Asthma is a long-term disease of the lungs. It causes your airways to get inflamed and narrow , and it makes it hard to breathe. Severe asthma can cause trouble talking or being active. You might hear your doctor call it a chronic respiratory disease.
How Does asthma affect the function of the lungs?
Asthma Flare-Ups
When you experience a trigger, the insides of your airways swell even more . This narrows the space for air to move in and out of the lungs. The muscles that wrap around your airways also can tighten, making breathing even harder.
Why does asthma happen?
Asthma symptoms occur when the lining of your airways swell and the muscles around them tighten . Mucus then fills the airways, further reducing the amount of air that can pass through. These conditions can then bring on an asthma “attack,” the coughing and tightness in your chest that’s typical of asthma.
What is asthma and why is it important?
Asthma is a chronic (long-term) condition that affects the airways in the lungs . The airways are tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the airways can become inflamed and narrowed at times. Asthma affects people of all ages and often starts during childhood.
Does asthma shorten your life?
Asthma life expectancy is on the rise.
However, asthmatics with reduced lung function or who develop asthma later in life have a poorer prognosis. A European study showed that asthma in an otherwise healthy population shortened life expectancy by 3 years , similar to the effect of smoking.
What are the 3 types of asthma?
- Nocturnal asthma: This is the most common type of asthma. ...
- Exercise-induced asthma or exercise-induced bronchoconstriction: Physical exertion of patients during an exercise can trigger asthma in some cases.
Is asthma a disability?
Yes. In both the ADA and Section 504, a person with a disability is someone who has a physical or mental impairment that seriously limits one or more major life activities, or who is regarded as having such impairments. Asthma and allergies are usually considered disabilities under the ADA .
Can asthma be caused by stress?
Why is stress an asthma trigger? Stress makes you more likely to react to your usual asthma triggers – like pets, pollen or colds and flu. It can trigger symptoms indirectly too. You may get angry more easily when you’re under stress, and anger is an emotional asthma trigger.
Can asthma be cured?
Asthma cannot be cured completely , no, but it can be controlled to the point that the symptoms become negligible. As a chronic and lasting condition, asthma is not curable. It is highly treatable, though, so long as a patient has professional support.
What is the treatment of asthma?
There’s currently no cure for asthma , but treatment can help control the symptoms so you’re able to live a normal, active life. Inhalers, which are devices that let you breathe in medicine, are the main treatment. Tablets and other treatments may also be needed if your asthma is severe.
What is the best treatment for asthma?
Long-term control medications such as inhaled corticosteroids are the most important medications used to keep asthma under control. These preventive medications treat the airway inflammation that leads to asthma symptoms. Used on a daily basis, these medications can reduce or eliminate asthma flare-ups.
What is the main physiological cause of asthma?
Asthma triggers
Airborne allergens , such as pollen, dust mites, mold spores, pet dander or particles of cockroach waste. Respiratory infections, such as the common cold. Physical activity.
What should I avoid if I have asthma?
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology reports the foods that cause the majority of allergic reactions include tree nuts, wheat, soy, peanuts, eggs, fish, shellfish and cow’s milk . If you’re allergic to any of those foods, definitely avoid eating them—or anything that’s cross-contaminated by them.
How long can an asthmatic person live?
The life expectancy of asthma patients is no less than any other normal human being, up to 80 years on an average .
Can asthma get worse as you age?
With age, the immune system’s response to inflammation becomes blunted , making it harder to fight off infections that can trigger asthma exacerbations. Other biological changes, notably shifts in patterns of inflammation, may reduce older patients’ response to inhaled corticosteroids that need to be taken daily.
What is silent asthma?
Asthma is a complex condition
Occasionally, people with asthma experience what are known as ‘silent’ symptoms. This is where the signs of the tightening of the airways don’t result in the familiar asthma sounds of wheezing and coughing .
