Asthma

May is the asthma month. May be because this is the month when asthma is more cruel for its victims. One of the reasons may be that it is after harvesting month. After harvesting there would be more pollutants or allergens or triggers rove in the air. These pollutants are the main cause of asthma. As you know Panjab- Hariyana are the major supplier of India’s food grains, so are they major asthma hit areas. It is because of the allergens, which are result of harvesting.

What is Asthma?

Asthma is an inflammatory disorder of the airways, which causes attack of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. It is also known as Bronchial asthma; Exercise-induced asthma, etc.

Asthma is caused by inflammation in the airways. When an asthma attack occurs, the muscles surrounding the airways become tight and the lining of the air passages swell. This reduces the amount of passing air, and can lead to wheezing sounds.

Most asthma patients have wheezing attacks in among periods of symptom-free time. Some patients have long-periods shortness of breath. In others, a cough would be the main symptom. Asthma attacks can last from minutes to days and can become dangerous if the airflow becomes severely constrained.

Asthma symptoms can be triggered in sensitive persons, by breathing in allergy-causing substances, which are called allergens or triggers. These triggers include pet dander, dust mites, cockroach allergens, molds, or pollens and hay dust. Asthma symptoms can be triggered by respiratory infections, exercise, chilly air, and smoke by tobacco, other pollutants, stress, foods, or drug allergies. Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDS) may provoke asthma in some patients.

Most asthma patients have family history of allergy, such as hay fever (allergic rhinitis) or eczema. Some have no history of any allergy.

Myths about asthma

There are some common myths about asthma. Such as, asthma is all in the mind. You will grow out of it. Asthma is not serious disease and nobody dies from it. You can catch asthma from someone who has it. Going to a different place, like desert, can cure asthma. People with asthma should not exercise. Asthma would be best controlled if you follow an asthma management plan designed by your doctor, include the medications used for quick relief and maintenance treatment. Medicines used to treat asthma is habit forming. Asthma can provoke episodes anytime you want to get attention.

Actually asthma is not a psychological condition. However, emotional triggers can flare-ups the cause. You cannot outgrow asthma. In about 50% of child patients of asthma, the condition may become inactive in the teenage years. But these symptoms may reoccur anytime in adulthood. There is no cure for asthma, even there is a saying in Hindi damaa dam ke sath jata hai (asthma goes only by last breath), but the disease can be controlled in most patients with good medical care. The condition should be taken seriously, because uncontrolled asthma may result even in the death. Asthma is not contagious. The new environment may temporarily improve asthma symptoms, but it will not cure asthma. After a few years many people become sensitized to the new environment and the asthma symptoms return with the same or even greater intensity than before. Swimming is one of the best exercises for asthma patients. On the other hand, exercising in dry, cold air may be a trigger for asthma in some people. Asthma cannot be controlled by any asthma management plan. Asthma medications are not addictive. Asthma attacks cannot be faked. In rare cases, there is a psychological condition which is known as various names (factious asthma, spastic dysphonia, globus hystericus) where emotional issues may cause symptoms that imitate asthmatic symptoms.

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Next week about symptoms and treatment and other useful information