Coping With Asthma In Daily Life

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that is caused by allergies, hereditary, environment that often results in difficulty in breathing, recurring attacks of wheezing and coughing due to increased inflammation in airway. People who have asthma attacks have overly sensitive lungs and airways. The airways become narrowed due to irritation caused by one or a combination of the symptoms such as wheezing, coughing or chest tightness, which leads to an asthma attack.

What Causes The Asthma Attack

The attack is caused due to the blockage or the narrowing of the airways. The narrowness or the obstruction of the airways may be due to;

• Inflammation Of The Airway: The airway in the lungs gets red and swollen and thus become narrow.
• Bronchoconstriction: The muscles that surround the airways either become tighten or go into spasms.

Factors That Provoke Asthma

Common stimuli can provoke asthma such as:

• Cold air
• Dust
• Smoke
• Exercise
• Inhaled irritants
• Pollen of flowers
• Reaction to certain medicines

Symptoms Of Asthma Attack & Its Diagnosis

The symptoms of an asthma attack vary from person to person but the most common symptoms are;

• Wheezing
• Coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Tightness in chest

How Is Asthma Diagnosed?

Making a correct diagnosis is very important as only accurate diagnosis can lead to proper treatment.

Detailed History

A detailed history of the person as well as family history regarding diseases, allergies and other problems is taken under consideration. A child whose parents suffer from asthma has a greater chance of developing it.  A detail history of environment as well as past is also recorded.

Physical Examination

It includes listening to the lungs and examination of nasal passage as well as x-ray is done. Blood test and sputum studies are also carried out to make correct diagnosis.

Asthma Tests

Spirometry is a breathing test that measures the amount and rate of air that passes from the airways, if the airway is narrowed due to inflammation it becomes difficult for the air to pass, and the result shows the changes in spirometry values. Other tests such as methacholine inhalation test are used to evaluate air responsiveness. Other reasons for symptoms are also checked to make certain.

Use of Medication

A trial use of asthma medication is carried out to check the improvements and to make sure of the diagnosis. Because the symptoms of asthma vary, correct diagnosis cannot be immediately made.

How to Manage Asthma In Daily Life?

It is very important for the patient and the people around the patient to know what to do if asthma attacks, there are preventive measures as well as medication to control the situation and help the patient.

Education

The patient must be educated and made aware of the conditions that provoke the attack as well as the medicine and the measures that can be taken when an attack occurs. The patient should be well instructed by the physician regarding the appropriate treatment and medicine.

Environmental Conditions

The environmental factors that trigger the asthma attack should be controlled. The surrounding should be kept clean and free from agents that provoke asthma attack such as dust, smoke, pets and pollen.

Medicine

There are a number of medications used for asthma, most of them being in form of inhalers;

• Metered Dose Inhaler (puffer)
• Dry Powder Inhalers (Aerolizer, Diskus, HandiHaler, Turbuhaler)
• Nebulizer

The technique of handling these inhalers is very important and a physician should be consulted before using them.