How to Control Asthma

What Is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects your airways, which are the tubes that carry air into and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the inside walls of your airways are inflamed (swollen). The inflammation makes the airways very sensitive, and they tend to react strongly to things that you are allergic to or find irritating. When the airways react, they get narrower and less air flows to your lung tissues. This causes symptoms like wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), coughing, tightness in the chest, and trouble breathing.

What Is an Asthma Attack?

When you experience a worsening of your symptoms, it is called an asthma episode or attack. In an asthma attack,muscles around the airways tighten up, making the airway openings narrower so less air flows through. Inflammation increases, and the airways become more swollen and narrow. During an  attack, cells in the airways also make more mucus than usual, which further narrows the airways. These changes cause the symptoms of asthma and make it harder to breathe. Asthma attacks are not all the same -- some are worse than others. In a severe attack, the airways can close so much that not enough oxygen gets to vital organs. If this happens, immediate medical attention is needed. People have even died from severe asthma attacks.

Controlling Asthma

Asthma cannot be cured, but for most patients, it can be controlled -- allowing them to live an active life with only minimal and infrequent symptoms. If you have asthma, taking care of it is an important part of your life. Controlling your asthma means staying away from things that bother your airways and taking medicines as your doctor directs. By controlling your asthma every day, you can prevent serious symptoms and take part in most activities. If your asthma is not well controlled, you are likely to have symptoms that can make you miss school or work and keep you from doing the things you enjoy. Asthma is one of the leading causes of children missing school.

If you have asthma, you should see your doctor regularly. You will need to learn what things cause your  symptoms to become worse and how to avoid them. Your doctor may also prescribe medicines to keep your asthma under control.

Statistics

In the United States, about 15 million people have asthma. Nearly 5 million of them are children. Asthma is closely linked to allergies. Most, but not all, people with asthma have allergies. Children with a family history of allergy and asthma are more likely to have asthma themselves.

Although asthma affects people of all ages, it often starts in childhood and is more common in children than adults. More boys have asthma than girls; but in adulthood, more women have asthma than men.

Although asthma is a problem among all races, blacks have more asthma attacks and are more likely than whites to be hospitalized for asthma attacks and to die from asthma.