Educate Yourself
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic disease described as repeated attacks of breathlessness and wheezing. These symptoms can vary in strength and how often they take place for each person. People with asthma have airways that can become narrow more easily than people who do not have asthma. The causes for this are unknown. Although there is no cure for asthma, it can be controlled.
Each person with asthma can react differently to different things, so finding out what affects you is a major step toward learning how to prevent an asthma episode (attack). Common triggers include:
- Allergens (e.g. dust mites, pet dander, and pollen)
- Tobacco smoke
- Air pollution
- Triggers in the car
- Viral infections
- Exercise
- Strong emotions
- Strong odors (chemical irritants)
- Some drugs (such as aspirin and some heart medications)
The most common asthma symptoms are:
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Tightness in the chest
A visit to your health care provider is the first and most important step you can take to determine if you have asthma. Your health care provider will:
- Take a medical history
- Give you a physical exam. You may also be checked for wheezing and breathing difficulties.
- Order certain laboratory tests, if needed.
If it is determined you have asthma, the next step is to work with your health care provider to develop a maintenance and treatment plan. With proper treatment asthma can be controlled.