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| Breathe Easier When You Know More About Asthma |
| By Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| Published: 03/09/2009 |
Did you know
that 1 in 10
Americans has,
or has had
asthma at some
point in their
lives?Most people don’t die from asthma, but there is concern for African Americans because asthma is more likely to cause death. The reason for this disparity is not known. But there are asthma control techniques to help people manage their condition successfully. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers this important advice to everyone with asthma – have an asthma action plan and exercise it. The CDC has a variety of information that patients and health-care providers can use to control asthma. What is asthma? Asthma, a disease that affects your lungs, is the most common long-term disease of children, but it also affects adults. Each day, 30,000 people have an asthma attack, 1,000 are admitted to the hospital, and 11 people die. Asthma causes repeated episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and early morning or nighttime coughing. What is an asthma attack? An asthma attack happens in your body’s airways, which are the paths that carry air to your lungs. During an asthma attack, the sides of the airways in your lungs swell, and the airways shrink. The attack may include coughing, chest tigheness, wheezing and trouble breathing. How is asthma diagnosed? Asthma can be hard to diagnose, but regular physical checkups that include checking lung function and allergies can help your health-care provider make the right diagnosis. During a checkup, your health-care provider will ask whether you cough a lot, especially at night, and whether your breathing problems are worse after physical activity or during a particular time of year. Health-care providers will also ask about other symptoms such as chest tightness, wheezing, and colds that last more than 10 days and if anyone in your family has or has had asthma or other breathing problems. How is asthma treated? Your health-care provider will help you make an asthma action plan and stick to it. He or she may recommend a combination of medication, environmental changes and behavior modification. Not everyone with asthma has the same needs, and your needs may change as you get older, so it’s important to get regular check-ups. What triggers asthma attacks? It’s important to learn what triggers your asthma attacks so you can avoid the triggers whenever possible and be alert for a possible attack when the triggers cannot be avoided. Below are some of the common triggers:
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