Asthma is a disease that has existed in the society for many centuries and is suffered by the young and the old without any difference. Around 500,000 people die from asthma every year. But asthma is a condition that can be easily controlled. If asthma is well controlled, it is possible to save the lives of asthmatics who die and suffer from the disease. Since 2004, May 7th has been named as ‘World Asthma Day’.
Asthma is…
The air we breathe in passes through the bronchi and airways and enters small air cells called air sacs. These pits are located to facilitate air exchange. Due to the inflammation of these air ducts that carry the breathing of some people, resistance is created in those places.
Then we cannot breathe normally as usual, so we need to use more energy than usual. For a healthy person, breathing is not a felt action. But when these tubes are contracted, more energy needs to be applied for breathing.
The patient feels it as difficulty in breathing. When this respiratory difficulty increases further, this sound is heard outside the chest. It is what we usually call Ra Rung (Wheezing) sound.
Wheezing is not just due to asthma…
Also, don’t suspect that hearing a rumbling sound in your chest is always asthma. This type of rales can also be caused by other medical conditions.
Pulmonary artery occlusion in smokers
Obstruction of airways due to viral diseases
Asthma symptoms
Chest pain
Wheezing sound from the chest
Frequent coughing with chest tightness
But not every asthmatic may have these four symptoms. It is also possible for these symptoms to gradually increase over time. Asthma can be managed very well.
Any patient has a question that the patient asks as soon as the doctor diagnoses asthma. That is, I can not cure asthma itself? There is an answer that we as doctors can give here. With good management of asthma, there is no obstacle for the patient to lead a normal life.
Causes of asthma
Genetic factors play a role in asthma. Especially if there is a history of asthma patients in the generation, the child may also develop asthma. This is not always the case.
Environmental factors
Environmental temperature change
Dust and cigarette smoke in the house
Toxic gases including sulfur dioxide from factories
Germs that enter the respiratory tract
Viruses that cause the common cold
Animal fur, perfume, flower pollen
These factors affect each person in a different way and not all factors have the same effect on all people. Even if a child is genetically predisposed to asthma, if he is protected from environmental factors (smoke, dust, animal fur) that cause asthma, the severity of asthma can be reduced.
Even if some children have asthma at a young age, controlling the environmental factors and getting the necessary treatment in a proper way gives them the opportunity to live a life free from asthma. When children with asthma reduce their exposure to harmful factors, 50%-60% of the children will be free of the disease over time.
Using an inhaler…
Inhalers respond quickly to medication. Medicines that are absorbed through the food or taken by mouth, such as pills, capsules or syrups, take longer to enter the blood and travel to the lungs. It is a process that takes time.
So it takes some time to get relief from the disease. Also, when taking medicine for a long time, it affects other organs. For this reason, we do not recommend oral medications for long-term use.
Also, because the inhaler drugs go directly to the lungs in a low dose, the patient gets quick relief. A normal life can be achieved due to prolonged use without reluctance. There are no side effects from using the inhaler.
If pregnant mothers have asthma…
When a pregnant mother becomes pregnant, she is afraid to take medicine for asthma. There is an irrational fear that the medicine she takes due to asthma will affect the child in a negative way. Therefore, if a woman has asthma, it is important to follow the doctor’s instructions and take the right dose of medicine.
It is most desirable if asthma can be controlled before marriage. But if she is receiving medicinal treatment for asthma during pregnancy, it is important to inform the doctor about it.
If a pregnant woman does not have asthma before, but somehow she has suspected symptoms of asthma, it is important to know about her condition according to the advice of a qualified doctor. And she needs to mention to the doctor that she is pregnant.
Stopping asthma medications at will…
If a pregnant mother stops taking medicine at will, it can affect the fetus in a negative way.
If the mother’s oxygen level decreases due to asthma, it affects the baby
Child weight loss Premature birth occurs if the mother’s asthma worsens.
Asthma has a major impact on a person’s quality of life when it comes to caesarean section.
Frequent illness
Loss of self-confidence to carry out day-to-day activities in one’s life
Influence on personality
Trauma but asthma doesn’t have to ruin your quality of life
First follow the advice of a qualified doctor.
Take the necessary medicines at the right time, at the right time, in the right dosage according to the recommendations given by the doctor.
When you control asthma in this way, you will be able to do your daily life successfully. Asthmatics have not only participated in Olympic athletics, but they have even won. So don’t let asthma hold you back. There is no obstacle for any asthmatic to build up the strength to cope with life successfully while controlling the condition of the disease.
