Asthma: Symptoms, Causes and Management

Overview

Asthma is a continual lung problem that causes the tubes that caries air into and out of the lungs to swell tightened and produced thick mucus.

This condition can make breathing to become difficult and causes cough and wheezing.

Asthma can start at any age but is more common in childhood.

It can vary from a mild episode known as attack to a more severe form that can be life threatening.

Asthma cannot be cured; however the symptoms can be controlled. Seeing the doctor can be a real life saver as your doctor can track and treat your symptoms and detect signs that might signify a dangerous situation.

Signs and Symptoms of Asthma

Symptoms of asthma vary in individuals. Some may have them frequently; others may have them only at certain times for example during exercise or exposure to antigen

Common symptoms include:

• Coughing: Asthma Cough is usually worse at night or early in the morning.
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing sound during respiration. Wheezing is a kind of a whistling sound. In some cases people around you can hear the sound while sometimes only the doctor (with a special tool called the stethoscope placed on the chest) can hear it.

What causes Asthma?

A lot of things can trigger an asthma attack. The doctor can help you identify these triggers so you can guard against it.

Some of these triggers are:

• Allergens from dust, flowers, pollens, mold or even cockroaches.
• Cold air
• Chest infections
• Irritants from things as cigarette smoke, air pollutions, chemicals, dust or even sprays such as perfumes, or hairspray.
• Physical activities
• Medication such as Diclofenac, ibuprofen, aspirin, beta blockers (like Atenolol, metoprolol, and propranolol), and naproxen. This is why you should always tell you doctor about your asthma condition so that you don’t get prescription you shouldn’t get.
• Strong emotions

Risk Factors

A lot of factors are believed to predispose you to getting Asthma. These could include:

• Having a family relation who has asthma
• Having some form of allergic conditions Such as allergic rhinitis.
• Active and secondhand smokers
• Overweight
• Occupational triggers. Exposure to triggers like chemicals used in farming and manufacturing company.

Can it be prevented?

You can’t cure asthma. However, it’s controllable. Some of the ways are:

• Follow a laid down action plan. An action plan helps with taking your medications and managing it. If you need help with starting one you can talk to your doctor to provide you one.
• Identify your triggers. To some it may be dust, to some smoke, to others cold environments. Identifying your triggers help you to avoid attack.
• Monitor how you breathe. Asthma attack most times comes gradually. It is usually important you notice the discomfort or slight changes in how you breathe so that you can initiate treatment on time.
• Take your medication as prescribed by the doctor.
• Get vaccinated. Keeping up to date with vaccination for influenza and pneumonia can prevent Asthma flare ups.

You want to know more about vaccination? Please call this number. A representative is available to help you: 08074049648

Diagnosis

How do I know I have Asthma?

Your doctor can help you diagnose this condition.

He uses your medical histories, family histories, physical exam and test results to help establish the diagnosis.

Your doctor also measure your lung function by using

• This test gives the extent of how narrow your airway has become. It checks how much air you can give out after a deep breath and how fast you can do this.
• Peak Flow. This device measure how forceful you can breathe out. When you have lower than usual peak flow readings it is usually a sign that your lungs are not working well and that your asthma is getting worse. Your doctor can guide you in how this device works and how to record the reading.

Complications

Some of Asthma complications are:

• Constant absence from work.
• Permanent tinning of the airway (called airway remodeling) which affect greatly the way you breathe.
• Frequent presentations at the Emergency room.
• Side effects from long-term use of medications that is used to stabilize asthma.

All of these complications are as a result of allowing the early attacks to develop into a severe case.

That is why it is important to work toward controlling attacks so it doesn’t become severe.

Treatment

Asthma is a long –term disease with no cure. The goal is to achieve a good control.

A good control helps to:

• Reduce the need for quick relief medications.
• Help your lungs maintain a healthy lung function.
• Help you sleep well at nights
• Prevent those frequent emergency room visits.

Your doctor has to work with you to manage your asthma. Though you are the active participant in the managements your doctor is there to guide you and treat other conditions that can interfere with your control.

Medications

The right medications are determined by your doctor. It encompasses a number of things; your age, symptoms and what works best for your control.

There are 2 classes of medications are mainly used for controlling asthma:

• Preventive, long-term control medications. They reduce inflammation in your way.
• Quick- relief inhalers (bronchodilators) that quickly open swollen airways that are limiting proper breathing.

In some cases, drugs for allergy are necessary.

Lung- term asthma control drugs: These are drugs you take daily to keep asthma under control. These medications are the mainstay of asthma treatment. They make it less likely to have an asthma attack. Examples of Long-term control medications include:

• Inhaled corticosteroids. These are anti-inflammatory drugs. They include Fluticasone, Budesonide, Flunisolide, beclomethasone, Ciclesonide and fluticasone furoate.
• Long acting beta agonists. These are inhaled medications, which include Salmeterol and formeterol. These drugs help to relieve the airways. They are usually taken in combination with an inhaled corticosteroid. These drugs can mask a worsening asthma therefor should not ne sues during an acute asthma attack.
• This usually combines a long-acting beta agonist along with a corticosteroid.

Quick-relief medications. These medications quickly help to relax the tightness of your airways during an attack. These medications should be taken at the first sign of an asthma symptom. Examples of a quick-relief medication are:

• Short-acting beta agonists. These are inhaled bronchodilators that act by dilating you bronchioles also known as airway. They start working in minutes to rapidly ease symptoms during an attack. They can be taken using a hand-held inhaler or a nebulizer.
• Oral and intravenous corticosteroids. They include prednisolone and methylprednisolone. They relieve airway inflammation caused by severe asthma. You should only use these medications on a short term basis as they can cause serious side effects when used as a long term.

Allergy medications.  They are usually helpful for asthma triggered by allergies.

Controlling you asthma should be flexible. It could be adjusted base on how well you achieve control on the medications.

Support Groups

Asthma and its managements can sometimes be a challenging. Connecting with people of same condition can help you cope with this.

Book an Appointment.

Are you an asthmatic patient who needs medical help in attaining good control? Then talk one of our health team. You can contact us with the phone number below.

By Dr Adeniyi Jide Paul

Medical Officer Westend Hospital

(drjideadeniyi@gmail.com)