About

Asthma is becoming more and more of a health problem in many people’s lives.  For the majority of us, asthma has been apart of our lives one way or another, even if we do not have the condition ourselves.  We may know of someone who has this chronic disease, like a family member, relative, or friend.  This disease effects 20 million Americans.  This is a burden on our nation.  Asthma is a disease of the lungs that cause the airways to become blocked or narrowed.

There are two types of asthmas: allergic and non-allergic.  Allergic asthma is a condition of asthma that is triggered by inhaling certain allergen triggers (dust mites, pollen, etc.) This is the most common type of asthma.  Non-allergic asthma has the same, similar symptoms but is triggered by other factors such as anxiety, stress, exercise, etc.  Chronic lung disease is characterized by 3 main airway problems: Inflammation, Obstruction, and Hyper-responsiveness.  Inflammation occurs due to fact that the lining of the airways become swollen.  Obstruction of the airways is in consequence of a thick mucus.  The muscles around the airways often tighten and make the airways narrower. Some of the major symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, coughing at night or after physical activity (cough lasts more than a week), and waking at night with asthma symptoms.  Although there is not a cure for asthma, it can be effectively managed and controlled.  Some of these preventative methods can be presented to you by your physician.  With your physician, you can effectively discuss an asthma management plan and find ways to reduce exposures to those allergens triggers.