ASTHMA

Asthma is an inflammatory disorder of the airways, which causes attacks of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing.
When an asthma attack occurs, the muscles surrounding the airways become tight and the lining of the air passages swell. This reduces the amount of air that can pass by, and can lead to wheezing sounds. . Asthma attacks can last minutes to days and can become dangerous if the airflow becomes severely restricted.

Causes
Asthma symptoms can be triggered by breathing in allergy-causing substances (called allergens or triggers). Triggers include pet dander, dust mites, cockroach allergens, molds, or pollens. Asthma symptoms can also be triggered by respiratory infections, exercise, cold air, tobacco smoke and other pollutants, stress, food, or drug allergies.

Symptoms
• Wheezing
o Usually begins suddenly
o Comes in episodes
o May be worse at night or in early morning
o Gets worse with cold aira, exercise, and heartburn (reflux)
o May go away on its own
o Is relieved by bronchodilators (drugs that open the airways)
• Cough with or without phlegm production
• Shortness of breath that gets worse with exercise or activity
• Intercostal retractions (pulling of the skin between the ribs when breathing)

Emergency symptoms
• Extreme difficulty breathing
• Bluish color to the lips and face
• Severe anxiety due to shortness of breath
• Rapid pulse
• Sweating
• Decreased level of alertness, such as severe drowsiness or confusion, during an asthma attack
• Nasal flaring
• Chest pain
• Tightness in the chest
• Abnormal breathing pattern --breathing out takes more than twice as long as breathing in
• Breathing temporarily stops

Treatment
Treatment is to avoid known allergens and respiratory irritants and controlling symptoms and airway inflammation through medication. Always carry your medication on you.
There are basic kinds of medication (bronchodilators) for the treatment of asthma: inhalers such as Ventolin. Take two puffs before exercising to reduce an attack.
If no medication is at hand, send for help. Then get the asthmatic to sit on a chair and calm down the “patient” – get patient to breath slowly, talking calmly and psych patient.

References:
www.healthline.com/channel/asthma
www.buteyko.com



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