes the airways extremely sensitive to irritations and increases your susceptibility to an allergic reaction.
As inflammation causes the airways to become narrower, less air can pass through them, both to and from the lungs. Symptoms of the narrowing include wheezing (a hissing sound while breathing), chest tightness, breathing problems, and coughing.
Asthmatics usually experience these symptoms most frequently during the night and the early morning.
Asthmatics usually experience these symptoms most frequently during the night and the early morning.
Asthma is Incurable
Asthma is an incurable illness. However, with good treatment and management there is no reason why a person with asthma cannot live a normal and active life.
What is an Asthma Episode / Attack?
An asthma episode, or an asthma attack, is when symptoms are worse than usual. They can come on suddenly and can be mild, moderate or severe.
The muscles around your airways tighten up, narrowing the airway.
Less air is able to flow through the airway.
Inflammation of the airways increases, further narrowing the airway.
More mucus is produced in the airways, undermining the flow of air even more.
Asthma Attacks Vary
Less air is able to flow through the airway.
Inflammation of the airways increases, further narrowing the airway.
More mucus is produced in the airways, undermining the flow of air even more.
Asthma Attacks Vary
In some asthma attacks, the airways are blocked such that oxygen fails to enter the lungs. This also prevents oxygen from entering the blood stream and traveling to the body's vital organs.
Asthma attacks of this type can be fatal, and the patient may require urgent hospitalization.
Asthma attacks of this type can be fatal, and the patient may require urgent hospitalization.
Asthma attacks can be mild, moderate, severe and very severe. At onset, an asthma attack does allow enough air to get into the lungs, but it does not let the carbon dioxide leave the lungs at a fast enough rate.
Carbon dioxide - poisonous if not expelled - can build up in the lungs during a prolonged attack, lowering the amount of oxygen getting into your bloodstream.
Carbon dioxide - poisonous if not expelled - can build up in the lungs during a prolonged attack, lowering the amount of oxygen getting into your bloodstream.
Treatment for Asthma
Asthma is not so much "treated" as it is "controlled". As a chronic, long-term disease, there is no cure.
However, there are tools and medicines to help you control asthma as well as benchmarks to gauge your progress.
However, there are tools and medicines to help you control asthma as well as benchmarks to gauge your progress.
The Peak Flow Meter
A peak flow meter is a simple, small, hand-held tool that can help you maintain control of asthma by providing a measurement of how well air moves out of the lungs.
After blowing into the device, the meter reveals your peak flow number. A physician will indicate how often to test as well as how to interpret the result to determine the amount of medication to take.
Some people record scores every morning while others use the peak flow meter intermittently.
Some people record scores every morning while others use the peak flow meter intermittently.
Often, each test with the peak flow meter will be judged against your "personal best" peak flow number (found during 2 to 3 weeks of good asthma control).
If peak flow tests begin to decline - even before other symptoms are present - it may indicate a looming asthma attack.
After taking asthma medication, the peak flow meter can be used to test the effectiveness of drug therapy.
If peak flow tests begin to decline - even before other symptoms are present - it may indicate a looming asthma attack.
After taking asthma medication, the peak flow meter can be used to test the effectiveness of drug therapy.
Good Control
Asthma is considered "well-controlled" if:
Chronic and troublesome symptoms (coughing and shortness of breath) are prevented and occur no more than 2 days per week.
There is little need for quick-relief medicines or they are needed less than 2 days per week.
You maintain good lung function.
Your activity level remains normal.
Your sleep level remains normal and symptoms do not wake you from sleep more than 1 to 2 nights per month.
You do not need emergency medical treatment.
You have no more than one asthma attack each year that requires inhalation of corticosteroids.
Your peak flow stays above 80% of your personal best number.
These benchmarks can be obtained by working with a doctor and avoiding factors that can make your asthma flare up.
Also be sure to treat other conditions that may interfere with asthma management.
There is little need for quick-relief medicines or they are needed less than 2 days per week.
You maintain good lung function.
Your activity level remains normal.
Your sleep level remains normal and symptoms do not wake you from sleep more than 1 to 2 nights per month.
You do not need emergency medical treatment.
You have no more than one asthma attack each year that requires inhalation of corticosteroids.
Your peak flow stays above 80% of your personal best number.
These benchmarks can be obtained by working with a doctor and avoiding factors that can make your asthma flare up.
Also be sure to treat other conditions that may interfere with asthma management.
Good control also means avoiding things that trigger asthma or asthma symptoms such as allergens.
This may mean limiting time spent outdoors when pollen levels or air pollution levels are highest and limiting contact with animals.
Asthma linked to allergies can also be suppressed by getting the necessary allergy shots.
This may mean limiting time spent outdoors when pollen levels or air pollution levels are highest and limiting contact with animals.
Asthma linked to allergies can also be suppressed by getting the necessary allergy shots.
Preventive Checkups
Part of good asthma control is seeing a doctor every 2 to 6 weeks for regular checkups until it is under control.
Then checkups may be reduced to once a month or twice a year.
Then checkups may be reduced to once a month or twice a year.
It is a good habit to keep track of asthma symptoms and attacks and diagnostic numbers such as the peak flow measurement.
Doctors and nurses will ask about these and about daily activities in order to gauge the status of your asthma control.
Doctors and nurses will ask about these and about daily activities in order to gauge the status of your asthma control.
Medicine
Medication for asthma is broadly categorized as either quick-relief medicine or long-term control medicine.
Reducing airway inflammation and preventing asthma symptoms is the goal of long-term control medicines, where as immediate relief of asthma symptoms is the goal of quick-relief or "rescue" medicines.
