
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.
Primary care and beyond.
Family Care Specialists provides comprehensive primary care services for individuals of all ages in Los Angeles, with locations in Boyle Heights, Highland Park, and Montebello. The bilingual team offers care in clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes, emphasizing preventive health, senior services, OB/GYN care, mental health support, and urgent care options.
Primary Care
Provides primary care for every member of the family, no matter their age.
OB-GYN
Specialize in women’s health, including common primary care.
Urgent Care
Offering high-quality, compassionate care to address your urgent care needs.
Pediatrics
Specialize in infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.