Asthma
Asthma is a chronic condition of the lungs that causes the inflammation and swelling of the tubes that carry air into the lungs. The inflammation may partly or entirely block air from getting to the lungs causing difficulty and strained breathing. This triggers symptoms like coughing, whizzing, and shortness of breath. Severe inflammation can completely block air from reaching the lungs triggering an “asthma attack,” a more severe and life-threating condition that demands immediate medical intervention.
Symptoms of Asthma
Besides coughing and wheezing, people who have asthma often feel fatigued due to an insufficient supply of oxygen in the body. They may also experience tightness in the chest, particularly when doing strenuous activities. However, these symptoms are not uniform to all asthmatic patients. Each patient is unique and may experience different symptoms according to the type of asthma they suffer from. In fact, some people don’t discover they have asthma until they experience a major life-threatening asthma attack. It is, therefore, imperative to look out for these symptoms and discuss them with your doctor for early diagnosis.
Causes of asthma
Asthma has no single cause, but rather it is believed to be caused by a variety of factors that include;
• Genetics. Asthma is believed to be genetically transferred from parents to children. If one or both of your parents are asthmatic, you are more likely to develop asthma too.
• Exposure to allergens. It is also believed that constant exposure to specific types of allergen and dust increases the risk factor of developing asthma.
• Immunity and the hygiene hypothesis. This hypothesis is of the opinion that adults who had a lung infection as children are more likely to develop asthma because their immune systems might have been affected at that sensitive early age.
• Obesity. Asthma has also been linked to obesity. Heavy body weight can cause pressure on the lungs, hindering normal breathing. Fat tissues also secrete inflammatory substances that accelerate asthma.
Treatment of Asthma
There is no cure for asthma, but the symptoms can be rehabilitated. Asthma is commonly managed using inhalers and nebulizers. These two plans of treatment are mostly preferred over oral medications and injections because one, they deliver medication directly in the airways producing immediate relief, and secondly, they have relatively few side effects. Asthma also changes from time to time. A treatment might work for you at one time and fail to respond the next time. It is, therefore, crucial to keep a close relationship with your doctor to track any changes and symptoms and adjust the treatments accordingly.
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