ASTHMA

Asthma is a common ailment that cannot be permanently cured. It is caused by inflammation in the airways which causes the muscle lining to constrict making the diameter of the airways narrower and increasing mucus production which leads to coughing. This then makes it harder to breathe with a lack of sufficient oxygen. The person then begins to cough and wheeze with a high breathing rate.

Asthma is not contagious and is usually inherited or genetically passed. Described as an allergic reaction, it takes place in the respiratory system – the mouth, nose, lungs, bronchi, airways (bronchioles) and the windpipe (trachea). It is most likely to occur when a person is in their teenage years, when it is also easier to identify. Cases of Asthma can range from mild to severe with differing symptoms depending on who the person is. In some cases, Asthma can re-occur at an older age for those people who had it as children. Due to the difficulty in breathing due to Asthma, it is sometimes confused in older people with heart disease or diseases such as bronchitis or emphysema.

Asthma is on the increase with an increase in, smoking, indoor allergens, air pollutants and changes in diet.

What are the symptoms of Asthma?
Different types of symptoms are dependent on each individual person
The typical symptoms include: wheezing; coughing; turning blue in complexion; breathlessness.

Mild symptoms include: irritating cough, wheezing, exercise, chest infection or the cold.

Moderate symptoms include: breathlessness; wheezing - most of the time this develops during the night or in the morning.

Severe symptoms include: strong wheezing, difficulty in breathing, 'tight chest'.

What triggers Asthma?

Factors that trigger Asthma can include:

Infections - colds, chest infections, coughs.

Allergens - pollen, mould, certain foods, house dust, hay fever.

Allergies - against animals i.e. dogs, cats, horses.

Certain Medications - Aspirin, anti-inflammatory painkillers, beta-blockers.

Emotions - stress, laughing, emotionally upset

Smoking - tobacco smoke, wood smoke, pollution - there is a link between the increase in pollution and the increase in number of asthma cases.

Exercise - for some people exercise can increase asthma symptoms, but generally, mild exercise is a good way to treat Asthma.

Irritants - sprays, strong odours, paints, perfumes, varnishes.

Indigestion

Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER or Reflux) is the medical term used to describe a condition in which stomach contents, food and gastric acid, frequently flow back up out of the stomach "regurgitate" into the oesophagus.

Asthma attacks can either start suddenly or can take a long time to develop. Mild, Moderate or severe attacks are difficult to predict and can lead to death if untreated. Moderate and mild asthma attacks include spiting, coughing, restlessness, feeling tired and trouble sleeping. Severe Asthma attacks include breathless, trouble communicating, turn blue in complexion at finger tips and on the face, neck muscles as well as the area around the ribs become tight, begin to lose consciousness.

A 'Second Wave' attack, though unlikely, is worse and much more dangerous than the first attack as the air tubes carry on narrowing with lack of sufficient oxygen and more difficulty in breathing - this can last several days or weeks.

Asthma treatments
There is no currently known cure for asthma. Nevertheless, there are some safe and effective treatments available that can help to control the symptoms. There are two main kinds of asthma treatment that doctors currently prescribe as inhalers, they are called relievers and preventers.