Allergy, Asthma & Sinus Center of Tuscaloosa

Asthma

Asthma is a disease affecting millions of Americans. It can develop at any age. The primary components are closing of the airway which makes breathing difficult and inflammation of the airway which makes the asthma unstable and can cause scarring of the lungs.

In its classic form, the primary symptoms of asthma are wheezing and difficulty breathing. However, coughing occurring at night or with exercise is a much more common manifestation of the disease. One form of asthma involves only a cough with no chest discomfort but still has the inflammation and scarring found in the more conventional form. Frequent bronchitis or chest colds or shortness of breath with activity are also common. Unfortunately, many people adapt to asthma so that they seem to have little discomfort and few symptoms even though their lung function is profoundly decreased.

Many people with allergies or who have had eczema or atopic dermatitis as a child also suffer with asthma. Because of this, uncontrolled allergies may contribute to poor control of asthma. Other factors include exposure to smoke and fumes, weather changes, and cold air. In a few cases, unusual conditions such as alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency (diagnosed by a blood test) may be causing the problem. Since these are treated differently from regular asthma, it is important to be sure of the diagnosis.

Appropriate treatment of asthma is important to help avoid asthma attacks and the damage that asthma can do to the lungs if left untreated. Treatments can be varied, but usually include an inhaled steroid and some form of bronchodilator. For those individuals who are also allergic, allergy shots may be a major help in controlling asthma. The good news for asthmatics today is that their asthma can usually be well controlled by undertaking reasonable measures.

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