Often times when people have breathing problems they think they have asthma. True asthma is a breathing problem that has been occurring over a long period of time. A doctor is trained to diagnose all breathing problems. This has become a major health problem in the USA. It is estimated that there is over 22 million individuals with a diagnosis of asthma. Some of the symptoms commonly seen are: coughing, usually experienced first thing in the morning or in the evening, tightness of the chest, difficulty breathing, and wheezing.
CAUSES
The symptoms of asthma can begin at any time during your life, but if onset occurs in childhood, then genetics is often the culprit. For later life onset, usually environmental factors are to blame. Dust, pollution, cigarette smoke, pet hair, food, dust mites and cockroaches usually are major factors in these breathing problems. Eliminating or reducing the presence of these will go a long way in relieving symptoms or avoiding an attack.
TREATING ASTHMA
There is no known cure for true asthma. It is possible to manage the disease with lifestyle changes and medication therapy. The goal of treatment is to manage the symptoms. The symptoms are the result of inflammation and constriction of the airway into the lungs. A lot of research is underway to develop new treatments and asthma medications. Some treatments are specifically designed for pediatric asthma; others emphasize adult onset asthma, while other treatments focus on allergic asthma.
Allergy to certain foods can often cause breathing problems. Some common foods that can cause problems are various types of seafood, usually shell fish, and foods made with peanuts.
DEVELOP A PLAN OF ACTION
There are some excellent resources available to assist parents with young children or helps for adults needing to manage their symptoms and achieve asthma control.
To help in disease management in children, it is important to develop a treatment plan. Asthma responds best to a consistent routine where triggers can be minimized or even avoided. To help monitor breathing function, a medical device called a peak flow meter is used. This is something that can be used at home, school, or work. There are a variety of peak flow meters available to purchase. Most of these are small enough to fit in a purse or backpack. Depending on the current status of breathing function, it is often recommended that a peak flow meter be used 2-3 times each day. As part of your action plan, you should write down the information you receive each time you use the peak flow meter. By tracking the air flow values, it will help to identify a decrease in lung function before a full blown asthma attack occurs.
Asthma can be very serious, so it is very important to learn about the disease and become actively involved in its management and treatment.
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