There are a lot of conditions related to acid reflux. One of which is asthma. What is asthma? What are its characteristics, kinds and causes? How can this condition be treated? As you read along, you will find the answers to this question.
Asthma is a disturbance of breathing in several respiratory diseases involving the lungs and bronchi. It is characterized by wheezing, coughing, choking, and shortness of breath. It occurs in heart diseases and emphysema.
Characteristics of asthma
A sudden asthmatic attack is more frightening than dangerous. Gasping for air, the sufferer may fling the window open and hang over the sill for relief. An individual may breathe with difficulty. He chokes and coughs incessantly and may emit whistling or squeaking sounds.
At first, the person with asthma may experience incapability of filling his lungs with air and then when he has struggled to gasp in a partial breath, he cannot expel it. In serious cases, an individual may turn blue and looks as if death were impending. However, this is a very rare case.
Kinds of asthma and its causes
Now, let us go to the different kinds of asthma. Below is an explanation of each type and what causes the situation:
- Paroxysm Asthma. This asthma is caused by an abrupt spasmodic constriction of the bronchioles in the lungs. This commonly leads to suffocation.
- Allergic Asthma. This is usually caused by a release of the inciting agent known as histamine.
- Cardiac Asthma. This is caused by heart failure. In some cases, it may be due to medications to support the heart.
- Emphysema Asthma. This is commonly due to some forms of drugs prescribed to treat nervous tension and relax the constricted bronchi.
- Bronchial Asthma. This is due to an allergen. To make sure that this kind of asthma is treated, the doctor must learn to eliminate the allergen causing the condition and to give the patient antihistaminic drugs as needed. Almost 50% of bronchial asthmas are caused by inhalation of allergens while the rest are caused by specific infections in the bronchi.
Treatment for asthma
The basic treatment of asthma is directed to the underlying cause of the symptom. For symptomatic relief of all kinds of asthma, doctors usually prescribe ephedrine and aminophylline to relax the spasm of the bronchioles. An injection or inhalation of epinephrine through the use of a nebulizer or atomizer acts instantly and often relieves the spasm in less than five minutes.
Myths on asthma
Here are some of the myths behind asthma:
- It is a psychological condition. It is not true that asthma is due to emotional issues. However, it can help in activating the attack of asthma.
- It can be outgrown. No it cannot. Although this condition may become dormant during the adolescent stage, there is a great possibility that it can recur anytime throughout maturity.
- Asthma can be treated. As of the moment, there is still no cure for asthma. However, the condition can be controlled especially if the patient is given proper medical care and attention. You must not take this condition for granted as it may lead to emergency situation and even death.
Asthma is hereditary. It is most likely that you will be affected by asthma if both your parents have it. But if only one of your parents has asthma, you will have a lesser chance to acquire the condition.