Asthma

Asthma attack

Asthma is a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and may produce extra mucus. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, a whistling sound (wheezing) when you breathe out and shortness of breath.

Symptoms

Asthma symptoms vary from person to person. You may have infrequent asthma attacks, have symptoms only at certain times — such as when exercising — or have symptoms all the time.

Asthma signs and symptoms include:

Shortness of breath
Chest tightness or pain
Wheezing when exhaling, which is a common sign of asthma in children
Trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing
Coughing or wheezing attacks that are worsened by a respiratory virus, such as a cold or the flu

For some people, asthma signs and symptoms flare up in certain situations:

Exercise-induced asthma,which may be worse when the air is cold and dry
Occupational asthma,triggered by workplace irritants such as chemical fumes, gases or dust
Allergy-induced asthma,triggered by airborne substances, such as pollen, mold spores, cockroach waste, or particles of skin and dried saliva shed by pets (pet dander)

Causes

Asthma triggers

Exposure to various irritants and substances that trigger allergies (allergens) can trigger signs and symptoms of asthma. Asthma triggers are different from person to person and can include:

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
Cold air
Air pollutants and irritants, such as smoke
Certain medications, including beta blockers, aspirin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve)
Strong emotions and stress
Sulfites and preservatives added to some types of foods and beverages, including shrimp, dried fruit, processed potatoes, beer and wine
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition in which stomach acids back up into your throat

Risk factors

A number of factors are thought to increase your chances of developing asthma. They include:

Having a blood relative with asthma, such as a parent or sibling
Having another allergic condition, such as atopic dermatitis — which causes red, itchy skin — or hay fever — which causes a runny nose, congestion and itchy eyes
Being overweight
Being a smoker
Exposure to secondhand smoke
Exposure to exhaust fumes or other types of pollution
Exposure to occupational triggers, such as chemicals used in farming, hairdressing and manufacturing

Complications

Asthma complications include:

Signs and symptoms that interfere with sleep, work and other activities
Sick days from work or school during asthma flare-ups
A permanent narrowing of the tubes that carry air to and from your lungs (bronchial tubes), which affects how well you can breathe
Emergency room visits and hospitalizations for severe asthma attacks
Side effects from long-term use of some medications used to stabilize severe asthma

Proper treatment makes a big difference in preventing both short-term and long-term complications caused by asthma.

Additional tests

Other tests to diagnose asthma include:

Imaging tests.A chest X-ray can help identify any structural abnormalities or diseases (such as infection) that can cause or aggravate breathing problems.
Allergy testing.Allergy tests can be performed by a skin test or blood test. They tell you if you’re allergic to pets, dust, mold or pollen. If allergy triggers are identified, your doctor may recommend allergy shots.
Sputum eosinophils.This test looks for certain white blood cells (eosinophils) in the mixture of saliva and mucus (sputum) you discharge during coughing. Eosinophils are present when symptoms develop and become visible when stained with a rose-colored dye.
Provocative testing for exercise and cold-induced asthma.In these tests, your doctor measures your airway obstruction before and after you perform vigorous physical activity or take several breaths of cold air.

Treatment

Homoeopathy has a wonderful treatment for asthma