Health Network News

Asthma is a lung disease that makes it difficult or even impossible to breathe. About 22 million Americans have this condition. It affects people’s lives and can even cause death. The condition comes in two different forms, with a variety of possible triggers and treatment options are available.

People who think they might have asthma need to understand the condition. When lungs function normally, a person inhales and the lungs process oxygen. The person then exhales. When someone with this pulmonary disorder has an attack, the lungs become narrow and breathing in or out is difficult. The lungs constrict and inflammation causes swelling.

Allergies occur when the body’s immune system overreacts to a substance the individual has contact with. This can lead to breathing problems. Exercise is also a cause of attacks in some people. With occupational triggers, workers inhale substances in the workplace that lead to attacks. Finally, when someone experiences a frequent, non-productive cough, he may have cough variant asthma.

It’s more difficult to determine whether a patient has the cough variant of the condition. This is because, in this form, the patient often has normal lung function. Doctors usually use the same medications to treat cough variant that are used to treat the more common constriction type.

As with any medical condition, patients need to consult with their physician for diagnosis and treatment. This is important whether the patient has the more common form or the cough variant.

Treatments vary based on severity of symptoms and underlying causes. For allergic or occupational triggers, avoiding the things that cause the problem can help prevent it. Allergy testing can be used to determine what the person is allergic to. Also, treating the allergies themselves can result in improvement for the patient.

A number of medications are available that doctors can use when treating symptoms. Some medications help prevent the occurrence of flare-ups. This kind of medicine needs to be taken each day. When someone experiences breathing difficulties, they can use a rescue inhaler to immediately clear up the attack. Sometimes doctors decide that the best course of treatment is to use both kinds of medication. This provides the best overall results for patients.

People suffering with asthma and it’s symptoms know the disease has serious effects. Doctors work closely with their patients to find the best options and help them manage it. As a result, asthma patients can live active, full lives.