Asthma: Symptoms and Treatment Options

A chronic lung disease, asthma leads to inflammation and narrowing of the airways. It also causes chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing and periods of wheezing. The coughing can occur early in the morning or during the night. Asthma mostly starts during childhood and impacts people of all ages.

People who suffer from asthma suffer from inflamed airways which are tubes that carry air into and out of your lungs. The airways among asthma sufferers are sensitive and swollen. They also tend to be extremely sensitive to certain substances that are inhaled. Reaction of the airways causes the muscles also to tighten. This leads to less flow of air to your lungs. The swelling can get worse and make the airways even narrower. Cells present in the airways can also lead to more than normal mucus secretion.

Symptoms
Symptoms can form when the airways become irritated. While in some cases symptoms can be mild, in other cases it can be acute. When symptoms get more severe or when it is accompanied by other symptoms, it is called an asthma attack. You must treat symptoms as soon as they occur. This will help prevent a severe asthma attack. Severe asthma attacks may become fatal and call for immediate medical attention.

Treatment
It is not possible to cure asthma. It is a condition that can flare up at any time. But with improved medical advancement it is possible to manage the disease. People with these symptoms can be helped to lead normal, active lives and sleep without disturbance also.

You must manage your disease by building better contact with your doctor and having periodical check ups. You must also take care to be away from potential triggers which can flare up this condition. You must also avoid all foods/things which can make your condition worse. Getting regular check ups with your doctor can also help you avoid this problem to some extent.