Asthma is a chronic condition that causes long-term inflammation in your airways, thereby producing extra mucus and making breathing difficult. In most cases, it triggers coughing and a wheezing sound when breathing in and out, which can worsen during physical activity or exposure to irritants. This inflammation narrows the airways, leading to episodes of breathlessness that vary in intensity from person to person.
Asthma can have different effects on two different individuals. For some, it’s a lifelong burden that interferes with your ability to perform normal activities, while for others it’s just a small issue that has no impactful effect on their life. Understanding these variations is key to effective management and improving quality of life.
Table of Contents
- Symptoms of Asthma
- Causes of Asthma
- Trigger Effects of Asthma
- Diagnosis of Asthma
- When to See a Doctor
- Medications for Asthma
- How to Live With Asthma
- Word from Dr. Zara
- Frequently Asked Questions
Symptoms of Asthma
Asthma symptoms arise from inflamed and narrowed airways, leading to difficulty in breathing and other respiratory issues. These can range from mild to severe and often occur in episodes known as asthma attacks. Common symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath, especially during exercise or at night
- Wheezing, a high-pitched whistling sound when exhaling
- Persistent coughing, often worse in the early morning or evening
- Chest tightness or pain, feeling like a band squeezing the chest
- Fatigue due to poor sleep from breathing difficulties
Progressing Asthma Symptoms
As asthma progresses without proper management, symptoms can intensify, leading to more frequent attacks and reduced lung function over time. In advanced stages, individuals may experience chronic fatigue, sleep disturbances, and limitations in daily activities. Severe progression can result in life-threatening complications if not addressed, emphasizing the need for progressive monitoring and treatment adjustments.
Causes of Asthma
The causes of asthma involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors that lead to airway inflammation and hyper-responsiveness. While the exact cause isn’t always clear, certain risk factors increase the vulnerability, such as family history or early childhood exposures. Key causes include:
- Genetic predisposition, where asthma runs in families
- Environmental allergens like pollen, dust mites, or pet dander
- Respiratory infections, particularly in childhood
- Exposure to irritants such as tobacco smoke or air pollution
- Obesity, which can exacerbate inflammation
Types of Asthma
Asthma manifests in various forms, each with unique triggers and characteristics. Understanding the type helps tailor effective treatment and management strategies.
Allergic Asthma
Allergic asthma, also known as extrinsic asthma, is triggered by inhaled allergens like pollen, mold, dust mites, or pet dander, leading to immune system overreactions and airway inflammation. It’s the most common type, affecting about 60% of asthma cases, and often coexists with other allergies like hay fever. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath after exposure, and it’s more prevalent in children but can persist into adulthood.
Adult Onset Asthma
Adult onset asthma develops after age 20 and is often non-allergic, triggered by factors like respiratory infections, hormonal changes, or environmental exposures rather than childhood allergies. Women are more prone, especially around menopause, and it can be severe, thereby requiring stronger medications. Symptoms mirror other types but may appear suddenly, making diagnosis challenging without a prior history.
Cardiac Asthma and Bronchial Asthma
Cardiac asthma isn’t true asthma but mimics symptoms due to heart failure, thereby causing fluid buildup in the lungs which leads to wheezing and shortness of breath. In contrast, bronchial asthma involves airway inflammation from allergens or irritants without heart involvement. Cardiac asthma affects older adults with heart issues, while bronchial asthma can start at any age and responds to inhalers, not heart medications.
Non-Allergic Asthma
Non-allergic asthma, or intrinsic asthma, is triggered by non-immune factors like stress, exercise, cold air or infections without involving allergies. It often begins in adulthood and can be more persistent with symptoms like chronic coughing and wheezing that don’t respond well to allergy treatments.
Exercise-Induced Asthma
This type flares up during physical activity due to rapid breathing leading to drying of the airways. This inflammation causes narrowing and symptoms like coughing or chest tightness 5-20 minutes into exercise. It’s common in athletes and can be managed with warm-ups and pre-exercise inhalers.
Occupational Asthma
Caused by workplace irritants like chemicals, dust, or fumes, occupational asthma develops after prolonged exposure and improves when away from the job. Prevention involves use of protective gear and early detection is crucial to avoid permanent damage.
Severe Asthma
Severe asthma is the type that resists standard treatments, requiring high-dose medications or biologics. This type affects your daily life with frequent episodes. It may involve multiple triggers and needs specialized care.
Trigger Effects of Asthma
Triggers can make asthma worse by irritating the airways, leading to sudden flare-ups that disrupt daily routines. Common ones include:
- pollen during spring walks, which might cause wheezing, or pet dander from cuddling a dog, resulting in nighttime coughing.
- Cold air during winter jogs can tighten the chest.
- Stress from work deadlines might amplify symptoms, making breathing feel labored.
- Smoke from barbecues or household cleaners can provoke immediate attacks, turning a simple chore into a struggle.
- Viral infections like colds often escalate issues, prolonging recovery and limiting social activities.
Identifying personal triggers through journaling helps avoid them, reducing the practical challenges of living with asthma.
Diagnosis of Asthma
Diagnosing asthma involves a combination of medical history, physical exams, and tests to rule out other conditions. It’s easy to misdiagnose asthma. I have had patients who thought they had gastro reflux for years, not knowing it was asthma mimicking heartburn with chest tightness. Here are some of the examinations and tests used to diagnose asthma:
- Spirometry: is a pulmonary function test that measures lung function by assessing how much air you exhale forcefully.
- Peak flow monitoring: is a medical test that tracks daily airflow variations .
- Allergy tests: like skin pricks, identify triggers.
- Methacholine challenge: is a diagnostic test that provokes airways to confirm hyper-responsiveness.
- Chest X-rays: is an imaging examination that helps exclude other health issues that may lead to misdiagnosis.
When to See a Doctor
If you experience persistent coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath, especially at night or during exercise, it’s essential to see a doctor to evaluate for asthma. Most people can live with asthma without even realizing they have it, but untreated symptoms can worsen over time. It’s thus still very crucial to make time for a thorough checkup, as early diagnosis through tests like spirometry can prevent complications and improve long-term control. Don’t ignore chest tightness or fatigue as prompt care ensures better management.
Medications for Asthma
Medications for asthma focus on controlling inflammation and relieving symptoms, categorized into long-term controllers and quick-relief options. Key types include:
- Inhaled Corticosteroids: Like fluticasone or budesonide, these reduce airway swelling daily to prevent attacks.
- Long-Acting Beta-Agonists (LABAs): Such as salmeterol, combined with steroids for sustained airway opening.
- Leukotriene Modifiers: Pills like montelukast block chemicals causing inflammation, useful for allergic asthma.
- Biologics: Injections like omalizumab target severe cases by blocking IgE in allergy-related asthma.
- Quick-Relief Inhalers: Albuterol provides fast bronchodilation during attacks.
- Oral Corticosteroids: Prednisone for short bursts in severe exacerbations.
- Theophylline: Less common, relaxes airways but requires monitoring.
- Combination Inhalers: Blend steroids and LABAs for comprehensive control.
How to Live With Asthma
Asthma can’t be cured forever, but it can be managed by controlling symptoms through medication adherence, trigger avoidance and lifestyle adjustments. This will allow you to live longer and stronger. While there’s no permanent cure, many achieve near-normal lives with proper care, reducing challenges like fatigue or by limiting physical activities.
Prevention of asthma involves minimizing early exposures to smoke or allergens, though for those with it may need to focus on management.
Lifestyle tips include maintaining a healthy weight to ease breathing, exercising regularly with warm-ups to build lung strength and eating anti-inflammatory foods like fruits and omega-3s.
Management strategies encompass using the Asthma Control Test (ACT) or ACT score asthma to monitor symptoms, scoring 20-25 indicates good control, while below 19 signals need for adjustment in allergy and asthma care. Create an action plan with your doctor for attacks, including when to use rescue inhalers.
Challenges living with asthma, such as sleep disturbances or social restrictions can be addressed with a sigh of relief. Many thrive by joining support groups or using apps for tracking. For types like adult onset asthma or allergic asthma, specialized allergy and asthma care from professionals helps navigate burdens. Act asthma proactively by vaccinating against flu, quitting smoking and using air purifiers. With these steps, you can overcome obstacles, embracing a fulfilling life despite the condition.
Word from Dr. Zara
Asthma is a unique case as some individuals can live their whole life with asthma and only discover they have asthma when they are adults. For some it’s the most challenging journey, it’s a burden that interferes with their ability to live a normal life. But it’s not the end, you can always find a way to navigate. I care for patients going through the same challenges. If you would like to talk to a professional doctor, you can reach me at drzaramulla@gmail.com, I will be glad to help you through your journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Can asthma kill you?
A: Yes, severe asthma attacks can be fatal if untreated thereby leading to oxygen deprivation. Though most deaths are preventable with proper management and quick intervention.
Question: What are the causes of asthma?
A: Asthma causes include genetics, allergens, infections, pollution and obesity by triggering airway inflammation.
Question: How to cure asthma forever?
A: Asthma cannot be cured forever, but symptoms can be effectively managed long-term with medications and lifestyle changes.
Question: What is prevention of asthma?
A: Prevention involves avoiding smoke exposure in pregnancy, reducing allergens at home, and maintaining good respiratory health to lower risk.
Question: How to live with asthma?
A: You can live with asthma by monitoring symptoms, avoiding triggers, taking prescribed meds and staying active for better control.
Question: What are the types of asthma?
A: Types include allergic, adult onset, non-allergic, exercise-induced, occupational and severe asthma.
Question: What are challenges living with asthma?
A: Challenges include sleep issues, activity limits, anxiety and frequent doctor visits, but support helps overcome them.
Question: What is ACT score asthma?
A: The ACT score asthma is a 5-25 point test assessing control; 20+ means well-managed, below 19 needs review
