If Your Asthma Symptoms Are Caused By Allergies Take Steps To Control Knownor Potential Triggers In Your Environment
Allergy-proof your house for dust, mold, cockroaches, and other common indoor allergens to which you are allergic.
Reduce your outdoor activities when the pollen count or ozone level is high.
Choose foods that dont contribute to your asthma or allergy symptoms.
Evaluate your workplace for possible allergens and take the necessary steps to reduce your exposure to them.
In order to determine relevant triggers, you may want to seek consultation with an allergist who can further define these triggers.
In addition, anyone with asthma should consider getting an annual flu shot. Older adults also should talk with their internist about getting a pneumonia vaccination.
There Are Many Different Types Of Asthma Brought On By Many Different Triggers
If youre struggling with asthma symptoms trouble breathing, a persistent cough or tightness in the chest an allergist can help you take control by providing a diagnosis and identifying the underlying causes.
Learn about the triggers and treatment for allergic asthma and how an allergist can help you manage allergy and asthma symptoms.
Allergic Asthma Vs Nonallergic Asthma
Allergy induced asthma is triggered by allergens in your environment. Nonallergic asthma is triggered by factors other than allergens. It may include:
- Allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis Bronchial asthma triggered by viral respiratory infections.
- Exercise-induced asthma This type of asthma is triggered by strenuous exercise.
Nonallergic asthma may also be caused by irritants in the air, stress, drugs such as aspirin, certain food additives, or changes in weather conditions.
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When To See A Doctor
If you have frequent coughing or wheezing that lasts more than a few days, or any other signs or symptoms of asthma that keep persisting, book an appointment with your doctor.
If your medication does not help ease your symptoms or if you always feel the need to use your quick-relief inhaler more often, then you should see a doctor right away. Urgent attention to suspected asthma cases may help to prevent long-term lung damage and help keep the condition from getting worse in the long run.
Know The Early Symptoms Of Asthma
Early warning signs are changes that happen just before or at the very beginning of an asthma attack. These signs may start before the well-known symptoms of asthma and are the earliest signs that your asthma is worsening.
In general, these signs are not severe enough to stop you from going about your daily activities. But by recognizing these signs, you can stop an asthma attack or prevent one from getting worse. Early warning signs of an asthma attack include:
- Frequent , especially at night
- Losing your breath easily or shortness of breath
- Feeling very tired or weak when exercising
If you have these warning signs, adjust your medication, as described in your asthma action plan.
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Can Asthma Be Cured
There is currently no known cure for asthma, but with proper diagnosis and asthma management it is fully possible for people with asthma to live healthy, active and symptom-free lives.
There is still much research that needs to be done to fully understand how to prevent, treat and cure asthma. Asthma Canadas National Research Program is committed to supporting leading asthma researchers and graduate student researchers working to expand our knowledge and one day, unlock a cure.
If You Suspect You Might Have Asthma Definitely Head To The Doctor
Your doctor will probably give you a physical exam first to examine the general state of your health. After that, theyll likely put you through some lung function tests, such as a spirometry, which checks how much air you can exhale after taking a deep breath as well as how fast you can expel air, according to the Mayo Clinic. Or they may do a peak flow test, which measures how hard you can breathe out. If you cant exhale enough air or breathe out quickly, it may be a sign your lungs arent working well, which could point to asthma, Dr. Benzaquen says.
There are other exams they can use, too, like exposing you to methacholine, a known asthma trigger, to see if your airways narrow, or allergy testing, since allergies and asthma are so often connected.
If you are diagnosed with asthma, itll be within one of four categories, according to the Mayo Clinic. Mild intermittent asthma means you have minimal asthma symptoms for up to two days a week and up to two nights a month, while mild persistent asthma means youre experiencing symptoms more frequently than twice a week, but not more than once on any given day. Moderate persistent asthma ups the ante: Youre dealing with symptoms once a day and more than one night a week. Finally, severe persistent asthma involves constant symptoms most days and frequently at night too.
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What Are Tips For Asthma Sufferers During Coronavirus
It is important also that your asthma symptoms are well controlled so that those around you do not misconstrue coughing as a symptom of coronavirus when in fact the cough is non infectious from asthma. The following recommendations are important for those with asthma particularly those with persistent moderate to severe asthma. Following these added precautions will decrease your chance of getting coronavirus and having your asthma flare with coronavirus.
How Will The Doctor Determine Which Type Of Asthma I Have
In general, a doctor will establish your type of asthma by:
- Examining your medical history, including your family history
- Performing a physical examination to inspect your upper airway for signs of allergic rhinitis, check your chest for deformity, or determine the presence of polyps
- Measuring the amount of air you can breathe in and out of your lungs with a spirometry or lung function test
- Determining the age of onset
- Discovering the types of cells involved in inflammation
- Looking at the results of allergy tests
- Examining the characteristics of your lung and tissue
- Observing your responses to past medications
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The Basics Of Diagnosing Asthma
Your doctor will probably start your examination by delving into your past medical history and asking whether any of your relatives have allergies or asthma. Youâll also be asked to describe your symptoms, their severity, and what, if anything, is triggering them.
Triggers could include cold air, dust, hairsprays, perfumes, household cleaner vapors, cigarette or cigar smoke, and air pollution, Asciuto says.
Doctors also try to narrow down the list of culprits by asking these additional questions:
- Is your cough worse at night?
- Do you have more symptoms when youre at home or at work?
- Do you have other health problems that could be causing these symptoms, such as a sinus infection or acid reflux?
Next, your doctor will listen to your breathing with a stethoscope and may order one or more of these diagnostic tests:
Its also important to note that you can have asthma without experiencing any of the hallmark symptoms. Thereâs no single patient profile for asthma, says Dr. Fineman. âSome will have more coughing, some more wheezing, and some have more problems breathing with exercise, he says.
Whats An Asthma Attack
When you breathe normally, muscles around your airways are relaxed, letting air move easily. During an asthma attack, three things can happen:
- Bronchospasm: The muscles around the airways constrict . When they tighten, it makes the airways narrow. Air cannot flow freely through constricted airways.
- Inflammation: The airway linings become swollen. Swollen airways dont let as much air in or out of the lungs.
- Mucus production: During the attack, your body creates more mucus. This thick mucus clogs airways.
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What Causes An Asthma Attack
An asthma attack can happen when you are exposed to asthma triggers. Your asthma triggers can be very different from someone elses asthma triggers. Know your triggers and learn how to avoid them. Watch out for an attack when you cant avoid your triggers. Some of the most common triggers are tobacco smoke, dust mites, outdoor air pollution, cockroach allergen, pets, mold, smoke from burning wood or grass, and infections like flu.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Asthma Types
Symptoms may occur during the day or at night. If they happen at night, they may disturb your sleep.
Wheezing is the most common symptom of an asthma attack.
Current guidelines for the care of people with asthma include classifying the severity of asthma symptoms, as follows:
The exact cause of asthma is not known.
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How To Tell You Have Asthma
In this section: Diagnosis and Lung Testing | How To Tell You Have Asthma | Your Healthcare Team
Asthma is a complex disease to diagnose, and only a healthcare professional is able to make a proper diagnosis.
If you are concerned that you may have asthma, contact your healthcare provider. In order to confirm an asthma diagnosis, your healthcare provider will take into account your medical and family history, allergies, and conduct lung function testing such as spirometry.
Whos Likely To Have Asthma Copd Or Aco
People who smoke or breathe in pollution or chemicals at work for many years have higher chances of having COPD. That’s why the condition often starts in middle age or later in life.
Asthma is sometimes caused by gene changes that are passed down through families. If one of your parents has the disease, you’re more likely to have it.
Symptoms of asthma often start in childhood, and the condition is one of the most widespread long-term illnesses in kids. It affects about 1 in 10 children.
Besides a family history of the condition, a few things can raise your chances of asthma:
- Smoking
- Being around chemicals or other irritants in the air
People who get ACO tend to be over 40 but younger than people with just COPD, and they have allergies .
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Side Effects Of Relievers And Preventers
Relievers are a safe and effective medicine, and have few side effects as long as they are not used too much. The main side effects include a mild shaking of the hands , headaches and muscle cramps. These usually only happen with high doses of reliever inhaler and usually only last for a few minutes.
Preventers are very safe at usual doses, although they can cause a range of side effects at high doses, especially with long-term use.
The main side effect of preventer inhalers is a fungal infection of the mouth or throat . You may also develop a hoarse voice and sore throat.
Using a spacer can help prevent these side effects, as can rinsing your mouth or cleaning your teeth after using your preventer inhaler.
Your doctor or nurse will discuss with you the need to balance control of your asthma with the risk of side effects, and how to keep side effects to a minimum.
Common Symptoms That Indicate Asthma
How do you know if you have asthma? Paying attention to possible symptoms is important.
People with asthma usually have symptoms when their airways tighten, inflame, or are filled with mucus. Because asthma often changes over time, it’s important that you work with your doctor to track your signs and symptoms and adjust your treatment as necessary. Asthma symptoms vary from person to person and it is possible that you may not have all the symptoms or only have them at different times. Your symptoms may also vary from one asthma attack to the next, being mild during one and severe during another.
Sometimes, people with asthma may not even experience symptoms for a long period of time, or only during vigorous exercises or if they get a viral infection like a common cold.
However, the following symptoms, in most cases, can indicate that you have asthma:
- Persistent cough, usually at night or in the morning
- Severe wheezing when breathing in and out
- Difficulty sleeping
- Blue lips or fingernails
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Managing And Controlling Your Asthma
Asthma is defined as a chronic condition, which means that you need to continuously monitor and manage your asthma throughout your lifetime. While there is currently no cure for asthma, with proper treatmentand management you can effectively control your asthma and live symptom-free.
Asthma treatment is successful if you learn all you can about your asthma including: symptoms,triggers,medications and ongoing asthma management to achieve control. You and you alone know how you feel and how your asthma is affecting you and you need to be responsible for acting when your asthma is not in good control.
Many people with asthma believe that their asthma is controlled but in fact, surveys have shown that most people accept levels of asthma control that fall far short of the standards described in the Canadian Consensus Asthma Guidelines. In order to control your asthma it is very important that you actually understand what good asthma control means.
The Basics: How To Tell If You Have Asthma
Ifyoure curious about how to detect asthma, a good place to start isunderstanding what it is and the symptoms it produces. Asthma is caused byinflammation in the airways that go from your mouth and nose to your lungs.This swelling can be caused by a number of triggers such as cigarette smoke,pollen, animal dander, mold, or even just cold air. The inflammation isaccompanied by tightening of the muscles around the airways, and thecombination of these factors makes it hard to breathe, especially during whatscalled an asthma attack.
The fivemain symptoms of asthma are:
- Trouble breathing or shortness of breath. This is the feelingthat you cant catch your breath. It is an alarming sensation, and it may comeon suddenly. It makes it difficult to perform physical activities.
- Tightness in the chest. People with asthma describe this as anunpleasant feeling that air isnt moving in their lungs or an uncomfortablerestriction in their chest. This symptom can cause anxiety about the ability toget enough air.
- Wheezing sounds when breathing. This type ofwhistling sound is the symptom most people associate with asthma. Its heardmost clearly when exhaling.
- Coughing fits. Coughing associated with asthma ismore common at night. Coughing fits can also be brought on by exercise.
- Poor sleep due to breathing problems. Difficultybreathing can make it hard to sleep. Consequently, people with asthma may feeltired during the day.
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When To See A Doctor Or Go To The Hospital
If you havenât yet been diagnosed with asthma, see your doctor if you have frequent wheezing or coughing that lasts for more than a few days.
If you are diagnosed with asthma, you will then work on keeping your condition under control and monitoring your condition to see if it is getting worse rather than better. When asthma is not well controlled, you can likely expect to experience one or more of the following:
- You become more aware of your wheezing.
- You develop a cough that wonât go away.
- You cough more at night or in cold weather.
- You cough or wheeze with physical activity.
- You get less relief from quick-relief medications.
- You have more trouble falling asleep or getting a good nightâs rest.
- You get easily tired of tasks you can normally complete.
- Your allergy symptoms worsen.
- You have a downturn in your peak expiratory flow rate .
If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor to determine whether there have been significant changes in your respiratory health. Spirometry and other tests may be used to evaluate the extent of these changes and what, if any, revisions to your treatment plan need to be made.
Go to the emergency room if any of the following occur:
How Do You Know If Your Baby Or Child Has Asthma
Childrencan have asthma, so parents often ask, How can you tell if a baby has asthma?.First, babies have the same asthma symptoms as adults. They also may havetrouble feeding and may make grunting sounds when nursing. Asthma cant bedefinitively diagnosed in babies, but you should talk with your babys doctorif you have concerns.
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