Asthma

What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic condition that involves your airways and respiratory system. With asthma, inflammation can cause your airways to narrow, making breathing more difficult and causing a range of symptoms, such as:

• Fatigue
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Wheezing
• Shortness of breath

You might also have a tight and painful chest.

What is an asthma attack?

An asthma attack refers to the rapid worsening or onset of asthma symptoms. During an asthma attack, your airways narrow, become swollen, and they can fill up with mucus. If it isn’t properly controlled, an asthma attack can be quite dangerous. The symptoms are typically more severe when breathing is restricted.

What causes asthma?

With asthma, you have sensitive airways that respond negatively to triggers in your environment. Common asthma triggers are:

• Tobacco smoke
• Certain medications
• Air pollution and smoke
• Infections, such as colds or sinusitis
• Irritants and strong odors from cleaning solutions or perfumes
• Allergens, such as pollen, dust mites, mold spores, and pet dander

Exercise-induced asthma is a type of asthma that starts with exercise.

What are the treatments for asthma?

After your asthma diagnosis, your Brandon Riverview Medical Associates provider works to identify your asthma triggers. Asthma treatments usually involve preventing an asthma attack, avoiding exposure to an allergen, and boosting your overall health to make you less likely to have an asthma attack.

The primary goal is to decrease your reaction to your asthma triggers by enhancing your body’s tolerance to them.

Medications and preventive devices can be helpful for long-term use to reduce inflammation in your airways. This includes inhalers and bronchodilators to open up swollen and restricted airways and improve your breathing capacity.

Your provider might recommend certain allergy medications to reduce the likelihood of an asthma attack as well as other treatment methods to enhance your health, such as nutrition, stress reduction, regular appropriate exercise, and lifestyle changes. Your provider might suggest multiple asthma treatments for the best results.

Identifying your asthma triggers helps you to stay away from them, if possible, or you could opt for treatments like immunotherapy. Immunotherapy gradually increases your body’s tolerance to the allergen through the administration of minor, consistent, safe, controlled doses of the allergen.

For quality medical management of your asthma, call Brandon Riverview Medical Associates or schedule online today.