Symptoms
Asthma causes narrowing and obstruction of the airways, which manifests itself in symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, a feeling of tightness, sounds when breathing out, and wheezing (whistling, rattling, rattling). The bronchi become constricted and a thick mucus forms. The disorders occur episodically and frequently at night and early in the morning, leading to sleep disturbances and limiting the quality of life. Asthma varies from individual to individual and may be intermittent or persistent. Bronchoconstriction can be severe enough to be life-threatening.
Causes
Asthma is characterized by airway narrowing, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and chronic inflammation. Major factors contributing to its development include heredity, allergies, and viral infections. Other known risk factors include:
- Irritants in the workplace
- Smoking, passive smoking
- Pollution
- Obesity
- Gender
Bronchial hypersensitivity (hyperresponsiveness) means that the bronchi constrict in response to certain otherwise harmless triggers, such as physical exertion, irritants, or allergens.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis is made under medical care. The typical symptoms give a good indication of the presence of the disease. The diagnosis is confirmed with a physical examination and measurements of lung function. Additional allergy tests can provide insight into possible triggers and causes.
Nonpharmacologic treatment
- Known triggers, such as allergens, irritants, and stress, should be avoided if possible.
- Regular progress control in medical treatment.
- Asthma diary with peak flow meter
- Sports and exercise
- Reduce excess weight
- Breathing technique
- Relaxation techniques for stress-induced asthma
- Good training of patients
Drug treatment
Asthma is not yet curable. Today, however, it is possible to control the symptoms with medication comparatively well. Basically, a distinction is made between drugs that quickly relieve acute symptoms and those that can be used to control the disease in the long term. The first group includes, for example, short-acting beta2-sympathomimetics such as salbutamol (Ventolin, generics), and the second group includes inhaled glucocorticoids such as budesonide (Pulmicort, generics). For detailed information, see the article Antiasthmatics.
