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Asthma is a chronic disease that affects your airways. The airways are the tubes that carry air in 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 through to your lung tissue. This causes symptoms like wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and trouble breathing, especially at night and in the early morning. Asthma cannot be cured, but most people with asthma can control it so that they have few and infrequent symptoms and can live active lives. When your asthma symptoms become worse than usual, it is called an asthma episode or attack. During an asthma attack, muscles around the airways tighten up, making the airways narrower so less air flows through. Inflammation increases, and the airways become more swollen and even narrower. Cells in the airways may also make more mucus than usual. This extra mucus also narrows the airways. These changes make it harder to breathe. Causes and Risk Factors of Asthma The two main factors that contribute to asthma are inflammation of the airway passages and hyperreactive bronchi. When triggered by stimulus, certain cells lining the airways release chemical substances called mediators that lead to inflammation. This inflammation causes the airway passages to swell, the cells lining the passages to produce excess mucus, and the airway opening to narrow. Hyperreactivity means that when the bronchi are exposed to stimulus they respond in an exaggerated way by constricting the airway muscle and making it difficult to breathe. The stimulus or "triggers" that can induce an asthma attack are: • allergens (substances to which people are allergic), such as pollens, foods, dust, mold, feathers or animal dander • irritants in the air, such as dirt, cigarette smoke, gases and air pollution • odors in the household, such as household cleaners, perfumes, paints, varnishes, fabric softeners, laundry detergents and cooking fumes • irritants in the workplace, such as fumes and vapors from wood products and metals • metabisulfite - a food preservative found in dried fruits, fruit juices, beer, wine, salad bars and vegetables • respiratory infections, such as colds, flu, sore throat and bronchitis • too much exertion • emotional stress, such as excessive fear or excitement • weather conditions - very cold, windy or sudden changes in the weather • medications, such as aspirin or related drugs, as well as some drugs used to treat glaucoma and high blood pressure • menstrual cycle - Women with asthma occasionally have increased symptoms just before their menstrual period. • nighttime - Asthma often worsens at night for a few reasons. The body releases chemicals during the night that may alter lung function. Also, the body's temperature tends to drop at night, which causes the airways to cool. Lastly, an exposure to allergens during the day takes up to several hours to affect the body. When the body reacts, it usually coincides with the nighttime hours. Asthma symptoms? Treatment of your symptoms involves avoiding things that cause asthma attacks, keeping track of your symptoms and taking medicine. When the breathing passages become irritated or infected, an attack is triggered. The attack may come on suddenly or slowly over several days or hours. The main symptoms that signal an attack are as follows: • Wheezing • Breathlessness • Chest tightness • Coughing • Difficulty speaking Asthma Treatment 1. Since asthma is a chronic disease, treatment goes on for a very long time. Some people have to stay on treatment for the rest of their lives. The best way to improve your condition and live your life on your terms is to learn all you can about your asthma and what you can do to make it better. 2. Become a partner with your health care provider and his or her support staff. Use the resources they can offer--information, education, and expertise--to help yourself. 3. Become aware of your asthma triggers and do what you can to avoid them. 4. Follow the treatment recommendations of your health care provider. Understand your treatment. Know what each drug does and how it is used. 5. See your health care provider as scheduled. 6. Report any changes or worsening of your symptoms promptly. 7. Report any side effects you are having with your medications. 8. These are the goals of treatment: 9. Prevent ongoing and bothersome symptoms 10. Prevent asthma attacks 11. Prevent attacks severe enough to require a visit to your provider or an emergency department or hospitalization 12. Carry on with normal activities 13. Maintain normal or near-normal lung function 14. Have as few side effects of medication as possible
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