Asthma: symptoms, causes and treatment

It should be noted that the symptoms, the severity of these and the frequency with which they occur can vary from one person to another. The symptoms of asthma are as follows:

• Difficulty breathing, which can be made worse by physical exertion.
• Cough with phlegm, which increases at night or in the early hours of the morning.
• Wheezing when breathing
• Pressure in the chest.

There are other symptoms that occur when the asthma episode is severe:

• Bluish discoloration of the lips and face.
• Drowsiness or confusion
• Anxiety.
• Rapid pulse
• Sweating

The way to diagnose asthma is through a pulmonary function test or spirometry which will measure the capacity of the lungs to mobilize oxygen and the efficiency at the time of taking in and releasing air.

The cause of asthma is not known, but it is believed that it is a set of environmental and genetic factors that produce it and that it usually appears in childhood . Some of these things that could cause asthma are:

• Heredity, if the parent suffers from asthma.
• Respiratory infections in childhood.
• Exposure to substances such as tobacco, air pollution, or chemicals.
• Being in contact with some animals, mites or dust.
• The changes of season.
• Some medications such as aspirin.
• Do some physical activity that requires a lot of effort.
• Stress.

An allergist or immunologist will be the specialist that you should consult in case of presenting any of the symptoms explained above. On the other hand, if the following situations arise, it is necessary that you go to the emergency room as soon as possible:

• If you have already been medicated and the symptoms do not improve.
• If the recommended dose has not been enough for the condition to improve.
• If shortness of breath occurs when you speak.
• If you have episodes of anxiety due to shortness of breath.
• If your lips and face turn a bluish color.
• If you have very bad chest pain.

Asthma has no cure and the aim of treatment will be, above all, to control the inflammation that occurs in the airways. The medications used can help prevent seizures, ease symptoms, and prevent constant use of quick-relief medicines. It is important that you visit your doctor to be able to carry out a plan against this disease. The drugs used to start treatment will depend on how severe it is and monitoring this process is very important to control symptoms.

It should be noted that there are some diseases and conditions that could make treatment difficult, such as psychological stress, reflux, sleep apnea or sinusitis, also pregnant women and children will need treatment adjustments.

The asthma medications may come in pills, but the most used are inhalers , which allow airway inflammation and prevents more symptoms occur. It is important to note that these drugs do not produce any type of addiction . On the other hand, there are long-term treatments that will help avoid symptoms, but they do not have an immediate effect. In the event that asthma is very severe, your doctor will prescribe corticosteroids, either in pills or liquid, which act as an anti-inflammatory.

If you want more information on how to treat asthma, we recommend the article Natural Remedies for Asthma .

Asthma is a disease that has no way of being prevented, however for the treatment to be effective there are cautions that must be taken into account so that asthma episodes are not recurrent:

• Follow the treatment as prescribed by the doctor, always respecting the dose.
• Clean your home regularly to avoid accumulations of dust.
• Use odorless detergents.
• Keep animals out of bedrooms.
• Eliminate tobacco, it is not enough to smoke outside the home as the residue remains on clothing and hair.
• Avoid humidity inside the house, as it will help prevent mold.
• Cover the beds with protective covers to prevent mites.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Asthma: symptoms, causes and treatment , we recommend that you enter our Lung and respiratory tract category .