Asthma

What is asthma?

A chronic lung condition, asthma inflames and constricts your airways. Asthma commonly starts in childhood but affects people of all ages, causing wheezing and difficulty breathing.

Asthma affects the airways that carry air to and from your lungs. With asthma, your airways become:

• Inflamed
• Sensitive
• Swollen
• Frequently filled with mucus

Your muscles surrounding your airways also tighten, restricting your air flow even more.

While there’s no cure for asthma, with proper treatment you can manage your symptoms and enjoy normal, daily activities. Your provider at Family Care Specialists Medical Group will partner with you to promote your overall health and well-being while living with asthma.

What are the symptoms of asthma?

Asthma symptoms can be mild or flare up during an attack. The most common signs of asthma are:

• Coughing
• Trouble breathing
• Tightness in your chest
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing

A severe asthma attack can be life-threatening and requires immediate treatment.

How is asthma diagnosed?

An accurate diagnosis is the first step toward clearer breathing, free of asthma symptoms. Your provider at Family Care Specialists Medical Group will want to know if asthma and allergies run in your family. Your providers also will ask what triggers your asthma and about conditions that can interfere with your condition, such as:

• Sinus infections
• Reflux disease
• Psychological stress
• Sleep apnea

You probably need to take a breath test, which involves blowing into a hollow tube. The test helps your provider gauge how well your lungs are working.

To help confirm your diagnosis, you’ll likely need a chest X-ray or a skin test to see if you’re allergic to certain substances.

How is asthma treated?

At Family Care Specialists Medical Group, your provider partners with you to decide on the right medicine, or combination of medicines, to manage your asthma. Generally, this includes a combination of short-term and long-term treatments.

The goal of your treatment is to prevent uncomfortable symptoms and:

• Help you maintain healthy, well-functioning lungs
• Allow you to continue doing all the activities you enjoy
• Give you a restful night’s sleep
• Prevent asthma attacks that could result in a trip to the emergency room

If you’re ready to gain relief from your asthma symptoms, call today or schedule a consultation online with Family Care Specialists Medical Group.