Asthma is a chronic and long-term lung condition that affects people of all ages but more often starts in childhood. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, asthma affects nearly 22 million people in the United States and 6 million are children. There is no cure for the condition, but with advanced technology, early diagnosis and new treatment modalities, most people are able to manage their disease and participate in recreational activities.
Facts About Asthma
According to Ohio State University Medical Center, symptoms of asthma include a chronic cough and wheezing with breathing or exercise. Some people believe they have recurring bronchitis or only have coughing at night. It is important to recognize that physicians have not identified the basic cause of the disease but do know that flare-ups are triggered by specific irritants, not by emotional factors. Reactions that were once attributed to emotional stress and anxiety are now known to depress the immune system, which will aggravate the symptoms of asthma.
Bronchial Changes
The hallmark physical change in people with asthma occurs in the airways of the lungs. When air is inhaled it travels down the trachea. The trachea branches into two separate airways that feed the left and right lung. These airways continue to branch until the entire lung field is covered. According to the Ohio State University Medical Center, inflammation in the airways results in three different types of reactions: contraction of the airway muscles, increased mucus production and swelling the airways. Each of these three reactions contributes to the symptoms of asthma and helps identify irritants that trigger flare-ups.
What You Feel
If you suffer from asthma, you probably have difficulty breathing periodically. According to Kids Health, this means that you may experience coughing or wheezing, feel short of breath or feel tightness in your chest. Some people with asthma will experience only coughing at night while others will be short of breath throughout the day.
According to Pulmonology Channel, some sufferers feel as if they are suffocating and have an overpowering tightness in the chest. The sensation of wheezing or an asthma flare-up has been described as trying to breathe through a straw. In other words, it is difficult to get air in and out of the lungs. Between these flare-ups, breathing seems completely normal and you'll feel better.
Long-Term Consequences
According to a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, scientists know that the long-term effects of asthma include hyperactivity of the bronchial airways, attacks of constriction of the airway, impaired quality of life and the development of irreversible airflow obstruction as a result of airway remodeling following the added stress of bronchial inflammation.
Warnings
If you have asthma, the trick to treatment is to catch the signs early and begin your rescue medications. According to the Cleveland Clinic, early signs are changes that happen just before or at the beginning of an asthma episode. By recognizing these signs, you can stop it from getting worse. These signs include a frequent coughing, losing your breath, feeling tired or weak when exercising, trouble sleeping or signs of a cold. If you are having an episode that doesn't resolve with your rescue medications or continues to worsen, seek medical care immediately.
