Medical issues far and wide have plagued the country for the past two years, making life difficult for many. Given the risks associated with the COVID pandemic, it’s more important than ever to be aware of your existing health conditions.
Feeling wheezy lately? You might be nervous that you have developed asthma, a more common-than-you-think disorder that affects millions around the globe.
However, there are many who worry they have become asthmatic who really have not — it can be hard for an amateur to make such a diagnosis. What do you need to understand about this disorder, and what are the symptoms of asthma that you should keep an eye out for?
Read on and we’ll walk you through what you need to know.
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a common medical condition that results in the narrowing and swelling of the airways in the body. The production of extra mucus is also common during an asthma episode.
This swell, tightening, and extra mucus combined can make it very difficult for a person to breathe properly. They can block proper airflow in and out of the lungs, create fits of coughing, and lead to extreme shortness of breath.
The severity of asthma from person to person may vary, with some cases being mild and others being severe enough to be considered life-threatening. There is currently no cure for asthma, although there are a number of ways to manage it when it is diagnosed.
Diagnosis for asthma can be difficult because the symptoms are quite similar to those linked with allergic reactions. It’s important to take a close look at the symptoms associated with asthma so that you can better distinguish if you might be experiencing this medical condition.
Common Symptoms of Asthma
It’s important to know what to look out for if you think you might be suffering from an asthmatic attack.
1. Severe Wheezing In and Out
The inflammation that asthma causes can make it difficult for airflow to move in and out of the lungs properly.
If you are wheezing as you attempt to breathe, it’s a key sign that what you’re experiencing might be an asthma attack.
2. Coughing That Won’t Cease
When your body isn’t getting the air it needs, it will try to expel or take in air in rapid measures. It will try to push what it feels like are blockages to your air access out of the way.
This takes the form of continuous whooping cough. Your body will have a hard time getting the air it needs, however, so this coughing can last as long as the asthmatic attack persists.
3. Tight Chest Pain
As the muscle around your air passageways constricts, that tightening sensation is going to produce a feeling of pain in that area.
An asthmatic attack is going to produce a great deal of chest pain, as all that tightening is not going to go unnoticed.
Your neck and chest muscles are going to tighten as well, leading to an overall stiffness that can be quite uncomfortable. If you aren’t certain of the reasons behind it, it can also be quite frightening.
All of this can lead to the next symptom you’ll want to keep an eye out for
4. Anxiety and Fear
As your body struggles to get the air it needs, your breathing pace will increase and your heart will beat faster. This alone, without the help of your confusion, will be enough to ramp up feelings of anxiety within the body.
Anxiety and fear are natural byproducts of the other symptoms of an asthma attack, so they are common to feel when such an attack occurs.
It can be difficult to deal with the realities of such an attack when your mind is clouded with these types of feelings.
5. Trouble Sleeping
Not getting your recommended seven to eight hours each night? That might be a result of the symptoms listed above.
However, having trouble getting proper rest due to difficulty breathing is a sure-fire symptom of asthma and something you’ll need to look into.
If you have been experiencing one or more of these symptoms, it’s a cause for concern. While some of these symptoms may also be the result of allergies, you’ll want to take a closer look at your situation and discover the true cause.
Diagnosing Asthma
The easiest way to get an accurate asthma diagnosis is to take the time to visit your primary care physician. Self-diagnosis can only take you so far, and it really should be a professional that is making a say on the matter.
So what happens when you do go to see a professional? Your primary care specialist will dive into your background and medical history. They will ask you a number of questions and will try to identify if anyone in your family has had a history of either asthma or allergies.
From here, the doctor will work through the symptoms you are experiencing and try to tie them to either allergies or genuine asthma.
Your doctor will work through your symptoms, take the time to understand their severity and try to trace with you their possible causes.
Any number of pollutants and presences in the air could lead to a reaction that one might deem asthmatic, so it’s important to work through all the options.
Perfume, fragrances, dust, smoke, hair, and all sorts of things floating in the air could be causing your symptoms and overall reaction.
Additional Testing
After this verbal inquiry, your doctor will take the time to inspect you more closely. They’ll likely use a stethoscope to perform spirometry — a kind of breathing test.
This test takes a look at your lungs and Can identify how much air you take in or out per breath. If your airways seem blocked or if you’re taking in less air than you should, it might be a sign of asthma.
At the same time, your doctor will work to determine if your symptoms are possibly being caused by allergies instead.
Allergy testing will see if your trouble breathing has more to do with a negative reaction to something as opposed to asthma. Usually, this is done via a skin test.
Different allergens are applied to your skin while a medical professional stands by and waits to see if there is any sort of reaction.
If the doctor isn’t satisfied with these results, they might also request a quick chest x-Ray to get a better look at the situation. This can rule out other potential causes of the issue at hand, including heart failure or lung cancer.
By the end of your session together, the doctor should be able to make a definitive statement on whether or not they think you are asthmatic.
Living With Asthma
If you do turn out to be asthmatic, there are a number of steps you’ll want to take. You’ll want to have medication on hand to deal with the side effects of asthma.
You should be able to get a blood pressure prescription online, and you’ll want to get an asthma inhaler to help with any sudden attacks that might come on.
You should make an asthma action plan with your doctor that outlines the steps that will be taken should your asthma become triggered. Make sure you and your immediate friends and family understand this plan so they can leap into action should the situation call for it.
It’s important to stay up to date and vaccinated against influenza and respiratory-related diseases. These diseases pose an extra special risk against those with asthma, and so it’s important to take all the possible precautions that you can.
Take your asthma medication when prescribed and attempt to learn the early warning signs of an asthma attack. If you can recognize the signs of an episode early, you can quell it before things get all too serious.
Identifying which elements seem to trigger an asthma episode can also be helpful so that these can be avoided in the future.
Signs of Asthma in Adults
If you’re experiencing shortness of breath, chest pain, or any other number of the above symptoms, it might be a reason for concern. Understanding the symptoms of asthma can be important for any responsible adult, but especially those who have felt the impact of breathing restrictions.
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