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If
you suffer from asthma, or someone dear to you does, you need
to learn more about it. This booklet has been written specially
for you.
Like you, many people suffer from asthma. But, with advice
from your doctor, you can lead a full,
normal and active life.
Over the last 20 years, important advances have been
made in understanding asthma. New therapies have been developed
that can help you enjoy life to the full. Therapies that are simple,
effective, and safe – to a degree never possible before.
Parents of children who suffer from asthma will be especially
happy to know that their children can enjoy largely symptom-free life, alongside normal children.
This
booklet tries to cover most aspects of asthma, including the
various triggers that might cause the symptoms. It looks at
the modern asthma treatments available, as well as the importance
of preventive care.
It aims to give you the essential facts on asthma and its
treatment. Above all, to advise you that with guidance from
your doctor, you can lead a happy and more fulfilling life.
A short booklet like
this cannot tell you everything about asthma. It is a valuable
general guide and not a substitute for medical advice. Only
your doctor can judge which treatment will suit you best.
This thing called asthma
Asthma is a condition
that affects the lungs. People with asthma usually have difficulty
in breathing, and often cough a lot. This is because the airways
– the pipes that take air to your lungs when you breathe
– become narrower than usual. This may be caused by the
tightening of the muscles in the walls of the airways, a swelling
in the linings of the airways and by sticky mucus blocking
them up. This makes it harder for the air to go in and out
of your lungs, so you have difficulty in breathing.
Asthma is common. It can start any age. Men and women, young
and old, people of all races and nationalities can develop
asthma. Asthma tends to run in families, but sometimes it
skips several generations, so not everyone in the family is
affected. About half of all children who have asthma grow
out of it.
The good news for everyone with asthma is that it can be treated.
In fact, it can be treated so well that you can lead a completely
normal life. It is important to realize that with regular
medication, asthmatics can enjoy a life that is as fulfilling
and active as anyone else.
Symptoms to look out for
The
main symptoms
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The
main symptoms of asthma are cough, wheezing, tightness
in the chest and shortness of breath. Wheezing –
a whistling sound when you breathe – is easy to recognize,
and everybody associates it with asthma. Breathlessness and
tightness in the chest are also quite obvious and well recognized
as asthma symptoms.
Other
Symptoms
Disturbed
sleep – Asthma symptoms are variable and tend to
be worse at night or in the early hours of the morning. If
coughing at night wakes you up, asthma is one of the most
likely causes.
Breathlessness
when exercising – When people with asthma exercise,
they may cough or wheeze and get more breathless than other
people. They also become more breathless after they have stopped
exercising. This is typical of asthma.
Cough
and Cold – Everybody gets a cold. But an asthma patient
keeps coughing and feeling breathless even after the cold
has cleared up. Many people automatically think, ‘cough,
therefore chest infection’. This is not true. In fact,
asthma is one of the most common causes of a recurrent cough.
These symptoms vary from person to person and from time to
time in the same person. Some people have all the symptoms,
while others may have only a cough or wheezing.
Some
things that could start an asthma attack
Certain things tend to bring on symptoms of asthma. They are
called ‘asthma triggers’. You can help yourself
by avoiding these triggers. It is likely that there will be
more than one trigger that causes your asthma.
Certain studies have revealed
that :
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