Asthma 101

Asthma is a lung disease that makes it hard to move air in and out of the lungs. There is always some level of inflammation in the airways, so the goal is control when it comes to managing flare-ups. Reducing exposure to triggers and learning when to use medications are some of the basics at the heart of learning to control your asthma better.

Asthma and Your Body

Asthma is a disease affecting the airways of the lungs. It causes the lining of the airways to be hypersensitive and in a constant state of inflammation. Flare-ups can occur when asthma is triggered by exposure to things we encounter every day. This causes the swelling in the airways to increase and muscles around them to tighten, making breathing even more difficult.

Symptoms commonly include:

• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Shortness of breath
• Tightness in the chest
• Excessive mucus

Asthma makes the airways more prone to flare-ups caused by element triggers such as:

• Allergens:
  • Dust mites, plant pollen, pet dander, molds
• Irritants:
  • Smoke from:
    • Cigarettes, wood fires, and charcoal grills
  • Fumes from:
    • Cleaners, paint, perfumes, and gasoline
  • Sudden weather changes
  • Activities that make you breathe harder
  • Changes caused by breathing patterns such as laughing, yelling, crying, etc.
• Infections:
  • Common colds, sore throats, and sinus infections

Asthma Management

An asthma management plan is an essential tool in flare-up prevention. The plan should help you control your asthma better by helping you:

• Identify and minimize exposure to your asthma triggers.
• Understand your medications and how to take them as prescribed.
• Recognize and monitor early signs that your asthma is worsening.
• Know what to do when your asthma is worsening.

Thanks to the medical breakthroughs led by clinical research efforts, significant contributions have been made to the field of asthma. Asthma research helps us understand how it’s caused, developed, and how best treated. Clinical research studies can improve the lives of individuals diagnosed with asthma.

To get involved in enrolling asthma research studies at Clinical Site Partners, call (407) 740-8078 or visit our website.

References:

https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/learn-about-asthma/how-asthma-affects-your-body