Asthma is the most common childhood disease that affects approximately nine million children and typically carries over into adulthood where approximately 20 million Americans are affected, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Asthma is a chronic lung disease that constricts the bronchiole airways, making them very swollen and sensitive.
Triggers
The substances you inhale that cause your airway to become inflamed are known as triggers. Triggers can be environmental, physical or emotional. Environmental triggers include pollen, dust and pollution. Physical triggers include physical exertion such as exercising, while emotional triggers occur with anxiety.
Symptoms
The Cleveland Clinic advises that you to pay attention for the following asthma symptoms and when they occur. This will help your physician in diagnosing your asthma.
Watch for a shortness of breath. Do you easily lose your breath doing simple everyday activities? Wheezing usually accompanies shortness of breath. Wheezing it is a high-pitched whistling noise that happens when exhaling. When not enough of oxygen reaches to your lungs it results in coughing. Asthmatics typically have a persistent cough that occurs more frequently at night. Coughing thus may affect your sleeping patterns. Be alert of any sleeping problems due to coughing, wheezing, and being short of breath. Lastly, be aware of symptoms similar to heart disease, such as chest pain, rapid heart rate or unusual fatigue.
Diagnosis
The Mayo Clinic states your physician will base your diagnosis on a medical history, your symptoms and a physical exam. Lung function tests may be required for further evaluation. It is important to have your physician diagnose your asthma properly so you can be prescribed the most effect treatment to prevent your asthma symptoms.
A medical history is composed of specific question your physician will ask you regarding your asthma symptoms, known allergy triggers, family history, current activity level, and home and work environment. Next, your physician will examine your nose, throat and upper airways. He will listen to your lung sounds to see if they hear wheezing as you breathe out. He will also check your skin for eczema and hives, which are associated with asthma.
If your physician is still unclear of your diagnosis he will require lung function tests, which include spirometry, nitric oxide and a challenge test. Spirometry is a noninvasive test that measures how well you breathe. Nitric oxide testing is a new tool that measures the level of nitric oxide gas you breathe out. If you breathe out high levels of nitric oxide it may be a sign of asthma. The challenge test involves inhaling a substance that purposely constricts your airway to trigger your asthma symptoms. The test involves taking another spirometry test so your physician can compare your results with and without the substance. If your results are the same as they were without the substance then you do not have asthma.
Treatments
Treatments options are based on your diagnosis, but may include anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator inhalers, oral medications, an asthma nebulizer or breathing machine.
