Asthama Facts
Introduction: Asthma is a type of disease that affects the human lungs. It is considered as the most long-term disease of children, though it affects many adults too. Asthma causes frequent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, tightness in the chest as well as severe coughing during nights or early mornings. The patient having asthma suffers all the time and especially when something bothers the lungs more. It is said that the asthma spreads very easily and rapidly amongst co-family members if one person of the family is suffering from this disease. In most of the cases, the cause of having asthma is really not known, and even its proper cure is equally unknown too. Asthma could be controlled by knowing the symptoms of its attack or just avoiding contact of things that really trigger such attacks as well as strictly considering the advice of your health care providers. While controlling your asthma, you will not find symptoms such as wheezing or coughing, you will sleep well enough, won’t even miss out your work or school, can easily participate in any physical activities and besides all these, you will not have to go the hospitals at all.
The Diagnosis of Asthma: It is really hard to diagnose the asthma, particularly in children below 5 years of age. However, the periodical check ups of your lungs functions and allergies could enable your doctor make proper diagnosis. Certain specific queries by your doctor, such as: whether you cough more during the nights or whether your breathing problems get worse after any physical activities or during the specific time of the year, would enable him to diagnose the asthma at the early stage. Some other symptoms asked for by your doctor for ascertaining about the asthma, are about your experiencing the tightness in the chest, wheezing or colds lasting for more than 10 days. The doctor will also ask about even your family history regarding any body having asthma, allergies or other similar breathing problems and some questions about your home too. Moreover, the doctor may ask you about your missing school or work and about any trouble you may have to face doing some specific activities. The specific lung function test known as Spirometry is also done for diagnosing the asthma. This Spirometer is used for measuring the largest amount of air you can exhale or breathe out following a very deep breathe in. the Spirometer usually measures airflow before and after your using the asthma medication.
Definition of asthma attack: An asthma attack can occur when you are exposed to the things like dust mites or tobacco smoke etc. The asthma attack takes place in the body’s airways or the paths that carry air to the lungs. As the air moves through the lungs, such airways get smaller like the branches of the tree are smaller than its trunks. However, during the asthma attack, the sides of the airways in the lungs bulge and the airways contract resulting in lesser amount of air getting in and out of the lungs. Also the mucus that our body generates chokes up the airways even more. The asthma attacks may accompany severe coughing, chest tightness, wheezing and suffocating breathing trouble. Such an asthma attack could also be known as the episode.