Asthma

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects 300 million people worldwide, and 20.3 million people in the United States. It accounts for approximately 14.5 million missed work days for adults and 14 million missed school days for children annually. Its primary cause is inflamed airways in the lungs. This inflammation makes the airways smaller, which makes it more difficult for air to move in and out of the lungs. For people who have asthma, the air flowing in and out of their lungs may be blocked by muscle swelling and squeezing. Symptoms of asthma include cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath and wheezing. Asthma is the most common serious disease among children. Nine million children in the United States are affected by asthma.

Many people have "allergic asthma," which means that allergens - like dust mites, mold, animal dander, pollen and cockroaches - make their symptoms worse. Approximately 70% of asthmatics have allergies.

Could You Have Asthma?

The ongoing cough you can’t get rid of could be a signal that you have asthma. Signs that you might have asthma include: coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, or chest tightness

Ask yourself these questions:

For you:

• Is there a family history of asthma or allergies?
• Are you constantly short of breath and wheezing?
• When do you notice your symptoms – when you have a cold, when you are exercising or around allergens, such as pollen, mold and animal dander?
• Are you missing work because of symptoms?
• Is coughing and wheezing keeping you up at night?

For your child:

• Does your child cough, wheeze (a rattling sound when they breathe), have chest tightness or shortness of breath?
• Does your child cough or wheeze with play, exercise, laughter or during temper tantrums?
• Is your child missing school because of symptoms?
• Is coughing and wheezing keeping your child up at night?
• Is there a family history of asthma or allergies?  

Asthma Statistics:

• About 70% of asthmatics also have allergies.
• The prevalence of asthma increased 75% from 1980-1994.
• Approximately 40% of children who have asthmatic parents will develop asthma.
• A study done in 2007 showed that 29% of children who had food allergy also had asthma.

Common triggers of adult asthma include:

• Pregnancy: Uncontrolled asthma can harm the health of a mother and her baby.
• Work situations: Fumes, gases or dust that are inhaled at work can trigger asthma.
• Age: Older people with asthma face unique health challenges.
• Exercise: Some people may have asthma symptoms when they exercise.
• Medications: Medications like aspirin and ibuprofen, or beta-blockers (used to treat heart disease, high blood pressure, migraine headaches or glaucoma), may cause an asthma attack in some adults.

Uncontrolled EIA limits physical activity

People with exercise-induced asthma (EIA)/exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) may not be able to participate in physical activities if it is not properly controlled.

About 20 million Americans suffer from asthma. In addition, many non-asthmatic patients, up to 13% of the population, experience asthma symptoms with exercise.

If someone is experiencing symptoms of EIA, it is important for them to be properly diagnosed by an allergist/immunologist to make sure it is not something more serious. Dr. Gomez Dinger will be able to treat the patient’s EIA with proper medications and will also address other issues to ensure the person can participate in sports and exercise to their fullest capacity.

EIA is caused by airways that are overly sensitive to sudden changes in temperature and humidity, especially when breathing colder, drier air. During physical activity, people tend to breathe through their mouths, allowing the cold, dry air to reach the lower airways without passing through the warming, humidifying effect of the nose.

Symptoms of EIA include wheezing, chest tightness, coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath and fatigue. These symptoms can be controlled with proper medication and guidance.

Inhaled medications taken prior to exercise are helpful in controlling and preventing exercise-induced bronchospasm. The medication of choice in preventing EIA symptoms is a short-acting beta 2 agonist bronchodilator spray used 15 minutes before exercise. These medications are effective in 80 to 90 percent of patients, have a rapid onset of action, and last for up to four to six hours. These drugs can also be used to relieve symptoms associated with EIA after they occur.

In addition to medications, a warm-up period of activity before exercise may lessen the chest tightness that occurs after exertion. A warm-down period, including stretching and jogging after strenuous activity, may prevent air in the lungs from changing rapidly from cold to warm, and may prevent EIA symptoms that occur after exercise.

Every person has their own asthma triggers. If you have asthma, you can minimize your symptoms by avoiding the factors that trigger your symptoms. If you are experiencing symptoms and they are keeping you from work, school or normal activities, you should schedule an appointment with Dr Gomez Dinger.