By Laura A. Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Asthma is often considered a condition of childhood. Yet of the estimated 30 million people in the United States with asthma, more than 70 percent are adults. Asthma has a profound effect on those who have it, as well as those who are providing care for someone with the condition.
While research hasn’t yet given us the answer to the question of what causes it, modern medicine has given us the ability to better understand asthma and offered us valuable insights into how to treat and prevent asthma attacks. Even so, the facts remain that unrecognized, untreated, and severe asthma attacks can still be fatal.
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), genetics may play a role in developing asthma. NHLBI states, “New research suggests that being exposed to things like tobacco smoke, infections, and some allergens early in your life may increase your chances of developing asthma.”
While asthma affects all races, African Americans are more likely than other ethnic groups to die from the disease.
Asthma Treatment
Although there is no cure for asthma, if you’re caring for an asthmatic you can take steps to control it, reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks, and significantly increase your loved one’s quality of life.
Asthma Causes & Triggers
Asthma is a chronic lung disease associated with varying degrees of inflammation and swelling of the airways. For some people who have asthma, this can mean severe and recurrent reactions to certain triggers or allergens. Increased airway inflammation can quickly cause a chain reaction that causes the airways to narrow and reduce air flow to the lungs. This can cause difficulty breathing and shortness of breath, and symptoms such as coughing and wheezing.
Find the Foes — Identify Asthma’s Irritants
Most asthma attacks occur when an individual is exposed to an irritant or allergen. If you can, identify what triggers your attacks or those of your loved one. Learn how to avoid those triggers, eliminate them from your surroundings, or minimize your exposure. Common triggers include:
- Animal dander from dogs, cats and other pets
- Seasonal: pollen, trees, grass, and mold
- Cockroaches
- Household dust, dust mites, or mold
- Certain food and beverage additives
- Weather changes
- Smoke from cigarettes or outdoor pollutants
- Certain types of physical exercise
- Emotional extremes
Asthma triggers are part of everyday life. It is easy to combat some of them:
- Keep pets outdoors whenever possible to minimize pet dander in the home. Or, do not get a pet in the first place, if animal dander is known to be a trigger.
- Clean household mold with bleach or any other cleaner designed for this purpose.
- Properly vent bathrooms, kitchens and rooms with fireplaces or wood or gas stoves to let moist or “smoky” air escape.
- Enforce a “no smoking” policy for any tobacco product in your home and car(s).
- Wash bedding weekly and dry it thoroughly. For those with children wash and dry stuffed toys to eliminate dust mites.
- Vacuum carpets and furniture often to remove dust mites. Eliminate carpeting altogether in favor of hardwood or tile flooring.
Asthma: Develop an Action Plan for Care
Your doctor can and should help you create a plan to better manage your or your loved one’s asthma. If you already know what causes your asthma to “flare up,” share those triggers with your primary care doctor. If you are uncertain about the causes, consider having allergy tests done at an allergist to determine which irritants cause a reaction. Knowing the triggers will help you avoid them and breathe easier.
Talk with your doctor about medications to treat asthma, and how each medication should be used. Many medications are available that can greatly improve the quality of life of those living with asthma, but you need to know how to use them properly. Physicians commonly prescribe inhalers that contain medication for opening “congested airways” quickly and effectively. Other medications help prevent attacks in the first place. Also, ask your doctor if the severity of your loved one’s symptoms warrants wearing a medical identification bracelet.
Asthma Symptoms: Recognize & Respond to the Signs
Learning the signs associated with asthma, as well as how to react to them, provides a better chance for reducing the severity of an attack. For most asthmatics, warning signs or symptoms precede an attack. Symptoms of asthma including coughing, wheezing, or tightness in the chest. Some people may feel itchy, complain of a sore throat, or feel their breathing is more rapid at the outset of an attack. Any or all of these warning signs warrant a quick response in the form of a pre-determined asthma action plan that includes:
- Appropriate medication
- Potential involvement of your primary care physician and/or specialist, and
- A clear understanding of what to do if symptoms do not improve
As someone living with asthma or with an asthmatic loved one, it is important to be sensitive to whether the condition seems to be worsening. Keep track of how often inhalers are used to treat attacks, because increased frequency of attacks may suggest more steps should be taken to prevent them. And if an asthmatic attack requires emergency medical care, be certain to schedule a follow-up visit with your primary care doctor. Together you can achieve and maintain better control and improve quality of life for your loved one.
For more information about how you can care for a loved one with asthma, visit:
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