Asthma

Asthma is a disease that affects nearly 20 million Americans. It is also the most common serious chronic disease of childhood, affecting 9 million children in the United States. More Americans than ever before are suffering from asthma. It is one of this country's most common and costly diseases. Although there is no cure for asthma, it can be managed with proper prevention and treatment.

Asthma is a disease of the lungs in which the airways become blocked or narrowed primarily due to inflammation, thereby causing breathing difficulties. The most characteristic features of asthma include cough, wheezing , shortness of breath, and chest tightness. However, chronic cough (especially at night) or recurrent bronchitis may be the only symptom an asthmatic may experience. Asthma symptoms triggered by exercise, allergens or irritants that are inhaled into to the lungs, resulting in inflamed, clogged and constricted airways.

Asthma is a potentially life-threatening lung disease. Fortunately it can usually be controlled and managed with medicine, thus preventing acute asthmatic attacks and limiting or even preventing any eventual lung damage. Every case of asthma is different and the disease can take many forms. So, each person's treatment needs to be different, too. The treatment of asthma is not as simple as taking a puff of your rescue inhaler when wheezing starts, as some patients assume. Every patient deserves a customized plan tailored to their specific needs.

Many people with asthma only think about it when they are having an attack and only use their rescue inhaler for relief of symptoms. Treating asthma only by using a rescue inhaler really does not address the underlying disease. Patients must acknowledge that asthma is a disease of chronic nature. Trying to prevent attacks from occurring may also require the use of some daily maintenance medicines, either in the form of pills or sprays. Although asthma cannot be cured, it can be managed and controlled with medications. Your healthcare provider can work with you to formulate a plan to manage your asthma.

Remember, you can control the impact asthma has on your life by following your asthma plan consistently!