Asthma is a condition that affects the airways, including the bronchi and bronchioles. When an asthmatic person comes into contact with a stimulus such as pollen from flowers and plants, the muscles in the walls of the airways are stimulated, which leads to narrowing and narrowing of the airways. The walls of the airways become red and swollen. This can be accompanied by the production of thick and sticky mucus in the walls of the airways. All of these reactions lead to further inflammation and narrowing of the airways, making it difficult to breathe, which is what is called asthma.
To explain the nature and pathogenesis of asthma, it is not a bad idea to first explain a little about how the respiratory system works and its special structure. The respiratory system is an anatomical system in the body that is designed for breathing. This system is responsible for providing oxygen to the body and removing carbon dioxide from the body. The respiratory system includes the nose, pharynx, trachea, bronchi, and two lungs.
The trachea is a tube that has cartilage rings along its length that are located between the muscles of the tracheal wall and ultimately divides into two branches, each branch entering one lung.
These branches that branch off from the trachea are called bronchi, which are themselves divided into smaller and narrower sections called bronchioles, and these small bronchioles ultimately end in air sacs called alveoli, and the alveoli are surrounded by capillaries. Different muscles are located in the structure of the tracheal wall to the alveoli that participate in the stages of breathing. The muscles of the trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles, the muscles of the chest wall, the diaphragm, and the muscles of the abdominal wall cause inhalation and exhalation by expanding and contracting.
What causes asthma?
There are various known causes of asthma attacks, the most important of which are irritants such as dust, pet dander, pollen, tobacco, cigarette smoke, polluted air, and foods such as peanut butter, shellfish, and seafood.
Other causes include infections such as colds, sinusitis, cold and dry air, emotional stress and excitement, and digestive problems such as gastroesophageal reflux. Some people experience asthma attacks after physical activity (hard exercise). Many medications such as aspirin, NSAIDs (ibuprofen, etc.) can also trigger asthma attacks.
Risk factors for asthma:
One or both parents have the disease
Smoking or exposure to cigarette smoke
Smoking during pregnancy increases the chance of having a baby with asthma.
Many of today’s modern lifestyle habits, from housekeeping to diet, crowded environments, allergic conditions such as hay fever, overweight, low birth weight
Types of Asthma:
Asthma is divided into different types depending on the causative agent. Allergic or non-allergic asthma, nocturnal asthma, occupational asthma, exercise-induced asthma, and cough-variant asthma
Allergic or extrinsic asthma occurs in response to various types of molds, pollens and fungi, dust, and animal dander.
Non-allergic asthma: This type of asthma is caused by triggers such as cigarette smoke, perfumes, fresh paint odors, air fresheners, and other environmental pollutants.
Occupational asthma: This type of asthma is seen in some workers in environments where there is a high concentration of chemical particles or specific particles (respirable particles) in the workplace. Occupational asthma is characterized by improvement following non-exposure and vacations and exacerbation following exposure and presence in the workplace.
Sports asthma: Some people experience asthma attacks while exercising. This can be caused by rapid breathing through the mouth.
Cough-variant asthma: In this type of asthma, the person experiences only a dry cough during an asthma attack that does not produce any mucus. Without showing typical asthma symptoms such as wheezing or shortness of breath.
Age of onset of asthma: Asthma can occur at any age, but its onset is often reported in children.
Some of the triggers and aggravators of asthma:
These factors vary from person to person, but in most cases, substances such as pollen, dust mites, house dust, furry or feathered animals, molds, foods such as seafood and peanuts.
Some of the triggers of non-allergic asthma include:
Respiratory infections such as colds or flu, tobacco smoke, polluted air, wood dust, chemicals, exercise, emotional stress, and medications such as NSAIDs and some digestive problems such as gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Which part of the respiratory system does asthma affect?
An asthma attack affects the airways, the bronchi and bronchioles of the respiratory system. During an asthma attack, the patient experiences pain and difficulty breathing. The walls of the airways swell and their channels narrow. The swelling of the airways is also accompanied by the production of a thick and sticky mucus, which further blocks the airways. Difficulty breathing, wheezing, and coughing are symptoms that follow this process. On the other hand, the muscles surrounding the airways also contract and spasm, which causes a feeling of tightness in the chest and pain when breathing. The most common symptoms in asthma patients include coughing, wheezing or wheezing in the chest, shortness of breath, and a feeling of tightness and tightness in the chest.
Can skin allergy tests help treat asthma?
Sometimes these tests can find the allergen that triggers asthma, but they are not very helpful, and often advice to avoid most of the triggers listed above helps to control asthma attacks better.
Some signs that asthma is getting worse:
Decreasing Peek Flow Meter indicators (a device for home monitoring of lung function that people with asthma are taught to use) Decreasing
the relevant indicators indicate worsening asthma.
Increased use of reliever medications (such as salbutamol spray)
Increased frequency of nocturnal attacks (in the form of coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness)
Inability to perform normal daily activities or regular exercise
Increased fatigue
Treatment
In fact, it should be said that there is no definitive treatment for asthma, but asthma can be well controlled with drug treatment, education, and avoidance of triggers.
In the drug treatment of asthma, the best drugs are inhaled drugs because they penetrate the lungs and bronchi in the fastest and shortest way possible and affect them. Asthma treatment drugs are actually divided into two groups: quick-acting drugs (used to control acute symptoms) and maintenance drugs (which reduce the frequency of relapses).
In addition to the faster delivery of the drug to the desired site, the use of inhaled drugs allows the patient to be under control with a lower dose of the required drug than when used systemically. In addition, because it has very little systemic absorption, it does not have systemic side effects (such as inhaled corticosteroids compared to oral injections).
Are asthma drugs habit-forming or addictive?
Not at all. These drugs only control symptoms and if you are asymptomatic, you will not feel the need for them.
In addition, these drugs do not become ineffective after long-term use and always have the same effect as the first day. If your disease is not controlled with the previous drugs, it means that you need other drugs or a different dose.
How can recurrent asthma attacks be prevented?
Correct and timely use of asthma medications
Regular visits to the treating physician to check the respiratory status and adjust the medications
Teaching the patient about the symptoms of worsening asthma and educating him/her about the patient’s lifestyle and medications
Identifying and avoiding asthma triggers
Avoiding exposure to environmental factors that cause asthma attacks in the workplace in occupational asthma
Avoiding smoking and cigarette smoke
Weight control
Complementary therapies for asthma control:
Some asthma sufferers have used and continue to use therapies such as yoga, acupuncture, homeopathy, hypnosis, and breathing techniques. Although these methods are not recommended in reference books, studies have shown that they may be effective in relieving stress, which is an important trigger for asthma attacks, and can help reduce some asthma symptoms such as shortness of breath.
Can a person with asthma exercise?
People with asthma can start a specific exercise program with a certain intensity after consulting their doctor and can use a bronchodilator spray as prescribed by their doctor before starting an exercise program. In addition, these people should exercise more cautiously in the cold seasons, outdoors, and during allergen seasons (such as spring).
Asthma in children:
Asthma is a relatively common childhood disease. In many children with asthma, it is a chronic form of the disease that manifests itself with attacks that occur suddenly at any time of the year. With appropriate and long-term treatment, these attacks can be better controlled.
A suitable treatment plan should be prepared for the patient by the doctor with the help of the parents.
Both parents and the child should be educated about the disease and the correct use of medications.
Make sure that the child takes the prescribed dose of medication correctly.
Identify early signs of asthma in the child and start the treatment course before it occurs.
Treat other disorders and diseases that may trigger asthma, such as allergies, sinusitis, colds, etc.
Can a child who regularly gets colds with coughs have asthma?
Frequent colds and coughs do not necessarily mean that the child is asthmatic, but it is recommended that the parents of these children consult an asthma and allergy specialist.
Does asthma in children get better as they grow older?
Many children stop having asthma attacks as they grow older and, in other words, get better. Some who have asthma until about age 10 and then recover may have a relapse later in adulthood.
But most children who have allergies and a family history of allergies continue to grow up with their asthma and do not recover.
