Asthma is one of the diseases that constitute a group of lung diseases, medically termed as the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).The other COPD diseases are Emphysema and Chronic Bronchitis.

Asthma is an ailment characterized by chronic inflammation of the bronchioles-the airways/breathing passages of the lungs. The inflammation is accompanied by the contraction of the muscles in the lung airways (bronchospasm) and filling up of the airways with mucous. This whole process narrows don the breathing passages making exhalation difficult.

Asthma in United States

Asthma is a more common amongst African Americans than other races. The disease has become rampant in the developed countries like United States. It has been reported that 17 million people are affected by asthma in the US.1/3 of them are children. In 2002, there were 478,000 asthma related hospitalizations and 4657 asthma caused deaths in the US.

This is because; people here are not exposed to a lot of infections during their childhood; so their immunity system is relatively weak making them susceptible to diseases like asthma.

People in these countries stay indoors most of the time and are often exposed to indoor asthma triggers like allergens, dust and mold. Air pollution which is another trigger factor for asthma attacks, has become rampant in developed countries because of industrial development. The people in such countries have very unhealthy lifestyles. The fast food culture and lack of exercise manifest as obesity. Studies have found that obese people are more prone to asthma attacks.

Need for Controlling Asthma

The social and individual costs of asthma make it essential to take steps for controlling the disease. Almost 13 billion dollars are being spent by the US economy annually on account of asthma disease. It leads to absence from work and productivity losses. It is the most prevalent chronic disease in children and causes frequent school absence. Asthma has been identified to be the major cause for emergency hospitalizations in the United States. Individuals suffering from asthma are unable to enjoy a normal life.

Causes of Asthma

The exact causes of asthma are still not known. Scientists are conducting research on this subject. It has been found that some people are more asthma prone than others. Hence it is believed that genetic predispositions cause asthma. This means if you have a parent, sister or brother who suffers from asthma you are more likely to have the disease too.

Asthma is the narrowing of the airways by inflammation and muscle contraction as a reaction to certain triggers in the environment. This reaction helps in fighting the trigger or the invader. Asthma is a reactive airway disease-a reaction to an allergen. The triggers vary with the individual.

Asthma triggers include wood and tobacco smoke, polluted air, perfumes, smell of some cleaning products, airway irritants at the work place, allergens like dust, animal dander and mold, cold arid weather, other respiratory infections like common cold, sinusitis, flu and bronchitis, emotional turmoil, mental tensions, physical exercise, GERD- gastro esophageal reflux disease-which is a stomach acid reflux, Sulfites added to food and wine, menstrual cycle, allergies like hay fever and skin Eczema.

Symptoms of Asthma

The most usual symptom of an asthma attack is wheezing which is a hissing or whistling sound heard while breathing(mainly during exhalation and some times during inhalation).Some asthma patients do not experience wheezing. A person who wheezes need not necessarily be suffering from asthma. Other asthma symptoms that constitute an asthma attack include breathlessness, chest tightness, cough and difficulty in speaking. If the asthma symptoms occur at night the patient’s sleep gets disturbed.

Asthma symptoms can be classified into four categories based on their severity.

Mild intermittent attacks last for only a few hours or days. They are characterized by not more than two daytime attacks a week on nonconsecutive days and not more than two night time attacks a month. The gaps between the attacks are free of symptoms.

Mild persistent attacks can interrupt normal life by their severity. The patient experiences more than two attacks a week on nonconsecutive days and more than two attacks a month at night.

Moderate persistent attacks are a daily feature so the patient has to take daily doses of medication and compromise daily activities. Night attacks occur more than once in a week. Severe attacks become common almost twice a week and prolong for days.

Even patients with mild and moderate attacks can experience severe attacks. Attacks could become more or less severe with the passage of time.

Severe persistent attacks include severe and continued daytime and nighttime symptoms. Normal life is greatly affected.

Treatment of Asthma

Asthma requires treatment for a long term, sometimes for the rest of the life of the patient. The treatment aims at curing chronic asthma symptoms and preventing future attacks- both minor and severe. It helps to ensure your lungs function normally so that you can live a normal life.

You must consult your doctor as scheduled and be regular in taking medications. You must find out the purpose of each medicine. You must avail of information and expertise that the doctor and hospital staff can provide you about the disease, and avoid triggers. If symptoms worsen or you experience side effects from consuming prescribed medications, you must report the issues to your doctor at once. Health care providers generally prescribe medicines that have minimum side effects.

Prognosis

Asthma is a chronic but reversible disease. Although a complete cure is not possible it can be controlled to reduce attacks so that the patient can live with it in daily life. If detected in the early stages controlling through treatment becomes easier. However if not treated attacks become severe and frequent and eventually fatal. Asthma is more severe in younger people than in aged people.

Prevention

You can live with asthma by becoming more aware of the disease and what causes it. You can ward away asthma attacks by avoiding asthma triggers. After being treated for an asthma attack you have to continue taking your medicines to prevent future attacks. This is because only the symptoms can be cured. The disease will recur, as it can’t be cured.