Asthma: When Your Airways React Too Strongly to Everyday Triggers

Asthma is the inflammation of the airways.

Inflammation is the swelling of tissues. If this swelling occurs in the airways or windpipe through which we take air into the lungs because of dust, pollen, fragrances, or exercise, this is a sign of asthma. In this condition, the airways get inflamed and start producing mucus, which constricts them; as a result, such individuals start coughing heavily. Asthmatic patients’ cough contains mucus or sputum, and coughing becomes severe at night while sleeping.

How to differentiate between an asthmatic and a normal cough

Let’s first understand the process. Our airways are made up of smooth muscles. In an asthmatic condition, these muscles get constricted to certain stimuli. Stimuli are the signals that result in the constriction of windpipes. These signals could be dust, fragrances, cold air, or even exercise. However, stimuli vary from person to person to trigger asthmatic attacks. This occurs only if an individual is asthmatic. Basically, this is the defense mechanism of the body to constrict airways, which causes serious complications, including severe cough, sputum production, and difficulty breathing. So, it means the defense mechanism is disturbing the normal functioning of the lungs by constricting the passage of inhaled air.

How asthma is the body’s defense process

There are mainly three processes that occur in the respiratory system during an asthmatic attack.

• Inflammation of the airways happens and constricts the windpipe to stop the entry of external stimuli into the lungs.
• Overproduction of mucus to trap external stimuli like pollen.
• Constriction of airways to limit the entry of pollen into the lungs.

These three processes occur to protect the entry of foreign particles into the lungs but are disturbing the respiratory system. Patients have difficulty breathing and start coughing heavily.

Signs of asthma

The most prominent and common symptoms of asthmatic patients are as follows:

• Difficulty breathing, especially at night or while lying
• A wheezing sound can be heard easily or by using a stethoscope because of the overproduction of mucus
• Feeling pressure on the chest, accompanied by shortness of breath and pain
• Severe coughing and sometimes bloody sputum followed by cough

Such symptoms must not be ignored, and a medical examination should be done as early as possible. Medical treatment must begin according to the prescription of a physician after diagnosis.

Causes of asthma

Sad news is that there are no specific causes of asthma. Professionals are still not sure what causes the asthmatic attack and have not declared any standard point to confirm the cause of asthma. But mostly asthmatic patients have a family history, others are those who are frequently exposed to dust, paints, varnishes, fumes, allergens, and passive smoking. However, individuals with many episodes of repeated respiratory attacks, mostly in childhood, are more prone to develop asthma.

Triggers of asthmatic attack

Allergens are those microorganisms that cause asthmatic attacks. However, there is no way to specify the allergens responsible for causing an asthmatic attack. These are patient-specific, meaning different asthmatic patients’ responses to some allergens but not to others. But most triggers of asthma attacks are as follows:

• Pollen, dust mites, pet dander
• Cold air is mostly in winter
• Exercise could also trigger asthmatic attacks.
• Triggers which are occupational include paints, glues, latex, or building materials
• Smoking
• Strong chemical smell
• Physical or emotional stress

Confirmatory test

Pulmonologists are professionals of the respiratory system. These experts perform some tests to confirm the asthma. The most common tests to confirm asthma are as follows:

• An allergy skin test in which specific allergens are applied to a small part of the skin to determine the body’s response
• A blood test that confirms asthma by finding the levels of immune cells, as explained earlier, asthma is a body defense response, so the levels of certain immune cells increase above normal in asthmatic patients.
• Spirometry is a device used to assess lung functionality, which gets compromised in asthmatic patients.

A chest X-ray can also confirm this condition.

Management and treatment plan

This condition is managed after the identification of the trigger. Such patients need to be cautious about these triggers by wearing N95 masks. Other than treatment, asthmatic patients have to be cautious because the condition is only managed by taking specific measures. Such measures are eating healthy and rich in nutrients. Keep yourself hydrated and do light exercise. If patients have exercise-induced asthma, then they should not work out.

Medicinal Options

Medical treatment includes using inhalers, antihistaminic drugs, and oral steroids. This is only prescribed by the physician depending upon the patient’s condition. Inhalers are the drug of choice for asthmatic patients. These include steroid plus bronchodilators such as albuterol. These directly act on the site and open the windpipe, helping to breathe easily. Oral medications are antihistamines, and these agents reverse the immune response that constricts airways and produces mucus. However, a proper action plan must be made after discussing with your physician and must be followed. This asthmatic plan ranges from diet, exercise, allergens to avoid, and medical treatment.