World Asthma Day: Types of Asthma, Symptoms and Asthma Treatment

• Adult-Onset Asthma

Adult-Onset asthma happens when a doctor has diagnosed asthma in adults over 20. The factors include different illnesses, viruses, or infections or even a bad cold or a bout with the flu. Though smoking does not cause adult-onset asthma; however, it may provoke asthma symptoms among smokers and second-hand smokers.

• Allergic Asthma

The most common form of asthma is allergic asthma. You may have allergic asthma if you have trouble breathing during allergy season. About 90 percent of children with asthma have allergies, compared to just 50 percent of adults with asthma. Inhaling allergens (or allergy triggers) such as pollen, dust mites, or mold causes allergic asthma symptoms.

• Asthma-COPD Overlap

When a person has asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), they develop asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS- COPD). Persistent airflow restriction with asthma symptoms is a sign of ACOS.

• Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction (EIB)

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, or EIB “exercise-induced asthma”, is seen when one experiences breathing troubles, start’s wheezing, or coughing while exercising. While EIB affects up to 90% of people with asthma, not everyone with EIB may develop asthma.

• Nonallergic Asthma

Intrinsic asthma (also known as nonallergic asthma) develops later in life as a result of recurrent upper and lower respiratory tract infections. Weather conditions, exercise, illnesses, and stress are all causes of nonallergic asthma.

• Occupational Asthma

Occupational asthma happens at the workplace when a person inhales harmful chemical fumes, gases, dust, or other substances. In occupational asthma, the substances commonplace in the workplace cause the airways of the lungs to swell and narrow, which leads to wheezing attacks, shortness of breath, coughing, and chest tightness.

• Identify Triggers of Asthma

Certain asthma triggers like air pollution, allergies, cold air, cold or flu virus or sinusitis can aggravate asthma.

• Avoid Smoking

Asthma and smoke can be hazardous, like incense, candles, flames, and fireworks. These are Asthma triggers and hence must be avoided. Asthma exacerbates by smoking; thus, if you smoke, seek assistance in quitting.

• Avoid Colds

Avoid close contact with people who have symptoms of flu or covid, because catching it will make your asthma symptoms worse. Wash your hands regularly, maintain social distancing use facemasks.

• Take Prescribed Asthma Medications

Long-term asthma medications go a long way in preventing any serious asthma symptoms. Prescription asthma medications are needed to be taken as scheduled. These medications will ease inflammation from the airways and keep asthma under control.

• Use a Home Peak Flow Meter

At home prefer using a peak flow meter, which shows how well air is moving through your lungs. During an asthma attack, your airways narrow. Peak flow meter helps you to know narrowing of airways much before your Asthma symptoms onset. This gives you time to take the medications before any serious happenings occur.

• Hydrate Yourself

Your lungs will be lubricated, if you are well hydrated. This will allow irritants and mucus to thin out. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water. For instance, a 150-pound woman can drink 75 ounces of water per day (9 cups of water per day).

• Take your Diet

We cannot underestimate the importance of food choices for the lung and our immune system health. Various foods can help the lungs to be healthy and the body to reduce inflammation in the airways. Fruits, herbs, and omega-3-rich foods are good sources of vitamins and antioxidants. Apples, green tea, black coffee, raw seeds and nuts, broccoli, cauliflower, oranges, pumpkin, and garlic are just a few of them.

• Practice Exercise

Physical exercise enhances the flow of oxygen in your bloodstream, which leads to increased airflow to your muscles, heart, and lungs. For a healthy lung, doctors recommend 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days per week.

• Limit your exposure to Allergens

There is a direct link between lungs irritation and allergen exposure. The more is the exposure, the more inflamed they become. Reduce your exposure to aerosols, cleaners and hairsprays, pollens, and smoky environments that could be your possible asthma triggers.

• Don’t Smoke

The key to healthy lungs is to quit smoking, be it be a cigarette, cigar, or vaping smoke. Smoking is a leading cause of lung cancer, besides inhaling harmful gases makes the lungs more inflamed. Inflammation causes mucus build-up that impacts the movement of oxygen into your bloodstream.

• Oral Health

Oral health is very crucial to protect your teeth, gums, and tongue. Brush and floss twice per day prevents plaque build-up and restricts the probable occurrence of potential infections in your mouth, which could migrate from your mouth into your lungs, affecting their functioning.

• Cure your sore throat

It is vital to soothe your sore throat, to restrict the inflammation reach out to your lungs. Even with covid symptoms soothe your throat by drinking warm liquids like water with a squeeze of lemon, along with green tea or black coffee. Warm liquids not only soothe the throat, but also add to increase hydration and the flow of gastric juices in the stomach that prevents inflammation.