Know the Facts About Asthma

Know the Facts About Asthma

If you or a loved one suffers from asthma, here are answers to some of the most common questions about the condition:

What causes asthma?

In many cases, patients are born with asthma. Often, children’s asthma improves after puberty, but it can return in later life. Some patients develop asthma during adulthood, perhaps due to an acute lung infection like pneumonia or bronchitis, or due to exposure to noxious chemicals. In some cases, however, asthma has no apparent cause.

What treatment options are available?

Asthma is treated with various inhaled medications, and treatment is based on the frequency of symptoms. If a patient is having symptoms at night or more than once a week, they are usually placed on a daily medicine to prevent and control asthma symptoms. For acute asthma symptoms, patients are normally instructed to use a rescue inhaler to help open their airways and allow them to relax. In addition, patients also may be placed on medications for allergies, postnasal drip and heartburn.

Are there ways to avoid or minimize attacks?

Using inhalers appropriately; minimizing exposure to triggers like smoke, dust and other allergens; and monitoring your symptoms are a few ways to minimize the frequency and severity of attacks. In addition, therapies may need to be escalated with changes of season, so it’s important to talk to your physician about preventive options.