Description
Asthma might be simple to define, but…
The first question to address is “What is asthma?”
Fortunately, this is the easiest of all the asthma questions to be
addressed, because the medical profession as a whole is in broad
agreement as to how to define and classify asthma.
At its most basic, doctors agree that asthma is a respiratory disease
that results in ‘chronic inflammation of the airways’.
People often show symptoms well before asthma develops, because
asthma can start with something as simple as a common cold or cough.
Other symptoms that could potentially become asthma include
sneezing, mild shortness of breath, or even something outside your
lungs or respiratory tract such as a headache.
The bottom line is that it is extremely common for the initial signs of
asthma to be ignored, because they appear to be nothing more than the
symptoms of a common, everyday condition such as a cough or a cold.
This lack of awareness is one of the main reasons many people do not
seek treatment for their asthma.
According to the Asthma Society of Canada, as many as six out of every
ten Canadians who have asthma do not control their condition. This
figure is expected to be similar in other developed Western nations.
Because asthma is a chronic condition, it is one that has to be dealt
with throughout your life. It causes inflammation, and therefore
constricts the airways that carry air in your lungs. Consequently, this
restricts the passage of air from the outside world through an asthma
sufferer’s lungs, making it difficult for them to breathe.
Asthma sufferers’ airways are sensitive to many conditions, such as
moist, warm or cold air, allergens, stress or physical exertion. The
muscles that surround the airways react to these conditions by
contracting and narrowing the airways of a person with asthma.
The problem is generally made worse by the fact that the muscles also
cause excess mucus to be produced at the same time as the
contraction, further blocking the airways.
However, many of the most common signs of an asthma attack can
often be recognized well before the condition itself is fully developed.
Some of the signs of asthma are obvious, whereas others might not be
as easily recognized and possibly the result of another medical
condition. The less obvious the symptoms are, the earlier in the
development cycle of asthma or the less likely that the symptoms will
turn into asthma.
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Less acute indicators that might fall into the ‘early warning’ category
could include any of the following:
• Frequent mood changes
• Regular bouts of sneezing
• Restlessness
• Glassy or watery eyes
• Unexplained increased tiredness
• Dry mouth
• Persistent or constant headaches
• Sleeping difficulties
• Exercise intolerance
• Dark circles under the eyes
• Pale complexion
Obviously, all of these ‘early warning’ indicators could suggest that
asthma might become a problem, but they could also be the result of
another serious medical condition.
Consequently, you would not necessarily assume that any of the
symptoms in the previous list is a clear indicator or precursor of
asthma. However, if these symptoms are ignored, the condition is likely
to worsen for anyone who is at risk to develop asthma.
When the condition worsens, the symptoms become increasingly
obvious. These symptoms could include:
• Wheezing, coughing and general tightness in the chest
• Shortness of breath, especially after basic exercise such as
walking or climbing the stairs
• Inability to talk
