Asthma is a chronic condition that affects children and adults. The air tunnels in the lungs narrow due to inflammation and muscle tightening surrounding the airways. In certain people, asthma may be a minor condition, but in a few, it may interfere with their regular activities.
Worldwide there are about 269 million cases of asthma reported, while India alone accounts for 15 to 20 million people. While the cause is not quite understood, following a healthy lifestyle may help prevent it to a certain extent.
The normal way of breathing involves the relaxation of muscles around the airways. Usual breathing involves no sound and happens quietly. When someone has an asthma attack, it can lead to:
Bronchospasm
Inflammation
Mucus production
Asthma is divided into different types based on what causes it and how bad the symptoms are. It is segregated as:
Experiencing a severe breathing problem or breathlessness even while lying down.
An asthma attack that does not subside even after taking medication.
In case the nails and skin turn pale in colour.
Feeling of unconsciousness while trying to gasp for air.
Trouble in finishing a complete sentence without taking a pause.
These triggering factors may be different for each person. The following are the most common:
Air pollution
Dust mites
Exercise
Molds
Pet fur
Pests
Tobacco smoke
Strong chemical smell
Reach out to an asthma specialist in Coimbatore to know your triggering factors for asthma.
People of any age group can develop asthma. Apart from the triggering factors, people exposed to secondhand and thirdhand smoke are at risk of developing asthma.
Your pulmonologist will also ask you about your symptoms and any other health problems you may have.
This spirometry test for asthma measures how much your bronchial tubes have narrowed by seeing how much air you can blow out after taking a deep breath and how quickly you can do it.
A peak flow metre is a simple tool that measures how hard you can breathe out.
A chest X-ray can help find any structural problems or diseases (like an infection) that can make breathing hard or harder.
A skin or blood test can be used to check for allergies. If you have an allergy to animals, dust, mould, or pollen, you can find out here.
Your pulmonologist will also ask you about your symptoms and any other health problems you may have.
Asthma management involves both medications and also few lifestyle changes to help prevent any future attacks. The best lifestyle habit to follow is to avoid the triggers of an asthma attack. The following are the few treatment methods to manage asthma,
These medicines work quickly to ease symptoms that come on quickly. You take them when necessary and as soon as you feel sick.
These medications help control asthma by fixing the changes in the airways that are causing it, like swelling and too much mucus. They can be given medicine or more.
This treatment goes after a cell or protein to stop the airways from swelling.
Bronchodilators quickly ease your symptoms by relaxing the tight muscles around your airways.
A nebulizer is an electrically powered machine that turns liquid medicine into a mist that can be breathed directly into the lungs through a face mask or mouthpiece.
Inhalers are small, handheld devices that deliver medicine directly to the lungs. Unlike pills or liquids, which are swallowed, the medicine is in a form that the person breathes in.
Having a parent with asthma, having a severe respiratory infection as a child, having an allergy, or being exposed to certain chemical irritants or industrial dust at work are the most common ways to get asthma.
Asthma is more likely if you also experience other symptoms, such as a persistent cough, wheezing, and difficulty breathing and/or a feeling of tightness in the chest. Some people with asthma may not have any coughing symptoms at all. Most coughs are dry, but uncontrolled asthma might cause you to cough up clear, thick mucus.
Even though asthma can't be entirely cured, its symptoms can be managed. Because asthma often changes over time, it's important to work with your doctor to keep track of your signs and symptoms and adjust your asthma treatment as needed.
Even though asthma is usually manageable, it is still a serious condition that can lead to several problems. Because of this, it's important to stick to your treatment plan and not ignore worsening symptoms. If you don't take care of your asthma well, you might always feel tired.
Asthma is not communicable. Its cause is still mostly unclear, although studies have found that asthma can be caused by both inherited and environmental causes. Just because you have a parent with asthma does not indicate you will have it, too.
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Our highly experienced pulmonology doctors are well-experienced and skilled in providing the best care for people in Coimbatore
MBBS, MD (MEDICINE), DM (PULMONARY, CRITICAL CARE & SLEEP MEDICINE) (AIIMS), New Delhi.,Consultant & Interventional Pulmonologist & Sleep Specialist
MBBS, DNB (Resp Med), MNAMS, IDCCM (Critical care), European Diploma in Respiratory Medicine., Consultant Interventional Pulmonologist and Sleep Physician
“I was diagnosed with asthma two years ago and was taking treatment, but it seems to show no improvement. My relative recommended Sri Ramakrishna Hospital. I consulted the doctor, and within a few months, my symptoms gradually improved, and I can now return to my daily routine.”
“I was undergoing asthma treatment at Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, and I am thankful to the doctors and staff for helping me throughout the treatment. The staff were extremely patient and guided me. And my doctor also helped me overcome my condition and was able to perform exercises.”
First hospital in South India to exercise the physiology test system with breath-to-breath analysis of respiratory gasses for diagnosis, training and rehabilitation of pulmonary disease patients.