Understanding Asthma

[Admin]

There are three major features of asthma:

1. Airway obstruction. During normal breathing, the bands of muscle that surround the airways are relaxed, and air moves freely. But in people with asthma, allergy-causing substances and environmental triggers make the bands of muscle surrounding the airways tighten, and air cannot move freely. Less air causes a person to feel short of breath, and the air moving through the tightened airways causes a whistling sound known as wheezing.

(Fortunately, this airway narrowing is reversible, a feature that distinguishes asthma from other lung diseases such as bronchitis or emphysema.)

2. Inflammation. People with asthma have red and swollen bronchial tubes. This inflammation is thought to contribute greatly to the long-term damage that asthma can cause to the lungs. And, therefore, treating this inflammation is key to managing asthma in the long run.

3. Airway irritability. The airways of people with asthma are extremely sensitive. The airways tend to overreact and narrow due to even the slightest triggers such as pollen, animal dander, dust or fumes.

Who gets asthma?
Asthma affects 12-15 million Americans, including approximately 10%-12% of children under age 18. Asthma may occur at any age, although it's more common in younger individuals (under age 40).

People who have a family history of asthma have an increased risk of developing the disease. Asthma is also more common in people who have allergies or who are exposed to tobacco smoke.

However, anyone can develop asthma at any time.

What causes asthma?
People with asthma have very sensitive airways that react to many different things in the environment called "triggers." Contact with these triggers cause asthma symptoms to start or worsen. The following are common triggers for asthma:

    * Infections (colds, viruses, flu, sinus infection)
    * Allergens such as pollens, mold spores, pet dander and dust mites
    * Irritants such as strong odors from perfumes or cleaning solutions, air pollution,
    * Tobacco smoke
    * Exercise or exertion
    * Weather -- changes in temperature and/or humidity, cold air
    * Strong emotions such as anxiety, laughter or crying, stress

What are the symptoms of asthma?
People with asthma experience symptoms when their airways tighten, swell up, or fill with mucus. Common symptoms include:

    * Coughing, especially at night
    * Wheezing (a high-pitched whistling sound when breathing out)
    * Shortness of breath
    * Chest tightness, pain, or pressure

Not every person with asthma has the same symptoms in the same way. You may not have all of these symptoms, or you may have different symptoms at different times. Your symptoms may also vary from one asthma attack to the next, being mild during one attack and severe during another.

An asthma attack is a sudden worsening of symptoms.

How is asthma diagnosed and treated?
If you suspect that you may have asthma, see your doctor. He or she can run tests to determine if you have it.

If a diagnosis is made, there are many treatments available to make you feel better and improve the underlying problems that caused the asthma.

References:
1. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/465006

[2xh]

may i know how doctor run the test and how to know the result?
can you share?

[drbalo]

There are many investigations for asthma depending on the resources available. Basic investigations/tests include chest-X-ray, measuring peak flow rate using peak flow meter in the morning and evening for days to demonstrate the morning dipping phenomena (which means the peak flow rate is worse in the morning than evening) etc. In acute attack of asthama, it is said that if the patient's peak flow rate improves by 15% or more after giving bronchodilating agents he can be diagnosed to have asthma. Some centres have more complicated tests by using challenging agents etc.
Actually, to make a diagnosis, the investigations/tests are not enough. Patient's history and findings on physical examination ae also important. History favours the diagnosis of asthma include family history of asthama, history of other "atopic diseases" e.g. eczema (skin allergy). Physical findngs suggesting asthma include wheezing sound heard in the lungs.
In short, there is no a single test which can tell a patient has asthma.

[2xh]

tq very much drbalo.
tq ur sharing

[amanda]

asthma is a chronic lung disease. 22 million people in united states are known to have asthma. 6 million of these are children. they suffer from great lost of air in their system. as what admin said that there are things in our environment called "trigger" and one of them is known to us as "polluted air".  When the airways react, the muscles around them tighten. this will narrow the airways, and less air flows to your lungs. the swelling also can worsen, making the airways even narrower. cells in the airways may make more mucus than normal. mucus is a sticky, thick liquid that can narrow your airways further and this chain reaction may result in asthma symptoms. this disease can't be cure but the help of our new technology they may able and manage to survive.

[naturalimmunity]

Can asthma be treated absolutely fully?

[kelvinwaugh]

Asthma is a heavy type for disease that causes inflammation and narrowing of the breathing passages of the lungs.Sure one must therefore understand the basic anatomy and physiology of the lung in order to tackle asthma better. There are two types of asthma Season asthma and second one is Allergen.

[mediconweb]

I would like to add that certain measures can be taken to prevent bronchial asthma. In cases of asthma due to chronic bronchitis, bronchiactasis and emphysema, the lung damage is irreversible and only drugs can help.
But, in cases of asthma due to allergy, certain precautionary steps can be taken to prevent an asthma attack.
1.   While traveling, use the  air conditioning of the car, so that you  do not inhale the smoke from outside. If on a two wheeler, use a breathing mask.
2.   Use clean cotton clothes which give proper ventilation to the skin, so that sweat gets evaporated.
3.   The surfaces of furniture in the house should be wiped with a moist  absorbent cloth where possible. The floor of the house should be vacuum cleaned, as sweeping with a broom will only let the small particles of dust to fly into the air. Again, the floor should be wiped with an absorbent cloth and proper detergents should be used. This is to be an everyday affair.
4.   The house is to be kept properly ventilated.
5.   The grills of your house could be fitted with mosquito nets to keep out the insects and at the same allowing you to keep the windows open.
6.   Avoid carpets in the house.
7.   Avoid door mats that are made from fabric.
8.   Sofa covers, beddings, curtains and such fabric material are to be washed once a week with warm water if possible.
9.   Do not keep house plants as they will house dust mites.
10.    Use a properly maintained dehumidifier in moist places like the bathroom and kitchen, to keep off the mold spores.
11.   If you have a garden house, keep the windows closed, and use an air conditioner, whose filter is regularly cleaned.
12.   Never smoke and a keep a safe distance from a person when he is smoking.
13.   Keep pests , like rodents out of the house.
14.   Animal dander ( tiny scales of skin and hair) is a common allergen. Avoid, therefore, keeping pets if you are an allergy patient. But , if you have to, then keep them out of your bedroom. The pets should be properly bathed with shampoo every 15 days and should be brushed every day. Brushing should be done outside the house.  Use a face mask or such thing to cover your face  so that you do not inhale the dander that is released into the air during brushing.
15. If you can find a good and experienced yoga teacher, do try yoga exercises, which are prescribed specifically for bronchial asthma. Believe me folks, I have seen yoga, take people off  their inhalers and broncho dilators. But, it has to done correctly and regularly everyday without fail.