Q. What is asthma?
A. Asthma is an inflammation of the respiratory airways which makes them red, swollen, narrower, and oversensitive to external or internal irritants.
Q. What should I expect in an asthma attack?
A. The asthma attack can be mild to severe. It consists of:
- Frequent episodes of wheezing
- Dyspnea
- Chest tightness
- Coughing
Q. How much the treatment helps in dealing with an asthma attack?
A. Mild episodes settle down on their own but treatment helps them to resolve faster. An appropriate treatment also reduces the further risk of attacks. In case of severe episodes, one should seek emergency help.
Q. At what age asthma starts?
A. Asthma can start at any age. Many people with asthma have had their first episode at the age of 6 years.
Q. Does family history play any role in child asthma?
A. Yes, asthma tends to run in families i.e. you are prone to get asthma if it has been there in your family.
Q. What is the difference between child asthma and adult asthma?
A. Child asthma mostly resolves spontaneously by 12-15 years of age whereas adult asthma has a tendency to develop into life-long condition.
Child asthma can also extend into adult asthma if there is strong family history of the same.
Q. What causes asthma?
A. The causes of asthma are still not found but multiple factors play a role in exciting the episode. Following are the factors:
- Allergy to pollens, dust mites, food articles, or pets
- Exposure to tobacco smoke or other air irritants
Q. What are the main asthma triggers?
A. Some triggers can cause narrowing of the air passages and tightness of the chest. These include:
- Intense workout/running
- Cigarette smoke
- Sudden temperature change
- Laughing
- Strong scent
Q. Can weather change trigger asthma?
A. Yes, a sudden change in weather can trigger asthmatic episode as sometimes there is release of allergens like pollens that can aggravate the symptoms.
Cold draught air also has a direct irritant effect on the airways.
Q. Can infections trigger asthma?
A. Yes, viral infections like rhinitis can trigger asthma symptoms, mostly in children.
Q. How do I know if I had an asthma attack?
A. During an asthma attack you will feel difficult to breathe because of narrowing of airways. The chest feels tight and wheezing starts when you breathe or cough. You will feel like breathing through a straw in the mouth while holding your nose.
Q. Can asthma be cured?
A. No, asthma cannot be cured, but can be managed. It is a chronic disease in the airways.
