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Asthma, characterized by difficulty in breathing, is a chronic lung condition.
Asthma patients have hyper responsive airways that narrow down when irritated. This makes air
movement difficult and cause wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and chest tightness. The two
factors that provoke asthma are:
· Triggers – They irritate the airways and result in Bronchoconstriction. The
common triggers of Bronchoconstriction are cold air, dust, strong fumes, inhaled irritants,
emotional upsets and smoke.
· Causes or Inducers – They result in symptoms which may last longer. Allergies
in the form of pollen, animal secretion and molds, and Respiratory viral infections are the most
common inducers.
Asthma diagnosis is important for proper treatment. The common symptoms for
asthma are allergies, hay fever and eczema. The chance of a child developing asthma is much more
when there is a family history of allergies and asthma. The common symptoms of asthma in children
are breathing problem, repeated nasal stuffiness, itchy eyes, eczema, hives and persistent cough
followed by cold. Diagnosis of asthma involves physical examination, chest x-ray, blood tests and
sputum studies, allergy prick skin testing, challenge tests, differential diagnosis and a trial use
of asthma medications.
Asthma affects twice as many boys as girls in childhood. It affects more
teenager girls than boys. In adulthood, the ratio becomes equal. The risk of uncontrolled asthma is
greater than the risk a mother or fetus faces due to medication used to control asthma.
Uncontrolled asthma during pregnancy can produce serious maternal and fetal complications like
premature birth, low birth weight and maternal blood pressure changes.
The most effective treatment for asthma is identifying triggers, such as pets or
aspirin, and limiting or eliminating exposure to them. Anti-inflammatory medications with
Bronchodilators are used for immediate relief of symptoms. Asthma medications come in various forms
like a metered dose inhaler or a puffer, dry powder inhalers and nebulizers.
The prognosis for asthma is good for children with mild disease. For asthma
diagnosed during childhood, 54% will no longer carry the diagnosis after a decade. Asthma seems to
be more prevalent in athletes than the rest. A relatively high incidence of asthma is found in
sports such as cycling, mountain biking, and long-distance running, and a relatively lower
incidence is found in weightlifting and diving. The exercise-induced asthma shares many features
with allergic asthma.
Exercise studies are helpful in diagnosing and assessing this condition. People
with mild asthma (infrequent attacks) may use relief medication as needed. Those who have
persistent asthma should take control medications on a regular basis to prevent symptoms from
occuring. A severe asthma attack requires a medical evaluation and may need hospitalization,
oxygen, and intravenous medications.
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