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Though asthma is a disease that has no permanent cure as of now, you can definitely manage & control your asthma & lead practically a normal life. Asthma control implies adopting long-term medical strategies or lifestyle changes that can assist shorten the duration of asthma attacks to the minimum possible & increase the duration of symptom-free periods to the maximum possible. Here is a brief introduction to what asthma is all about.

What Is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic condition of the respiratory system characterized by recurring episodes of dyspnea (shortness of breath), accompanied by wheezing, a feeling of tightness in the chest, & coughing (especially, during the night). This happens due to inflammation & swelling of the inner lining of the airways (bronchial tubes), & consequent narrowing of the air passages, in response to an allergen or an irritant. The constriction of the airways is worsened due to the excessive amounts of mucus produced. The exact cause of asthma is still not well understood. Asthma is one of the most common childhood diseases, but can occur among adults too.

How Is Asthma Diagnosed?

Diagnosing asthma could be quite tricky, especially in children below 5 years of age, because many of the symptoms of asthma may be mistaken for common cold. If there is a family history of asthma or other breathing problems, & a family member shows a tendency to getting recurrent colds lasting longer than 10 days, wheezing, cough & allergies, then it’s time to get a lung function test (spirometry) done. This test measures the maximum amount of air that one can exhale after taking a deep breath & helps the doctor diagnose asthma.

What Is An Asthma Attack?

Acute aggravation of asthma symptoms, which may come suddenly or after showing warning signals, is referred to as an asthma attack. During the attack the air motion in the airways becomes highly impaired, making breathing exceedingly difficult, so much so that in severe cases the patient may turn blue due to lack of oxygen. Severe cases of asthma that do not respond fast to standard treatments can become life-threatening.

What Causes An Asthma Attack?

An asthma attack is generally triggered as a response of the respiratory system to some allergens or irritants present in the air that one breathes. So… Some times asthma may also be caused by acid irritants aspirated from the stomach, as in people having gastro-esophageal reflux disease.

How Is Asthma Treated?

The first step in treating asthma is to identify allergens/irritants that trigger asthma attacks & avoid exposure to them as far as possible. This is the most effective strategy to control your asthma. The second step is to learn to identify the warning signals of an impending asthma attack. And lastly, the most significant thing is to take your medications regularly as recommended by your doctor. Asthma medicines come as two types: quick-relief medicines to control the symptoms during an asthma attack & long-term preventive medicines to reduce the frequency & severity of asthma attacks.

Important Asthma Triggers

Some of the most common allergens/irritants that trigger asthma have been found to be:

? Pollen
? Tobacco smoke
? Dust mites
? Mold
? Industrial or automobile pollutants in the air
? Cockroaches
? Furry pets

Other than these, in some people strenuous exercise, exposure to cold & wet weather, thunderstorms, some unknown food additives, some foods, or even emotional upheaval can trigger an asthma attack.

In conclusion, it’s important to learn to identify your asthma triggers & the warning signals of a coming asthma attack. If you avoid exposure to these triggers, follow the advice of your doctor, & take your medicines regularly, you’ll be easily able to lead a more or less normal life despite your asthma.

Jim’s articles are from extensive research on each of his topics. You can learn more of asthma treatments by visiting: Asthma Information

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