By: Moshe Jerasi 6th Hour Asthma By: Moshe Jerasi 6th Hour

What is Asthma? Asthma is a chronic lung disorder that causes airways (the tubes that carry air into and out of the lungs) to become inflamed, which means that they swell and produce lots of thick mucus. The word "asthma" originates from the Greek meaning short of breath, meaning that any patient with breathlessness was asthmatic. By the late nineteenth century, physicians adopted the view that asthma was a distinct disease which had a specific set of causes, clinical consequences, and requirements for treatment.

Who Does Asthma Affect? Asthma often starts in childhood and is more common in children than in adults. Still, asthma affects people of all ages .In childhood, boys have twice the rate of asthma as girls, but they are more likely to grow out of it. However, the rates reverse once girls reach puberty. In adulthood, more women suffer from asthma than men. Women in the age group twenty to fifty are especially affected.

Symptoms of Asthma A few symptoms of asthma are coughing, wheezing, tightness, pain, or pressure in chest, and shortness of breath. Still, not every person with asthma has the same symptoms in the same way. You may not have all these symptoms, or you may have different symptoms at different times. Your asthma symptoms may also vary from one asthma attack to the next, being mild during one and severe during another.

Asthma Triggers Substances that cause allergies (allergens) can trigger asthma. If you inhale something you are allergic to, you may experience asthma symptoms. Common allergens that cause allergic asthma include dust mites, pollen, molds, rodents, smoke from cigarettes, and dust particles in the air.

Treatments for Asthma Asthma treatment can vary from inhalers, oral medications, drugs delivered in a nebulizer, or breathing machine. An asthma inhaler is a handheld device that delivers medication straight into your lungs. Anti-inflammatory drugs work by reducing inflammation, swelling, and mucus production in the airways of a person with asthma. As a result, the airways are less inflamed and less likely to react to asthma triggers, allowing people with symptoms of asthma have better control over their condition.

Prevention of An Asthma Attack It is best to avoid or limit contact with known allergens to decrease or prevent asthma episodes. The best ways to avoid asthma attack is identify and avoid asthma triggers, Monitor breathing, Identify and treat attacks early, and Take your medication as prescribed.

Living With Asthma People with asthma have to keep an inhaler handy incase of an attack. Asthma may prevent some people from participating in certain activities, especially sports. Nearly 60 percent of asthmatics limit their physical activity because of asthma symptoms. But the disease not only affects specific individuals but also society.

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