Asthma Healing

Since asthma has a genetic origin and is a disease you are born with, passed down from generation to generation, the question isn’t really “what causes asthma,” but rather “what causes asthma symptoms to appear?”  People with asthma have inflamed airways which are super-sensitive to things which do not bother other people. These things are called "triggers."

To properly diagnose asthma, you'll discuss your medical history and have a physical exam with a physician. You may need lung function tests to detect possible limitations in your breathing, and, in some cases, you may need additional tests, such as a chest or sinus X-ray. If you or your child are having problems breathing on a regular basis, don’t wait! Visit a doctor immediately. Knowing what to expect during the diagnostic process and how your doctor arrives at a diagnosis may help.

For people with asthma, having an “asthma management plan” is the best strategy to prevent symptoms. An asthma management plan is something developed by you and your doctor to help you control your asthma, instead of your asthma controlling you. An effective plan should allow you to:

What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic, inflammatory disease in which the airways become sensitive to allergens (any substance that triggers an allergic reaction). Several things happen to the airways when a person is exposed to certain triggers:

• The lining of the airways become swollen and inflamed.
• The muscles that surround the airways tighten.
• The production of mucus in increased, leading to mucus plugs.

Two out of every three people with asthma also experience frequent heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). With GERD, the stomach acid regurgitates or backs up into the esophagus to cause heartburn or other symptoms like mid chest pain, difficulty swallowing, or a chronic cough. You may have a bitter, burning, or sour stomach taste in your throat or mouth.

This probably isn't the first time you've heard that asthma and smoking don't go very well together. But you may not realize that quitting smoking when you have asthma is the most important step you can take to protect your lungs and prevent symptoms of asthma.

Stress is a common asthma trigger. An asthma trigger is anything that brings on asthma symptoms. When you have stress and asthma, you might feel short of breath, anxious, and even panicked. Stress may cause your asthma symptoms to worsen and cause you to feel frightened.

If you’ve been living with symptoms of asthma even for a short period of time, it’s still important to seek asthma help. You can get asthma help from experts such as your doctor or an asthma specialst and from other people who have asthma.

Is it Safe to Exercise if I Have Asthma?

One of the goals of asthma treatment is to help you maintain a normal and healthy lifestyle, which includes exercise and other physical activities. Following your asthma action plan by taking medications as prescribed by your doctor, avoiding triggers and monitoring your symptoms and lung function will help you achieve this goal.

There’s no special asthma diet.  We don’t know of any foods that reduce the airway inflammation of asthma.  Beverages that contain caffeine provide a slight amount of bronchodilation for an hour or two, but taking a rescue inhaler is much more effective for the temporary relief of asthma symptoms.

Just because you have asthma, doesn't mean that you can't have a healthy pregnancy. Still, whether you're pregnant or not, you have to keep your asthma symptoms in control. Asthmatics who see their doctors (both their allergist and/or internist and obstetrician) regularly throughout their pregnancy have as good a chance of having a normal pregnancy and healthy baby as women without asthma.