Asthma

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a type of Chronic disease that starts in the airways and makes a person’s breathing difficult. Asthma can cause inflammation of one’s air passages, this causes narrowing of the airway that carries oxygen to the lungs.

Asthma can be a serious and even dangerous disease that affects up to 26 million Americans. There are three major factors of asthma:

1. Airway Obstruction – When your breath normally there are banks of muscle in your airways that are relaxed and allows the air to move freely. However, people with asthma and other colds or diseases, cause the bands to tighten, less air is then flowing causing a person to feel shortness of breath and cause wheezing.
2. Inflammation – People with asthma can have swollen/red bronchial tubes. Inflammation can cause long-term damage to your lungs. The best way to make sure that no damage is caused, you should see a doctor and get the proper treatment for your Asthma.
3. Airway Irritability – Airways due to asthma causes them to be highly sensitive.

 

What Causes or Can Trigger Asthma?

Due to the sensitive airways caused by asthma different things within the environment can trigger asthma to worsen. Some of these triggers include:

• Infections – Sinusitis, colds, and the flu.
• Allergens in the air – pollens, mold, spores, pet dander and dust mites.
• Irritants – Strong odors, Perfumes, clean solutions, air pollution.
• Tobacco Smoke
• Exercise
• Weather – temperature, humidity, or chilly air
• Strong Emotions – anxiety, laughter, crying, or stress
• Medications – Ex. Aspirin allergies.

 

What are the Risk Factors for Increasing the Chances of Developing Asthma?

There are several factors that can increase your chance of developing asthma, some of these risk factors include:

• Inheritance – Someone that is blood-related in your family also has asthma.
• Having an allergic condition – Atopic dermatitis or allergic rhinitis (hay fever)
• Overweight
• Smoker
• Exposure to second-hand smoke
• Exposure to fumes or other pollution, chemicals and more.

6 types of asthma and how they’re treated

There are many types of asthma, and treatment depends on which of the main 6 types of asthma you may have. Your doctor will perform tests to find out what treatment for your type of asthma is best for you. The distinct types of asthma include:

1. Allergic Asthma – This type of asthma happens when an allergy sets off an asthma flare-up
2. Asthma without Allergies – Some people experience asthma that is triggered by an upper respiratory infection like a cold or flu. This type of asthma occurs over a brief period of about 10-14 days.
3. Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (AERD) – This is a type of asthma that is triggered when someone takes aspirin.
4. Exercise-Induced Asthma – This is when physical activity or exercise causes coughing, difficulty breathing, and chest tightness.
5. Cough Variant – is asthma that is characterized by a dry hacking cough.
6. Occupational Asthma – When a person with asthma works in a position where they work with items that trigger their asthma.

If you are experiencing any signs of asthma, make sure to call your allergy and asthma professional Dr. Thomas Chacko of Atlanta Georgia at 678-668-4688.