Asthma Services Asthma FAQ’s

1. What is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that makes it hard for you to breathe. Asthma causes the airways, or breathing tubes, to be very sensitive and often the airways tend to swell or become inflamed. When the airways become inflamed, the muscles around the airways tend to constrict or tighten, making it difficult for patients to breathe. Many asthmatics have airway inflammation all the time, even if they don’t have symptoms all the time. For this reason, it is important that we think of asthma as a chronic condition that flares up at times due to exposure to various “triggers”. Fortunately, we now have very effective medications that help prevent and treat asthma symptoms when they happen.

2. Who gets Asthma?

Anyone can get asthma, but it seems to run in families where there is a history of asthma, allergies or eczema. Others who are more likely to get asthma are people who were born prematurely and those with family members, especially mothers, who smoke. Asthma is more common in children than adults.

3. What are the symptoms of Asthma?

The symptoms are not the same for everyone, so it is important to know what your own warning signs are. The most common warning signs are:

• Wheezing (making a whistling sound when you breathe)
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• A tightening in the chest
• Persistent cough, often worse at night

4. What causes an asthma attack?

Exposure to certain “triggers” will cause airway narrowing and symptoms of asthma. Some common triggers include:

• Colds or sinus infections
• Indoor and outdoor allergens, like dust mites, pet dander, or pollen
• Exercise
• Irritants like cigarette smoke or fumes from paint, cleansers, etc.
• Strong emotions

Talk to your doctor and be sure you understand your asthma triggers. The first step in controlling asthma is AVOIDING asthma triggers.

5. Is there a cure for asthma?

No. Some children with asthma seem to outgrow the problem during adolescence, but it will often recur in their twenties or thirties. While asthma cannot be cured, it can almost always be well controlled with proper treatment. This means avoiding triggers and taking the correct medications.

6. What are the medicines for asthma?

There are two kinds of medicines for asthma: reliever medications to treat asthma symptoms and controller medications to prevent the symptoms. All asthmatics need to have the reliever medications available at all times. Children who have symptoms more than once or twice a week or who have frequent severe attacks also need a controller medication.

Reliever Medications: Short-acting Bronchodilators

Short-acting bronchodilators are medicines that are used when symptoms are present. They help to relax the muscles that tighten the airways, and usually relieve asthma symptoms quickly. They do not control the asthma or prevent further attacks; they only treat acute symptoms.

Controller medications

There are different types of medicines that can be used to control asthma and prevent asthma symptoms. The first of these controller medicines is a steroid medicine called an anti-inflammatory medicine. This is used every day to prevent symptoms. The anti-inflammatory medications reduce the swelling or inflammation in the airways, thus making them less reactive to the triggers and less likely to tighten or constrict. This leads to fewer and less severe asthma attacks. The second is called a long-acting bronchodilator. The long acting bronchodilators are sometimes used along with the anti-inflammatory to help keep airways open in those children with more severe asthma.

Talk with your Doctor about which medications may be helpful for your child with asthma.

7. What are the goals of asthma treatment?

Patients with asthma should have minimal symptoms, and the asthma should have little if any impact on a patient’s lifestyle. Patients should rarely, if ever, need to miss work or school because of asthma. There should be no need for trips to the urgent care clinic or the emergency room. If you are experiencing symptoms more often than two nights per month or using a reliever medicine for symptoms more often than two times per week, your asthma is not under control. Asthma should not limit your activity. Rather, we encourage exercise as this helps to strengthen the heart and lungs and will help stabilize the airways over time.

Conclusion

Good control of asthma can be achieved when you and your Doctor work as a team.  Steps will help control asthma:

• Prevent asthma attacks by avoiding triggers and by using your controller medications regularly
• Have a plan of what to do when your asthma flares
• Treat asthma symptoms quickly\
• Know when to get medical help

Seek Emergency Help

If an individual with asthma shows any of these signs or symptoms, call your Doctor immediately or call 911.

• Chest or neck pulls in during breathing
• Is hunched over with breathing difficulty
• Is struggling to breathe
• Has trouble walking or talking
• The fingernails or lips are gray or blue