You won't get a diagnosis here. The information on this site is just that, general information. We can't speak to your condition personally. But if you are concerned about breathing problems, then it's a good idea to talk with your doctor or your child's doctor as soon as you can.
Even though asthma has become a worldwide health problem, it is not well understood by many of the people who have it or who are parents of those with asthma. Get the asthma facts and information you need to understand what asthma is all about.
Definition: Let's start with a simple definition of asthma:
Asthma is a chronic disease that affects your breathing. What happens is that your airways become inflamed and irritated in reaction to some kind of substance or situation, which is called a trigger. Your airways are the tubes that carry air and oxygen into and out of your body.
Your respiratory system includes your lungs and small tubes that branch out, called airways. These tubes become smaller and smaller until they form tiny sacs at the end called alveoli. Bands of muscle cover the bronchial tubes all the way down through the alveoli.
Managing Asthma Symptoms: Identify and Track Asthma Symptoms
dentifying asthma symptoms is one of the first steps to taking control of asthma. When you know what symptoms to look for, then you'll be ready to take action to relieve or prevent them. That can help you to keep feeling well. Plus, when you know how to identify the asthma symptoms that herald the start of an asthma attack, you can act quickly to stop the attack in its tracks or keep it from getting worse.
Here are some of the most common asthma symptoms you should be on watch for.
1. Shortness of breath
You are said to be short of breath when your chest feels tight and you have the sensation that you can't catch your breath or get all the air you need. Some people feel panicky when they are short of breath.
2. Frequent Cough
All of us cough once in a while when we have a tickle or breathe in something irritating. It's our body's way of keeping our air passages clear. But, if you cough many times every day or find yourself waking up at night with a cough or a tickle that won't quit, it could be a symptom of asthma.
3. Wheezing
Wheezing is a whistling sound heard when a person with asthma breathes in or out. It happens when small passageways in your lungs called alveoli start to narrow from mucus and the other effects of asthma. It usually begins suddenly and is not constant. It may be worse at bedtime or first thing in the morning. It can also be worsened by breathing cold air or exercise.
4. Intercostal Retractions
Intercostal retractions is a medical term that is a fancy way of saying the inward movement of the muscles in the spaces between the ribs. This pulling in of the muscles occurs as a result of reduced pressure in the chest cavity. It is a sign that a person is having trouble breathing.
5. Chest Tightness
A feeling that the chest is tight can be quite frightening to a person who has asthma. It feels as though there is steel band or a weight that is keeping your lungs from fully expanding as your breathe in. It usually goes along with shortness of breath.
6. Pallor or Cyanosis
Pallor is a whitish color and cyanosis is a bluish color in the lips and face. Either one of these, especially if linked to severe shortness of breath, are danger signs of an asthma attack. You need to get help right away if you notice this symptom.
7. Anxiety
Anxiety, or a feeling of intense fear and uneasiness, can occur when you are having trouble breathing. If you are feeling anxious and also short of breath and / or have pallor or cyanosis, it is time to get emergency help.
If you've noticed that you or your child have any of these symptoms on a regular or ongoing basis, then you might want to talk with your doctor about whether you have asthma. Your doctor can diagnose your symptoms.
How Your Doctor Goes About Diagnosing Asthma Diagnosing asthma is a fairly straightforward process for a doctor, who uses a combination of history, symptoms and testing to decide if a person with breathing problems has asthma.
The doctor’s approach will consist of the following activities:
1. A detailed medical history, including a family health history
2. A physical exam that focuses on the upper respiratory tract, chest, and skin
3. Testing to see if the breathing problems might be reversible
By using this approach, the doctor is trying to establish whether there are episodes where airflow is at least partially obstructed, whether this airflow obstruction is reversible, and whether there could be any other reason for the breathing problems.
When your doctor is trying to make a diagnosis of asthma, he will be looking for some key factors.
THREE APPROACHES TO ASTHMA TREATMENT:
1. Assessing and Monitoring Your Asthma
To manage asthma effectively, you and your doctor need to monitor your health. This can be accomplished by:
* Tracking asthma signs and symptoms and asthma attacks
* Monitoring pulmonary function via a peak flow monitor
* Assessing how much asthma is interfering with daily life
* Tracking your response to medication
2. Avoiding Asthma Triggers:
Asthma is your body's response to something it perceives as a threat to your health. These "threatening" substances or events are known as asthma triggers.
Asthma triggers can be pollen, dust mites, pet dander, stress, climate changes, exercise, strong odors, and more. Each person who has asthma can have a different set of triggers.
Learning how to avoid contact with as many of your triggers as possible is the best thing you can do to control your asthma and prevent asthma attacks. You can do many things, from staying indoors on windy, hot days to keeping the home as clean and dust-free as possible to removing the family pet from the bedroom.
When you can change your environment enough that you are not having daily contact with what triggers your asthma symptoms, you'll start to feel much better. You may also need less asthma medicine. (Be sure to always discuss any treatment changes with your doctor first.)
3. Asthma Medications:
Even though you may do all that you can to prevent coming into contact with your asthma triggers, you will likely still need some kind of asthma medicine too. So, it is important to understand the different asthma medications and the role each plays in your treatment.
Asthma medicines serve one of two purposes: quick relief of symptoms or preventing/controlling asthma symptoms. Both types play an important role in keeping you healthy. If you do not have both types in your current asthma treatment plan, you may want to talk with your doctor or consult an asthma specialist.
Most asthma medications for adults and older children are taken via a handheld device called a metered dose inhaler or a dry powder inhaler. Babies sometimes get asthma medicine via nebulizer, and there is one oral asthma medicine on the market at present.
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