Asthma is a medical condition narrows and swells your airways. It can produce extra mucus, causing the patient to have a shortness of breath because the airways are blocked. Asthma can vary in severity. It can be very dangerous and kill a person in an asthma attack, which it did to my grandfather; but it can also be very minor, maybe just a small cough and skipping a breath. Asthma is not a condition that can be cured, but over time, you can control it and prevent anything serious from happening. If not controlled, it can go out of hand and cause deadly asthma attacks.
What are Airways?
Airways are pipes or tubes that bring the air to the lungs. Asthmatic airways are usually the bronchioles which are connected to the bronchus and brings air to alveolar sacs, exchanging carbon dioxide for oxygen.
4 Categories/Levels of Asthma:
- Mild intermittent
- Mild persistent
- Moderate persistent
- Severe persistent
Causes:
- Allergens (allergic reaction to something)
- Respiratory illnesses (cold/flu)
- Cold
- Irritants (substances in the air that irritate your airways e.g. dust/sawdust/chemicals)
- Medications
- Stress
- Preservatives
- Possibly inherited
Symptoms:
- Coughing
- Difficulty Breathing
- Shortness of Breath
- Wheezing
- Chest Tightness
- Chest Pain
Diagnosis:
- Physical scans (checking how much air is flowing through)
- X-Rays
- Allergy Tests
- Methacholine Tests
Treatment:
- Inhaler
- Oral Medication
- Allergy Medication
Prevention:
- Clean house (prevent dust or mold spores to get into your airways)
- Cover nose and mouth if cold or air quality is bad outside
- Avoid animals that shed a lot of fur
- Use A/C so outside pollen and dirt won't get in
No comments:
Post a Comment