Asthma is one very common breathing disorder these days. Children are more prone to asthma disease. This particular disease can affect any person of any age group, though no definite cause is reported till now. There is very much possibility for a person to develop Asthma after being in contact with few allergens such as smoke, with hay fever or viral inflammation etc. Reports state that out of entire asthma patients, the ratio is distributed between fifty percent adult women (about 24 years age) and fifty percent boys (age below 15 years) of younger age.
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers related to the disease:
1. What is asthma?
Asthma disease is caused by the combined effect of surrounding factors and genetic composition of an individual. This mainly results due to inflammation in the lung region. As the asthma patient comes in contact with causal agents, the airways turn narrower and results in severe irritation to normal functioning. This leads to the generation of symptoms such as coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, breathing problem, etc.
2. Can asthma be cured?
Unfortunately, due to various asthma triggers and varied severity levels, there is no definite cure for asthma. However, an asthma patient can learn suitable ways to get rid from asthma attacks. Once you get aware with specific triggers behind your irritation, you can further pay extra attention to keep a distance from them. For example, you can get yourself diagnosed by some skin specialist in order to find your skin sensitiveness against something. Accordingly, you can manage your symptoms and the frequency of occurrence. Apart from it, you can also add some essential food stuff such as antioxidants. Antioxidants like vitamin-D are very helpful in reducing lung inflammation in your body. Lastly, there is a definite medication course also available. The first are bronchodilators, which act as relievers during an asthma attack. It allows an easy breathing function in the body. The second is anti-inflammatories, normally acting as a controller and helping to minimize the swelling of lung lining portion and mucus. It is taken at regular basis for sustaining the healthy state of the body. In this way, you could have some control over the disease.
3. Is asthma a psychological or emotional problem?
No, it has clearly reported that asthma is not at all a psychological or emotional disorder. However, in some cases, strong emotions such as nervousness may lead to asthmatic conditions.
4. How might asthma affect my lifestyle?
For any asthma patient, it is very crucial to get aware of the specific asthma triggers. Once you notice it clearly, try to avoid any situations where you might get attacked by them. The causal agents may show their symptoms just in another moment of your contact with them. For example, people having allergy with pollen or dust may show abrupt symptoms in the same time. However, in some cases reactions occur after some time. The intake of medicines in correct time of attack is also required to keep the disease under control. Therefore, in order to avoid the worst consequences of asthma triggers, you may need to bring some changes in your lifestyle and follow with care.
5. Why can’t I take tablets to control my asthma?
This is because the inhaled medium of medication directly reaches to lungs via airways and efficiently starts its function. In this way, other body parts are also less affected by medicines.
6. How do I know if my asthma is getting worse?
Following are some signs of a worst asthma condition:
a.The frequency of your medication, especially the reliever, has increased than normal.
b. Most of your nights are accompanied with excessive coughing and wheezing problem. At the same time, you also experience severe chest tightness and obstructed breathing.
c. The normal activities of your day-to-day life are also getting affected.
d. Finally you quit your work or school because of intolerable conditions of asthma.
7. I have asthma and I am pregnant, will my baby have asthma too?
Overall, in any pregnant woman case, all activities and intakes do affect the baby in some or the other way. Studies reported that smoking habit of any woman can directly raise the risk for the baby to have asthma. Normally, some allergic reactions such as hay fever, eczema, and asthma might run in families. However, researchers report that breast feeding newly born babies during initial months may reduce the risks for babies to develop asthma disease.
8. Where can I go to get more information?
Asthma UK advice line is one of the most convenient center to clear out all your queries related to the disease. You can personally have a conversation with an asthma nurse specialist via phone call. To have a better understanding, the facility is also available in a hundred different languages. So accordingly, you can communicate with the help of an interpreter’s service attached through the machine. You are free to call in all week days except the weekends between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm. You can also email them at [email protected]
9. How is asthma diagnosed?
The symptoms associated with asthma are very much similar to the symptoms of other respiratory disorders, such as bronchitis, emphysema, and many more. As a result, asthma conditions mostly remain undiagnosed in most of the humans for several years. Therefore, if you find difficulty in your normal breathing process in specific conditions, then you must contact the doctor as soon as possible. These conditions are, like during workout programs, breathing problem during night or cold climate, etc.
10. What does an asthma attack feel like?
Although asthma disease symptoms vary from patient to patient; the common feel of asthma attack is almost like experiencing a deep heavy breath of cold air. The asthma patient puts lots of effort for attaining normal breathing condition. The patient may start coughing, wheezing, and create a whistle like sound via mouth. Throughout the attack period, patient feels extreme tightness in chest and lung portion.
11. Should people with asthma exercise?
Asthma is such a disease, which causes difficulty for a temporary period of time. Above all, asthma patients are required to take extra care in special climatic conditions like during cold season, or while pollen are present in surrounding air. Asthma patients are first needed to consult their doctors, about the confirmation for type of workouts they can try. For example, some tough forms may not be recommended as they may increase the risk of an asthma attack. Hence, if a person is physically fit, then he/she may undergo exercises but only after consulting with the doctor.
12. What’s the difference between allergies and asthma?
Allergies and asthma both cause breathing problems. Allergies are mainly related to abnormal immune response towards harmful agents like dust, cat, pollen, etc. Though asthma disease is caused because of some allergic reasons, but at times, asthma may also occur due to various other conditions.
