Feb. 1, 2010 | Nearly 150,000 adults in Arkansas, and more than 50,000 children, suffer from asthma, a chronic lung disease that occurs when the airways in the lungs become inflamed and constricted. More than 11 million people in the United States have had an asthma attack in the last year, resulting in approximately half a million hospitalizations and 10.1 million missed work days for adults. Americans will spend over 6 billion dollars this year on prescription drugs to control their asthma, with children between the ages of 5 and 17 missing more than 12 million school days as a result of the disease. If you have frequent coughs that last more than a few days or any other signs or symptoms of asthma, see your doctor as soon as possible. Treating asthma early may prevent long-term lung damage and prevent worsening of the condition over time. Good asthma control not only helps you feel better on a daily basis, but can also prevent a life-threatening asthma attack.

Feb. 1, 2010 | The symptoms of asthma range from minor to severe, and vary from person to person. You may have mild symptoms such as infrequent wheezing, with occasional asthma attacks. Between episodes you may feel normal and have no trouble breathing. Or, you may have signs such as coughing and wheezing all the time or have symptoms primarily at night or only during exercise. Other possible indications that you may have asthma include shortness of breath, tightness or pain in the chest and trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath. Asthma is common, affecting millions of adults and children. A growing number of people are diagnosed with the condition each year, but it isn’t clear why. A number of factors are thought to increase the chances of developing asthma, including a family history of asthma, exposure to secondhand smoke, being overweight and exposure to occupational triggers, such as chemicals used in farming, hairdressing and manufacturing.

Feb. 1, 2010 | An asthma attack happens in your body’s airways, which are the paths that carry air to your lungs. As the air moves through your lungs, the airways become smaller, like the branches of a tree are smaller than the tree trunk. During an asthma attack, the sides of the airways in your lungs swell and the airways shrink. Less air gets in and out of your lungs, and mucus that your body produces clogs up the airways even more. The attack may include coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, and trouble breathing. Some people call an asthma attack an episode. Asthma attacks can be triggered by a number of things. These include airborne allergens, such as pollen, animal dander, cockroaches and dust mites, cold air and certain medications, including beta blockers, aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Physical activity can produce what it called exercise-induced asthma while allergic reactions to foods such as peanuts can lead to an attack.

Feb. 1, 2010 | Asthma can be hard to diagnose, especially in children younger than 5 years of age. Regular physical checkups that include checking your lung function and checking for allergies can help your doctor or other medical professional make the right diagnosis. During a checkup, the doctor or medical professional will ask you questions about whether you cough a lot and whether your breathing problems are worse after physical activity or during a particular time of year. Doctors will also ask about other symptoms, such as wheezing and colds that last more than 10 days. They will ask you whether your family members have asthma or other breathing problems, and they will ask you questions about your home. A lung function test, called spirometry, is another way to diagnose asthma. A spirometer measures the largest amount of air you can exhale after taking a very deep breath. The spirometer can measure airflow before and after you use asthma medicine.

Feb. 1, 2010 | You can control your asthma and avoid an attack by taking your medicine exactly as your doctor tells you to do and by avoiding things that can cause an attack. Some medicines can be inhaled, and some can be taken as a pill. Asthma medicines come in two types, quick relief and long-term control. Quick-relief medicines control the symptoms of an asthma attack. If you need to use your quick-relief medicines more and more, talk to your doctor to see if you need a different medicine. Long-term control medicines help you have fewer and milder attacks, but they don’t help you if you’re having an asthma attack. Asthma medicines can have side effects, but most side effects are mild and soon go away. Ask your doctor about the side effects of your medicines. The important thing to remember is that you can control your asthma. With your doctor’s help, make your own asthma action plan so that you know what to do based on your own symptoms.