Asthma - Symptoms and Their Control

Things seem to be stable right now with my emphysema. I'm still trying to reduce my smoking, and am doing it to some degree with the help of medication. Since I haven't seen my doctor since my last article, I thought I'd spend some time this week dealing with another of the lung diseases, asthma. Asthma is essentially an inflammation of the bronchi. This causes the muscles surrounding the bronchi to constrict, therefore reducing the ability to breathe. This difficulty is most often shown by the characteristic wheezing that we are all familiar with, along with shortness of breath, coughing and chest tightness.

Some asthmatics exhibit all of these symptoms, but some do not. It is important to remember that these symptoms are also seen in other respiratory diseases, and not all people who wheeze, for example, are asthmatic.

Most asthmatics have the symptoms described above on a chronic basis, and for the most part lead normal lives despite the breathing difficulties. Sometimes, however, an acute asthma attack occurs, which seriously impairs the individual's ability to function. Several conditions can trigger an asthma attack. These include environmental pollutants, smoke, cold weather, exertion, and food additives, however one of the most common triggers for an asthma attack according to James C. Leiter, M.D., Professor of Physiology and Medicine at Dartmouth Medical School and Chief of the Pulmonary and Critical Care Service, is the common cold.

More than 17 million people in the United States suffer from asthma. Most people believe that while asthma is a serious condition, it is not life threatening. This is a myth that needs to be corrected. In the United States, more than 5000 people die each year from asthma and its effects on the respiratory system. With this in mind, avoidance of the situations which trigger an attack becomes imperative for the asthma sufferer. Here are some suggestions for avoiding common asthma triggers, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association.

1. Dust mite allergens: Wash bed linens once a week in hot water and dry in a hot dryer. Use airtight mattress and pillow covers. Remove fabric covered furniture and carpeting from sleeping areas.
2. Tobacco smoke: Stay away from areas where smoke is present. Do not smoke yourself.
3. Allergens from animals with fur: Remove animals from the home or at least from sleeping areas.
4. Cockroach allergen: Clean the home thoroughly and frequently. Use a pesticide spray, but make sure the asthmatic is out of the home when the spraying occurs.

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