What is Asthma?
Asthma is a disease of the lung that causes a patient to have bronchospasms, or narrowing
of the airways, and increased mucous production. These two symptoms combined make
it very difficult for the patient to breathe. Inflammation or swelling causes the airways to
become narrower, muscles around the airways tighten, and the airways secrete extra
mucus, making it hard for air to get through.
There are four types of asthma: Mild intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent,
and severe persistent. Patiients with mild persistent or moderate persistent asthma have
frequent trouble breathing. A patient with severe persistent asthma has trouble breathing
all the time.
Depending on what triggers an asthma attack, an episode can last from a few minutes to a
few hours. Common triggers include: allergies such as pollen, mold, animal dander,
cockroaches and their debris, certain foods, or household chemicals; irritant such as
cigarette smoke, or pollution; infections of the upper respiratory tract, excitement, such as laughing hard, or crying; exercise; cold air (wintertime may be more difficult) weather can effect the amount of pollution and allergens in the air, and sleep (in some children episodes only occur at night).
Warning Signs of an Asthma Episode
First signs will vary per patient. Prior to an episode behavioral differences may occur, crankiness, hard time sitting still, tightness in the chest, dry mouth, itchy skin, or a feeling of being out of breath. During an episode, you might see unusual tiredness, poor posture, restlessness in bed, faster breathing, and pale or sweaty skin. You might hear coughing, wheezing or noisy breathing, and/or frequent throat clearing.
Signs of an Emergency
If these symptoms occur,---blue or gray lips or fingernails, trouble with talking, cannot stop coughing, and/or extreme difficulty breathing, call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number immediately.
What you can do:
- Work closely with your healthcare provider (ask for a written plan so you'll know what to do during an asthma episode. Also, ask about an appropriate exercise plan, especially for children.
- Help yourself avoid triggers (keep your home smoke free, dust regularly with a damp cloth and clean all bedding weekly, consider using a mattress cover and a high-efficiency (HEPA) filter.
- During an episode, stay calm. This makes a difference.
- Have a positive attitude where children are involved. A child who feels discouraged may not respond as well as treatment.
- Get a peak flow meter. Your healthcare provider can supply one for you. This is an easy to use device that can tell you how well your lungs are working. It can detect trouble before symptoms show up.
- For school age children, let your child's school and teachers know about his or her asthma. Your child may need to carry his or her inhaler during the school day, or arrangements may need to be made for nebulizer treatments at school.
Medications
There are different types of asthma medications. It may come as a pill, liquid, or inhaler. Some patients do inhalers with a spacer, especially children and the elderly. A spacer is used with an inhaler, and may help get the medication into the lung. Talk with your healthcare provider about the possible benefits, risks, and side effects of each medication. Always follow your healthcare provider's directions about taking medications.
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