In our daily lives we say a lot of time that "we don't have the time to breathe as well" for most of us its just a casual line to show how busy we are but for some people this line is a bitter truth reagrding their health. They actually can't breathe properly and sometimes asthma attacks become so severe that it can cause the death of an asthma patient.
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Asthma is a long term non communicable disease where a person feels breathlessness this is often worse at night or during exercise. This happens because the air passages in the lungs become narrow due to inflammation and tightening of the muscles around the small airways.
Asthma affected an estimated 262 million people in 2019 (1) and caused 455 000 deaths.
Most asthma-related deaths occur in low- and lower-middle-income countries, where under-diagnosis and under-treatment is a challenge.
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FACTORS WHICH CAN INCREASE SOMEONE'S LIKELIHOOD TO DEVELOP ASTHMA-
1. Due to tobacco smoke even before birth if a woman smokes during pregnancy the unborn child is likely to develop asthma.
2. Allergic reactions like skin allergies or food allergies or allergic rhinitis (hay fever)
3. It can be due family history of asthma hence can be inherited.
4. High level pollution can also cause asthma.
5. People or children with obesity are at the higer risk to develop asthma.
6. Some types of airways infection at a very young age.
7. Due to excessive stress and anger issues.
8.Other common triggers that can make asthma symptoms worse include viral infections (colds), dust, smoke, fumes, changes in the weather, grass and tree pollen, animal fur and feathers, strong soaps and perfume.
SYMPTOMS
1. Frequent coughing.
2. A wheezing sound while exhaling.
3. Breathlessness even after doing lighter jobs or during sleep.
4. Chest congestion or tightness.
5. Delayed recovery of bronchitis after respiratory infection.
6. Fatigue
Its sometimes difficult to tell whether these symptoms are due to asthma or not but if these symptoms lasts for longer period of time then there is a mandatory need to visit a specialized doctor.
COMPLICATIONS DUE TO ASTHMA
1. Permanent damage to lungs.
2. Cause chest pain
3. Disturbs sleep cycle
4. Lowers the concentration power
5. Interferes in sports and other adventurous activities.
ASTHMA ATTACKS!!!
If you have asthma, the inside walls of the airways in your lungs can become inflamed and swollen. In addition, membranes in your airway linings may secrete excess mucus. The result is an asthma attack. During an asthma attack, your narrowed airways make it harder to breathe, and you may cough and wheeze.
In that time there is an urgent need to see a doctor and get the required treatment.
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Here in this picture we can see how the mucus and the thickened walls around the airways has blocked the pathway of air to enter into the alveoli in this case severe asthma attack takes place.
TREATMENT
1. Use of prescribed inhaler.
2. Use of tablets like LTRAs, theophylline if inhalers alone can't help in controlling the symptoms.
3. Injections and surgeries like bronchial thermoplasty required in rare cases if the problem of asthma deteriorates.
The main injections are-
benralizumab (Fasenra)
omalizumab (Xolair)
mepolizumab (Nucala)
reslizumab (Cinqaero)
These medicines are known as biologic therapies.
OTHER THERAPIES-
1. Breathing exercises like papworth and buteyko method.
2. Acupuncture
3. Homeopathy
4. Yoga
5. Meditation to reduce anger and stress.
People with asthma and their families need education to understand more about their asthma, their treatment, triggers to avoid, and how to manage their symptoms at home. It is also important to raise community awareness to reduce the myths and stigma associated with asthma in some settings.
WHO is committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of asthma to reduce the global burden of NCDs and make progress towards universal health coverage.
WHO is committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of asthma to reduce the global burden of NCDs and make progress towards universal health coverage.
If proper treatment, regular checkups and medication is taken along with self care and healthy lifestyle symptoms of asthma can be controlled to a great extend. Let's not allow asthma stop us from living our lives to the fullest.
Reference -
1 www.who.int
2 www.webmd.com
3 www.mayoclinic.org
4 www.healthline.com
5 www.clevelandclinic.org
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