What is Asthma?

Asthma is a commonly misunderstood medical condition with many superstitious beliefs that Asthma is a manifestation of demons or bad spirits. Medical experts however, say that Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airway in which there is mucosal swelling and a rise in bronchial secretions resulting in breathlessness. Predisposing factors include genetics of the individual, weather, occupation (miners) and infection of the respiratory tract by viral microorganisms.

Types of asthma include the following:
-Extrinsic asthma, which is a reaction to inhaled allergies like dust, animal dander and pollen.
-Intrinsic asthma where there is no initiating allergy and is secondary to viral infection.
-Drug induced asthma where there is hypersensitivity reaction after taking certain drugs like aspirin.
-Exercise induced asthma.
-Occupational asthma caused by inhalation of industrial fumes, dust and gases. Symptoms manifest weeks to years after initial exposure.

Asthma can show itself through a cough, which is productive due to increased bronchial secretions and difficulties in breathing because of a narrowed airway. A wheezing sound when breathing is the usual tell-tell sign of an asthma attack.

Being a chronic condition, the best way to deal with Asthma it to manage it so as to reduce incidents of an attack. Such measures environmental control, complimentary therapy and drug therapy. Environmental therapy is ensuring that the asthmatic individual avoids coming into contact with allergies that may trigger an asthmatic attack. Such measures include:

• Use of allergen proof bedding
• Washing of bed linen in warm water regularly
• Avoiding stuffed animals and household pets like cats and dogs
• Leaving the house while it is being cleaned
• Avoiding upholstered furniture, carpets and drapery
• Avoiding rapid temperature changes

Complimentary therapy includes regular aerobic exercises, yoga, acupuncture and other herbal preparations. This help in making your body health and fit, thereby reducing the severity of an attack.

With drug therapy, bronchodilators are administered. These help in improving airflow in and out of the lungs. The bronchodilators are administered intravenously, intradermally, as nebulisers for fast relief and as oral drugs (tablets) for long term treatment.

To best deal with asthma medical professionals advise asthma patients to learn to manage their condition by identifying what triggers an attack, learning breathing techniques like pursed lip breathing, understanding the importance of environmental control in preventing attacks and keeping health habits. In the case of an attack it is not advisible to take unprescribed medicine, instead the best thing would be to get the attention of a qualified medical professional.