Can You Really Grow Out Of Asthma
âIf you have asthma your airways are inflamed and sensitive to triggers such as cold air, pollution, cold and flu viruses or allergies that set off your asthma symptoms ,â says Dr Andy Whittamore, clinical lead at Asthma UK.
âFor some children diagnosed with asthma, the condition might improve or disappear completely as they get older but for many people, asthma is a lifelong condition,â he adds.
However, it may not always be asthma causing the problem. Asthma-like symptoms can be down to allergies, which is why it may appear that a child has outgrown their asthma.
âTrue asthma does not go away, just as diabetes or hypertension donât go away,â states Dr Thomas Antalffy, inventor of the Smart Peak Flow device.
If you feel your asthma symptoms are relieved, it may simply be lying dormant so itâs important to be vigilant.
âThere may be periods where your symptoms do not affect your day-to-day life and these periods could last years or even decades. However, asthma symptoms can be triggered again by a change in circumstances, such as a new workplace, stress, or hormonal changes during pregnancy or menopause,â says Whittamore.
âIf youâre taking your asthma medicines as prescribed and feeling well, this is a sign that they are working,â so donât assume you no longer need treatment, he warns.
If symptoms do come back, itâs vital that you donât ignore them and that you speak with your GP.
Can you really âgrow outâ of asthma?
What Kind Of Physician Treats Adult Onset Asthma
Many older patients are treated for asthma by their internist or family physician however, if your asthma symptoms are not under control within three to six months, or if you have severe persistent asthma, or if you are having asthma episodes that need emergency treatment, it may be time to see an asthma specialist. Allergists/Immunologists or pulmonologists are specialists who treat asthma. Those who have completed training in those specialties are usually called board-certified or board-eligible.
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Signs You Actually Have Severe Asthma
Breathing is just one of those things you take for granted until it feels like every inhale or exhale is a struggle. Unfortunately, people with severe asthma have to deal with breathing issues way more often than anyone should, and it can be completely terrifying.
Asthma is a respiratory condition that affects the airways that extend from your nose and mouth to your lungs, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute . When youre exposed to triggers like animal fur, pollen, mold, exercise, and respiratory infections, these airways can narrow, restricting your airflow. This can then make the muscles surrounding your airways constrict, making it even harder to breathe, and cause your airways to produce more mucus than normal, further compounding the problem. All together, this can lead to asthma symptoms like shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing , and chest tightness or pain, according to the NHLBI.
Like most health conditions, asthma severity runs along a spectrum, Emily Pennington, M.D., a pulmonologist at the Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF. Some people have cases where they experience minor symptoms here and there . Others can have asthma that is basically an ever-present problem and might result in scary asthma attacks, which is when symptoms ramp up in severity and can even become life-threatening.
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What’s An Asthma Flare
An asthma flare-up is when asthma symptoms get worse, making someone wheeze, cough, or be short of breath. An asthma flare-up can happen even when asthma is controlled.
Asthma flare-ups are also called asthma attacks or exacerbations.
Triggers like allergies, respiratory infections , cigarette smoke, exercise, or even cold air can cause a flare-up and make asthma symptoms worse.
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Symptoms Of Asthma Emergencies In Children
The signs of an asthma emergency include when the child:
- finds it very difficult to breathe or is not breathing
- is unable to speak comfortably or complete sentences without losing breath
- has lips turn blue
- has symptoms that get worse very quickly
- has tugging in of the skin between ribs or at the base of the neck
- is getting little or no relief from their reliever inhaler, or their reliever inhaler is not available.
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.
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Does Smoking Harm My Child
Children who live with a smoker and breathe in second-hand smoke are more likely to develop asthma and have more frequent and severe attacks. This is because childrens lungs have not finished growing and they have less developed airways, lungs and immune systems. Being exposed to second-hand smoke can irritate a childs lungs, making them produce more mucus and be more prone to infections which make asthma symptoms worse.
A study from the University of Cincinnati also found that non-smoking adolescents who lived with a smoker were more likely to be short of breath. They were also more prone to wheezing during or after exercise and have a cough at night.
What Types Of Asthma Are There
Asthma is broken down into types based on the cause and the severity of symptoms. Healthcare providers identify asthma as:
- Intermittent: This type of asthma comes and goes so you can feel normal in between asthma flares.
- Persistent: Persistent asthma means you have symptoms much of the time. Symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe. Healthcare providers base asthma severity on how often you have symptoms. They also consider how well you can do things during an attack.
Asthma has multiple causes:
- Allergic: Some peoples allergies can cause an asthma attack. Allergens include things like molds, pollens and pet dander.
- Non-allergic: Outside factors can cause asthma to flare up. Exercise, stress, illness and weather may cause a flare.
Asthma can also be:
- Adult-onset: This type of asthma starts after the age of 18.
- Pediatric: Also called childhood asthma, this type of asthma often begins before the age of 5, and can occur in infants and toddlers. Children may outgrow asthma. You should make sure that you discuss it with your provider before you decide whether your child needs to have an inhaler available in case they have an asthma attack. Your childs healthcare provider can help you understand the risks.
In addition, there are these types of asthma:
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Who Is Most Likely To Achieve Remission
While remission is not a guarantee or a cure, there are certain factors that increase the chances of being free of symptoms. The 2022 study mentioned above reported that the following factors may increase the likelihood of remission:
- Few or no other diseases
- Having quit smoking or never having smoked
Certain types of medication may also help people achieve remission, according to the study. These are biologics and macrolide antibiotics like azithromycin. Biologics are relatively newer treatments and have been effective for other diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. While more research is needed, these medications are at least able to control symptoms and may even slow the process of airway remodeling, which happens when your airways change in response to a disease.
There is also a treatable traits approach where the focus is on underlying conditions. These traits include other diseases, smoking, anxiety and depression, and physical inactivity and obesity. Having one or more of these conditions can also make asthma symptoms and exacerbations more difficult to manage.
The same study also points out that seeking help when you first start to notice symptoms of asthma may also increase your chances of achieving remission. This is because you can help slow or even reverse the process of airway remodeling in the early phases.
Am I Experiencing Adult Onset Asthma
Up to 25 million Americans have asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While most people develop the condition in childhood, adult-onset asthma is also possible.
In fact, asthma symptoms can develop at any age and stage of life. Some people who have asthma as children age out of flare-ups as they get older, while others first experience the condition well into adulthood.
Would you recognize the symptoms of adult-onset asthma if you were to experience them?
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Asthma Information For Childcare Kinder Or School
To assist childcare and preschool workers and school teachers in the care of your child with asthma:
- Tell them that your child has asthma .
- Provide them with a copy of your childs asthma action plan, including emergency contact details. Make sure you provide an updated plan every year, or if your childs medication changes. The school or childcare centre will require this for enrolment.
- Show staff members how to use the medication devices, such as spacers and puffers.
- Make sure your child has an up-to-date supply of medication and a spacer at the centre or school.
- Notify staff if your childs asthma changes.
- Tell the staff about any concerns you may have.
If Allergens Are A Trigger For You Get Allergy Tested
First, heres why allergies and asthma often go hand in hand.
You have an allergy attack when proteins in your immune system, known as antibodies, accidentally identify something harmless, such as dust mites, as a dangerous invader. To try to stop the invader, your antibodies bind to it. This causes a release of chemicals. In turn, those chemicals cause classic allergy symptoms. Think: itchy eyes, sneezing, or a runny nose.
This is your bodys way of trying to force out the invader. But sometimes, this same reaction affects your lungs, causing coughing and wheezing. Thats allergic asthma.
If you know your allergy triggers, you can avoid them, says Julie Ellis, MD. Dr. Ellis is a pediatric urgent care specialist at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. The best way to do this: Talk to your doctor. They may decide allergy testing is necessary. The most common test is a skin test. Your doctor will prick the skin on your back or arms with small doses of certain allergens to see which ones cause a reaction.
If you test positive for allergies, there are therapies that can treat both allergies and asthma. These include:
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What Does Asthma Remission Look Likeand Can You Flare After Being In Remission
According to the NIH study, the small number of people who see their asthma completely clear up never experience asthma symptoms again, nor do they need required inhaled treatments. Other adults simply see their asthma symptoms become more and more infrequent, Dr. Li says. The diagnosis may stay with the patient as they are at risk of a recurrence of the symptoms, but they may not need daily controller therapy if their symptoms are intermittent or are mild, she explains.
And sometimes, even in those who have technically experienced asthma remission, symptoms may reappear, according to a 2003 paper published in Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine. The paper also shares that some adults can start to experience asthmatic symptoms even if they havent suffered from any since childhood.
Overall though, little is known about who is likely to see remission and who will likely need to stay on an asthma treatment for the rest of their life, so its a good idea to keep in contact with an asthma specialist and talk at length with them before quitting any treatments. according to Dr. Li. My best advice is to see a specialist and understand what type of asthma , she says. From there, with appropriate therapy and follow-up, that persons asthma action plan tailored.
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Everyday Treatment For Asthma In Children
The main aims of day-to-day asthma treatment are to:
- keep symptoms under control
- keep lungs as healthy as possible
- stop asthma from interfering with school or play
- help your child enjoy a full and active life.
Your doctor will help you to develop a plan to manage your childs asthma which will include an asthma action plan , and will prescribe the correct medication to help you do so.
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Can You Smoke Kratom Interactions With Other Smoking Products
What happens when someone consumes kratom together with cigarettes? What about weed? Are these combinations safe? Do they enhance the experience, detract from it, or is the effect neutral? We have researched the experiences of people who have written about their experiences, and compiled a short summary of what seems to be the consensus opinion, as well as other less common experiences:
Can Asthma Reappear In Adults After Disappearing Years Ago
Asthma is usually diagnosed in childhood. In many patients however, the symptoms will disappear or are significantly reduced after puberty. After age 20, symptoms may begin to reappear.
Researchers have tracked this tendency for reappearing asthma and found that people with childhood asthma tend to experience reappearing symptoms through their 30s and 40s at various levels of severity.
Regardless of whether your asthma is active, you should continue to avoid your known triggers and keep your rescue medications or prescriptions up-to-date and handy in case you need them.
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What Can Cause Asthma To Come Back
Asthma is a lung disease that makes breathing difficult. It happens when a persons airways become inflamed and narrow. Airway inflammation can lead to asthma symptoms. Treatments like nebulizers, inhalers, and medications help people with asthma breathe better. But sometimes asthma comes back. Why does this happen? An asthma flare-up can occur in a person who has asthma for a few reasons: 1. Too much exercise or outside allergens . 2. Allergic reactions to certain medications . 3. Diseases, infections, or irritants that cause the airways to swell, such as a cold or flu, gastroesophageal reflux disease , or acid reflux. 4. Smoke or other irritants that trigger asthma symptoms. You can prevent or reduce asthma flares by avoiding the things that trigger your asthma symptoms. Avoid any potential triggers that are known to you, including: smoke animal dander peanut or other allergies dust pollen changes in humidity or temperature cold air or a draft or anything that makes your throat or mouth itch, cough, or wheeze..
Q: What Increases Your Risk For Adult
A: Most childhood asthma disappears in adulthood. But having childhood asthma increases your risk of a relapse in your 30s or 40s. Other factors that increase the risk of adult-onset asthma include:
- Being overweight or obese: A low level of physical activity, changes in lung physiology and higher levels of inflammation are among several factors at play.
- Being female: Hormonal fluctuations in pregnancy and menopause can trigger asthma.
- Allergens: Cats, cigarette smoke, chemicals, mold or dust can trigger asthma.
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The Tricky Thing About Asthma
- By Monique Tello, MD, MPH, Contributor
In mid-January, health headlines announced that nearly one-third of adults diagnosed with asthma dont actually have this respiratory condition at all. This announcement appeared everywhere from Fox News Health to the Chicago Tribune.
As a primary care doc, a medical writer, and an asthma sufferer, I was very skeptical of these dramatic announcements, and with good reason. An editorial that accompanied this study provides important perspective that suggests the news headlines were exaggerated and misleading.
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