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a-z physical
health :
asthma
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What
is Asthma? |
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Asthma (Az-muh) is a chronic disease
that affects your airways. The airways are the tubes that carry
air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the inside
walls of your airways are inflamed (swollen). The inflammation
(IN-fla-MAY-shun) makes the airways very sensitive, and they
tend to react strongly to things that you are allergic to or
find irritating. When the airways react, they get narrower,
and less air flows through to your lung tissue. This causes
symptoms like wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe),
coughing, chest tightness, and trouble breathing, especially
at night and in the early morning. |
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When your asthma symptoms become
worse than usual, it is called an asthma episode or attack.
During an asthma attack, muscles around the airways tighten
up, making the airways narrower so less air flows through. Inflammation
increases, and the airways become more swollen and even narrower.
Cells in the airways may also make more mucus than usual. This
extra mucus also narrows the airways. These changes make it
harder to breathe. |
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Asthma attacks are not all the
same—some are worse than others. In a severe asthma attack,
the airways can close so much that not enough oxygen gets to
vital organs. This condition is a medical emergency. People
can die from severe asthma attacks. |
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Asthma attacks are not all the
same—some are worse than others. In a severe asthma attack,
the airways can close so much that not enough oxygen gets to
vital organs. This condition is a medical emergency. People
can die from severe asthma attacks.
So, if you have asthma, you should see your doctor regularly.
You will need to learn what things cause your asthma symptoms
and how to avoid them. Your doctor will also prescribe medicines
to keep your asthma under control.
Taking care of your asthma is an important part of your life.
Controlling it means working closely with your doctor to learn
what to do, staying away from things that bother your airways,
taking medicines as directed by your doctor, and monitoring
your asthma so that you can respond quickly to signs of an
attack. By controlling your asthma every day, you can prevent
serious symptoms and take part in all activities. |
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What causes
Asthma Attacks? |
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It is not clear exactly what makes
the airways of people with asthma inflamed in the first place.
Your inflamed airways may be due to a combination of things.
We know that if other people in your family have asthma, you
are more likely to develop it. New research suggests that being
exposed to things like tobacco smoke, infections, and some allergens
early in your life may increase your chances of developing asthma.
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There are things in the environment
that bring on your asthma symptoms and lead to asthma attacks.
Some of the more common things include exercise, allergens,
irritants, and viral infections. Some people have asthma only
when they exercise or have a viral infection. |
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The list below gives some examples
of things that can bring on asthma symptoms. |
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Allergens |
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Animal dander
(from the skin, hair, or feathers of animals) |
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Dust mites (contained in
house dust) |
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Cockroaches |
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Pollen from trees and grass |
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Mold (indoor and outdoor)
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Irritants |
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Cigarette smoke
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Air pollution |
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Cold air or changes in weather
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Strong odors from painting
or cooking |
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Scented products |
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Strong emotional expression
(including crying or laughing hard) and stress |
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Others |
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Medicines such
as aspirin and beta-blockers |
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Sulfites in food (dried fruit)
or beverages (wine) |
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A condition called gastroesophageal
(GAS-tro-e-sof-o-JEE-al) reflux disease that causes heartburn
and can worsen asthma symptoms, especially at night |
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Irritants or allergens that
you may be exposed to at your work, such as special chemicals
or dusts |
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Infections |
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What
Are the Signs and Symptoms of Asthma? |
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Common asthma symptoms include:
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Coughing. Coughing
from asthma is often worse at night or early in the morning,
making it hard to sleep. |
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Wheezing. Wheezing is a whistling
or squeaky sound when you breathe. |
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Chest tightness. This can
feel like something is squeezing or sitting on your chest.
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Shortness of breath. Some
people say they can't catch their breath, or they feel
breathless or out of breath. You may feel like you can't
get enough air in or out of your lungs. |
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Faster breathing or noisy
breathing. |
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Not all people have these symptoms,
and symptoms may vary from one asthma attack to another. Symptoms
can differ in how severe they are: Sometimes symptoms can be
mildly annoying, other times they can be serious enough to make
you stop what you are doing, and sometimes symptoms can be so
serious that they are life threatening. |
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Symptoms also differ in how often
they occur. Some people with asthma have symptoms only once
every few months, others have symptoms every week, and still
other people have symptoms every day. With proper treatment,
however, most people with asthma can expect to have few or no
symptoms.
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How Is
Asthma Treated? |
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Your doctor can work with you to
decide about your treatment goals and what you need to do to
control your asthma to achieve these goals. Asthma treatment
includes: |
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Working closely
with your doctor to decide what your treatment goals are
and learning how to meet those goals. |
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Avoiding things that bring
on your asthma symptoms or make your symptoms worse. Doing
so can reduce the amount of medicine you need to control
your asthma. |
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Using asthma medicines. Allergy
medicine and shots may also help control asthma in some
people. |
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Monitoring your asthma so
that you can recognize when your symptoms are getting
worse and respond quickly to prevent or stop an asthma
attack. |
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Medicines for Asthma |
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There are two main types of medicines
for asthma: |
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Quick-relief
medicines—taken at the first signs of asthma symptoms
for immediate relief of these symptoms. You will feel
the effects of these medicines within minutes. |
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Long-term control medicines—taken
every day, usually over long periods of time, to prevent
symptoms and asthma episodes or attacks. You will feel
the full effects of these medicines after taking them
for a few weeks. People with persistent asthma need long-term
control medicines. |
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Quick-relief medicines
Everyone with asthma needs a quick-relief or "rescue"
medicine to stop asthma symptoms before they get worse. Short-acting
inhaled beta-agonists are the preferred quick-relief medicine.
These medicines are bronchodilators. They act quickly to relax
tightened muscles around your airways so that the airways can
open up and allow more air to flow through.
You should take your quick-relief medicine when you first
begin to feel asthma symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing,
chest tightness, or shortness of breath. You should carry
your quick-relief inhaler with you at all times in case of
an asthma attack.
Your doctor may recommend that you take your quick-relief
medicines at other times as well—for example, before
exercise.
Long-term control medicines
The most effective, long-term control medicine for asthma
is an inhaled corticosteroid (kor-ti-ko-STE-roid) because
this medicine reduces the airway swelling that makes asthma
attacks more likely.
Inhaled corticosteroids (or steroids for short) are the preferred
medicine for controlling mild, moderate, and severe persistent
asthma. They are generally safe when taken as directed by
your doctor.
In some cases, steroid tablets or liquid are used for short
periods of time to bring asthma under control. The tablet
or liquid form may also be used to control severe asthma. |
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Treating Asthma in Children |
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Children with asthma, like adults
with asthma, should see a doctor for treatment of their asthma.
Treatment may include allergy testing, finding ways to limit
contact with things that bring on asthma attacks, and taking
medicine.
Young children will need help from their parents and other
caregivers to keep their asthma under control. Older children
can learn to care for themselves and follow their asthma self-management
plan with less supervision.
Asthma medicines for children are like those adults use,
but doses are smaller. Children with asthma may need both
a quick-relief (or "rescue") inhaler for attacks
and daily medicine to control their asthma. Children with
moderate or severe asthma should learn to use a peak flow
meter to help keep their asthma under control. Using a peak
flow meter can be very helpful because children often have
a hard time describing their symptoms.
Parents should be alert for possible signs of asthma in children,
such as coughing at night, frequent colds, wheezing, or other
signs of breathing problems. If you suspect that your child
has asthma or that your child's asthma is not well controlled,
take your child to a doctor for an exam and testing.
Your doctor will choose medicines for your child based on
the child's symptoms and test results. If your child has asthma,
you will need to go to the doctor for regular followup visits
and to make sure that your child uses the medicines properly.
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Treating Asthma in Older Adults |
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Older adults may need to adjust
their asthma treatment because of other diseases or conditions
that they have. Some medicines (like beta blockers used for
treating high blood pressure and glaucoma; aspirin; and nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs) can interfere with asthma medicines
or even cause asthma attacks. Be sure to tell your doctor about
all medicines that you take, including over-the-counter ones.
Using steroids may affect bone density in adults, so ask
your doctor about taking calcium and vitamin D supplements
and other ways to help keep your bones strong. |
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Treating Asthma in Pregnancy |
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If you are pregnant, it is very
important to both you and your baby to control your asthma.
Uncontrolled asthma can lower the oxygen level in your blood,
which means that your baby gets less oxygen too.
Most asthma medicines are generally safe to take during pregnancy.
Doctors recommend that it is safer to take asthma medicines
during pregnancy than to take the chance that you will have
an attack.
If you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant,
talk to your doctor about your asthma and how to have a healthy
pregnancy. |
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Treating Exercise-Induced Asthma |
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Regular physical activity is important
for good health. If exercise brings on your asthma symptoms,
talk to your doctor about the best ways to control your asthma
when you are active. Some people with asthma use inhaled, quick-relief
medicines before exercising to keep symptoms under control.
If you use your asthma medicines as directed, you should
be able to take part in any physical activity or sport you
choose. Many Olympic athletes have asthma. |
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NHLBI Health Information Center |
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