Asthma symptoms, causes, types, and treatment
Introduction
Asthma is one of the most common and chronic diseases, more than 6 million children get affected by this disease. Asthma is basically a lung disease than can result in severe episodes of cough and breathing difficulty. Some of the other conditions may include exposure to a virus, stressful condition, any allergic or irritant, and other various factors.
Asthma causes airways to be got swallow and inflamed that causes difficulty in taking a breath. During the asthma attack, a person’s airways will quickly get swell, the muscles around the area get tight, and as a result, it causes difficulty for the lungs to move in or out. As a result of the attack, a person may experience repeated episodes of cough or breath issues.
Sign and symptoms
Asthma is a long term condition that can affect the airways. It may swallow or shrink the lungs, and that may get difficult to move either out or in position.
A person with asthma may experience following sign or symptoms:
- Feeling of tightness in the chest
- wheezing
- difficulty in breathing
- severe episodes of coughing
- an increase in the mucus production
A person may feel asthma attacks when the above sign and symptoms get severe. There is no given time these attacks can happen at any place and can range from mild to life-threatening.
Causes
Although nobody knows what the reasons that exactly cause asthma are, some of the environmental and genetic factors can lead to this issue.
Find the causes in the below:
Pregnancy
According to excessive research, smoking during pregnancy later can lead to a risk of the fetus developing asthma. Some of the females may experience some of the episodes of asthma even during pregnancy.
Obesity
According to a report, people with obesity are more prone to this disease. Asthma seems to be high in people with obesity as compared to thin people.
Allergies
Allergies can be another reason for asthma. Not every person that has an allergy may experience asthma, but most of the people are reported having any kind of allergy.
Environmental factors
Environmental factors that may lead to asthma are:
- Dust
- Animal hair
- Fumes of pain and household cleaners
- Feathers
Other factors can be air pollution, ground-level ozone, etc.
Genetic factors
Sometimes asthma runs in families. Like if a mother having asthma will increase the risk in the next generation.
Stress
Stress can be a reason to raise asthma symptoms, a person may experience mild asthma, but long term stress may lead to severe asthma.
Types of asthma
Asthma can occur in many different ways at different times. Types of asthma are given below:
Childhood asthma
Asthma can develop at any age; children are more prone to it. Children age 4-12 were diagnosed with asthma. Some of the common triggers of childhood asthma are the following.
- Exposure to the cold air
- Smoking including tobacco or cigarette
- Respiratory infection
- Exercise
- Excitement
- Allergy
It is important to seek a doctor if a child is having a sign of asthma or may start expiring asthma attacks.
Adult
Like children, adults can also experience asthma as it can begin at any age. Some of the major reasons that can become a cause of asthma in adults are:
- Respiratory illness
- Hormonal imbalance
- Obesity
- Stress
- Smoking
Occupational asthma
A person may become a victim of asthma due to any allergy and irritants that are present in the workplace. These workplaces are the following:
- Flour mills and bakeries
- Health care setting
- Pet shop (as animal hair can a major reason for asthma), zoo and laborites that work with animals
- Agriculture setting like farms that contain dust
- A person who works in woodwork or work as a car painter
- Hairdressing salons
- Car repair
- Indoor swimming pools
No matter which age of asthma stage you are, it is important to seek a doctor and use proper medication. Although it is a life-lasting disease, you can control it through proper medication.
Diagnosis (test, machine, ways)
Usually, a doctor will ask about the present symptoms, medical, or family history. They did not only ask about the sign and symptoms; they will do a proper physical examination to conform to the availability and severances of disease.
Through the diagnosis, they will conform to either asthma is mild, minor, or severe. They will also try to identify the type of asthma.
The doctor may conduct the following tests.
Physical exam
The patient may undergo through upper reparatory tract, chest, and skin checkup. The other symptoms they may check include a runny nose and any growth inside the nose.
Asthma test
A lung test can help to know about the functionality of the lungs. A spirometry test is one of the best examples of lungs test to confirm asthma. In this test, the person is asked to breathe deeply and then breathe out in the given tube. This tube is connected to a machine that helps to show the lungs’ report.
This test is not suitable for the child age 4-6.
Another test may include:
A challenge test- in this test, the doctor diagnoses how the exercise and could affect a person’s respiratory system.
A skin prick– this test is used to identify the type of allergy that can be the reason for asthma if it gets severe.
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Treatment and remedies
The right medicine for asthma depends on the type of disease. The other thing that is important to consider is age, symptoms, asthma triggers, and what helps you more to control these symptoms.
Prevention can help you to manage your asthma-like staying away from the dust places or places where your allergens may get arise. Visiting such places may swell your airways, and in this condition, it is important to take medicine to stabilize the condition.
Use of long-term asthma control medicines
Inhaled corticosteroids- these drugs may include flunisolide, mometasone, and budesonide. A person may need to use this medicine for a long time until they did not get the required results. Unlike other medicine, these medicines have a low side effect, so a person can use this for a long time.
Leukotriene modifiers- use of oral medicines like montelukast and zileuton can help a person to get relief from the asthma symptoms. Although it is rare for some cases, it may result in psychological symptoms like aggression, irritation. If you feel any unusual reaction you can consult with your doctor, they may change it with another medicine.
Theophylline- people take it as a daily pill. It helps to keep the airways open so they can breathe and sleep easily. But now most of the people do not prefer to take it.
People who do not want to use the medicine they can use natural remedies to overcome their symptoms, some of the best remedies are given below:
Use of Garlic- garlic has several benefits; it also contains anti-inflammatory properties; due to this, it can help to get relief from the asthma symptoms. But still, there is no proper research that can prove that garlic can help to get rid of asthma.
Use of Ginger– unlike garlic, it also has anti–inflammatory properties and helps to reduce severe asthma. According to a report, ginger supplements help to reduce the severity of asthma.
Use of honey- it can be an ideal remedy to use if the person is having a cold. It helps to reduce throat infection and reduce the cough. You can mix one tsp of honey in hot water and take it like a tea. It will help you to get rid of cold and to prevent mild asthma symptoms.
Use of Omega-3 oil- this oil is found in fish and flax seeds that show to be the best remedy in many diseases. This oil also helps to decrease the inflammatory disease and improve the lung’s symptoms so the people can breathe in a better way.
People who take a high dose of oral steroid, they may block the benefit of Omega-3 oil. So it is better to ask your doctor if you are going to use this along with any medicine.
Hypnotherapy- Hypnosis is used to get relax. A person may get relax by use of hypnosis therapy as it helps to reduce the pressure of tighten muscles and make them relax. It can help a person to cope with the symptoms like chest tightness.
Natural treatment and yoga
If you are suffering from asthma and your medicine is not enough to support you, then you can try this natural treatment.
Change in diet
One of the biggest reasons for asthma is obesity. Try to take healthy food that contains fewer calories. This will help you to prevent the severity of asthma.
Buteyko breathing technique
This is a breathing exercise that helps people to reduce asthma symptoms. This technique helps to focus on breathing out from the nose instead of breathing from the mouth.
Yoga
Yoga is considered as the best remedies to decrease the asthma symptoms by keeping the body fit and fresh. People who use breathing techniques along yoga reported a significant decrease in the symptoms of asthma.
Prevention and precaution
If you have asthma, you should know what the things that make it severe are. The following step will help you to control asthma.
Find out asthma triggers
Certain asthma triggers begin due to:
- Smoking
- Air pollution
- Cold air
- Smoke
- Allergies
- Fragrances
It is important to keep track of things that may trigger asthma and try to prevent them as much as you can. You can use the mask to cover the nose, especially when you are in populated areas. Stay away from the people that have any cold or flu as you are more prone to get their virus. Try to avoid smoke; mask is the best option to avoid any kind of smoke or fragrance. By using these precautions, you will be able to control the severity of asthma.
Risk factors
There are a number of risk factors that can become the reason of asthma; few of them are given below:
Family history– parents who have asthma their child are at high risk.
Gender and age- this issue is more common in young adults; boys are likely to develop more symptoms of asthma as compare to girls due to their more social life.
Allergies– being sensitive to any substance or element can become the cause of asthma-like dust, smoke, fragrance, and toxic chemicals.
Smoking- as it is mentioned in the smoking pack, it is injurious to health. it can irritate the airways. People with a smoking habit are more prone to asthma as compare to non-smokers.
Other reasons can be obesity or respiratory infection.
Lifestyle and management guidelines 200
You can manage asthma by following the given tips:
General guidelines to manage asthma
Making changes in lifestyle can help you to reduce asthma symptoms. These changes may include:
- Identify the signs that trigger asthma and avoid them
- Stay connected with your doctor if you feel any severity in the condition like if you feel difficulty in taking a breath. Chest tightness or pain. A person may experience frequent episodes of cough or may feel an issue during sleeping.
- Avoid smoking; this is one of the best ways to overcome asthma.
- Obesity can be another reason for asthma by reducing weight. You can control it easily.
Get the flu vaccine- people who are at the risk of having asthma due to their family history or medical condition they should take proper medicine if they have flu or experience cold. They can take a flu vaccine that will help to reduce the asthma symptoms.
Reduce exposure to the allergens
People who have any kind of allergy-like dust allergy, smoke allergy, or allergy from a specific fragrance should avoid such a place that can trigger asthma.
Losing weight
According to research, the people who reduce their weight were able to control the symptoms better as compared to people with obesity.
Medicine and therapy
The people who are searching for asthma medicine, it may differ from person to person according to the type and severity of asthma. Every person with asthma should have a medicine that can help them to get a quick relief like the use of albuterol; it helps to get relief from asthma on an urgent basis. Anyhow, it is important to have a controller medicine. Talk to the health care that will provide you a control therapy.
Use of asthma medications
These are the medicines that are used on a daily basis that help to control the severity of asthma. These medicines are taken in the given time to prevent the swelling in the airways. This medicine helps to reduce irritation and breathing difficulty. A person who is taking medicine may ask to reduce the dose when they are in a stable condition.
Asthma controllers
These controllers include inhaled steroids like Flovent and Pulmicort. Other medicines may include Xoliar and Theophylline. Both of these medicines are used to control asthma. But you cannot take anyone alone you need toad another medicine, your doctor may guide you better for this issue. They will combine medicine to get quick and effective results.
Use of Singulair
Most of the people prefer to use one pill on a daily basis to get long-lasting results. But this medicine is not suitable for every person. So consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
Alternative medicine
People who do not want to use the medicines due to their side effects, but at the same time, they need to use any alternative medicine they can take the following:
Herbs and vitamins
ding-chan tang is a herb that helps to control the respiratory inflammation.
Acupuncture- although it is not proven by the research, most of the people believe it can help to reduce the asthma symptoms.
Yoga- breathing exercise along yoga is proved as one of the best solutions to control asthma.
Survive and support
People who have asthma can survive with this disease if they learn how to manage this. Like people who are prone to any allergens, they should take special care when they are traveling to the areas that contain that allegiance like dust, pollution, or smoke.
Females who are pregnant and experiencing asthma should take special care to manage their asthma. Try to stay away from smoking and smoke that can be dangerous not only for you but for your child too.
Conclusion
Asthma is basically an inflammatory condition that may cause swelling in the airways, and that may lead to difficulty in taking a breath. There are various types of asthma that may cause due to different situations like due to any allergy, smoking, dust, etc. people with asthma must learn how to manage it and survive with this disease. Young children and adults are more prone to asthma, but older people can also diagnose this issue. In most cases, a person can control it easily and will be able to live a normal and healthy life. Living with asthma is difficult, but you can deal with it by using the right living and eating habits.
Frequently asked questions
What is asthma?
Asthma is a disease in which the airways get narrow, and a person experiences severe difficulty in taking a breath or may trigger coughing or wheezing.
What causes asthma?
Although there is no confirmed cause of asthma, most of the time, it may be due to dust, smoking, air pollution, or maybe a person who has exposure to allergens.
What does asthma feels like?
People who are suffering from asthma may find it difficult to take a breath due to shortness of breath, they may feel like chest tightness, and in severe cases, they feel unable to sleep.
How is asthma diagnosed?
A person can diagnose asthma through its signs or symptoms like the tightness of chest, excessive episodes of cough, or shortness of breath. He may ask for a physical examination to conform to the availability of asthma through lungs test.
How to cure asthma naturally permanently?
There are many ways, but by the use of ginger and honey, it is proved to get relief of symptoms quickly.
What triggers asthma?
A person may have family or medical history that can trigger asthma. Females who often like to do smoking may experience asthma during pregnancy. Other symptoms may include cold, smoke, or allergens.
How to know if you have asthma?
By comparing the symptoms, you can know either you have asthma or not. Major symptoms are shortness of breathe, chest tightness, and difficulty in taking a breath.
How to treat asthma?
There are many medicines are remedies that can help to treat asthma-like use of Theophylline on a daily basis people can get long-lasting effects.
What are the three types of asthma?
Three types of asthma are childhood asthma, adult asthma, and occupational asthma.
What is the main cause of asthma?
The main causes of asthma are airborne substances such as pollen, mold spores, dust, or particles of cockroach waste—respiratory infection such as cold, smoking, strong emotions like stress, or use of certain medications.