Many people have heard of a condition called asthma and they may wonder what exactly is asthma. Those who suffer from breathing problems may wonder if they have this illness. Asthma is a stressful condition in which the airways become inflamed and the sufferer has difficulty breathing due to the obstruction. The condition can vary from a mild form to a severe form that places a person near death. It is characterized by trouble getting air, wheezing, and sometimes coughing. The wheezing sound is created when the person tries to force air through the swollen passage.
Asthma Causes & Asthma Triggers:
Those who want to know what asthma is will also be interested in what causes it. There are a number of triggers that a person can come across to cause an episode of this condition. Some people have a condition that is triggered by allergens. A person with this form of the illness primarily has an allergy, but the reaction to the allergy involves inflammation and trouble breathing. This person can minimize attacks by seeing an allergy specialist to find out the items that cause him or her to react. Next, he or she could make a conscious effort to stay away from any substances that can cause this reaction. Air pollution and chemicals are among the triggers of this type of asthma.
Asthma & Genetics:
Some studies have shown that asthma could be genetic. If one parent carries the disorder, then the possibility is high that the offspring will develop it as well. Experts have associated 25 different genes with the onset of asthma and other breathing problems. There is no inexpensive cure to genetically induced asthma. The only thing professionals can do in a case like this is manage the symptoms. In the future, doctors may be able to genetically alter the genes of patients with asthma, but for now management is the only way.
Diagnosis For Asthma:
Doctors can use several methods to diagnose a patient with asthma. The first method is to use a lung function test. A lung function test consists of breathing into a very simple machine that measures the speed and amount of air being blown out. Specialists use this machine to assess the amount of obstruction done. They can usually make a clear diagnosis from this test alone.
A doctor may ask for a chest x-ray if he or she believes something else may be causing the symptoms. For example, bronchitis and pneumonia can produce similar symptoms in a patient. In some cases, it is best to have a good look at the chest to rule out other illnesses.
As mentioned before, a doctor may send the patient to an allergy specialist who can pinpoint the triggers. Some asthmatics can manage their illnesses just by avoiding triggers. Those with the most difficulty are ones that are allergic to dust mites because dust mites are everywhere.
Treating Asthma:
Many times asthma can be controlled with a preventive inhaler and an emergency inhaler. The prevention inhaler is meant to strengthen the airways and the lungs while an emergency inhaler has the sole purpose of dilating the airways for immediate breathing capability. Using all medications along with continuing education can help an asthma sufferer to survive.