UNDERSTANDING ASTHMA
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a condition in an otherwise healthy individual. Simply stated, asthma is inflammation of the airways that causes symptoms. While it affects everyone differently, there are several distinct clinical variations of the condition. Those are listed below.
Allergic Asthma
Triggered by common allergens like pollen, dust mites, or pet dander.
Occupational Asthma
Caused by inhaling irritating substances such as fumes or dust while on the job.
Cough-variant Asthma
Characterized primarily by a dry, persistent cough rather than typical wheezing.
Asthma-COPD Overlap (ACOS)
Occurs when a patient presents symptoms of both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Exercise-induced Asthma
Narrowing of the airways specifically triggered by physical exertion or exercise.
Symptoms of Asthma
The most common symptom of asthma is a persistent or recurring cough—often worse at night, with exercise, or during illness. Other symptoms may include wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.
Asthma is frequently mistaken for repeated “colds,” especially in children. If you or your child seem to get sick often with lingering cough or chest symptoms, it may actually be undiagnosed or uncontrolled asthma. With proper diagnosis and treatment, these symptoms are often significantly reduced and brought under control.
As seen below, asthma symptoms occur when the airways in the lungs become inflamed, narrowed, and filled with excess mucus.
Asthma Treatment Medications
Asthma treatment focuses on reducing airway inflammation, preventing symptoms, and providing quick relief when symptoms occur. Treatment plans are individualized, but most asthma medications fall into a few main categories.
Quick-Relief ("Rescue") Medications
Medications such as Albuterol and Xopenex work quickly to relax the muscles around the airways and provide fast relief during asthma symptoms. occur.
Inhaled Corticosteroids (Controller Medications)
These medications reduce inflammation and swelling in the airways. They are commonly used daily to help prevent asthma symptoms.
Long-Acting Bronchodilators
These medications help keep the airways open for a longer period of time. They are often combined with controller medications to improve long-term asthma control.
Leukotriene Modifiers
These oral medications, such as Singulair, help reduce airway inflammation and can be helpful for patients with allergy-related asthma.
Asthma management is tailored to each patient, and a provider will determine the best treatment plan based on symptoms and severity.
Biologic Therapies
Biologic medications, such as Xolair, Dupixent, Nucala, & Fasenra are used for patients with moderate to severe asthma that is not well controlled with standard treatments.
Myth: Asthma is a temporary condition that children inevitably outgrow as they age.
Clarification: Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the airways. While symptoms may fluctuate over time, the underlying hypersensitivity remains and in many cases requires lifelong monitoring.
Myth: People with asthma should avoid vigorous physical exercise and sports.
Clarification: Exercise is vital for health. With a proper plan and controlled symptoms, individuals with asthma can safely reach elite metabolic levels.
Common Asthma Myths
Myth: Medication should only be used when an attack is actively occurring.
Clarification: Effective control often requires daily preventer medication to treat underlying airway inflammation, even when symptoms are not visible.
Myth: Asthma cannot be diagnosed until age 6 because a child must do pulmonary function testing.
Clarification: Asthma can be diagnosed earlier based on symptoms and illness history. Pulmonary function testing can be helpful, but it is not required to make the diagnosis.
Asthma Isn’t Always Obvious
Dr. Smits shares the most common symptoms—including the ones many people miss.