Asthma Specialist

What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic disease that occurs when your airways become swollen and inflamed. The inflammation makes the airways more sensitive so they easily react to irritants you breathe in.

The irritation makes the airways tighten and narrow. They also produce extra mucus. All these changes make it hard to breathe.

What irritants trigger asthma?

If you have allergies, there’s a good chance your allergens will trigger an asthma attack. The most common triggers include:

• Pollen
• Dust mites
• Animal dander
• Mold spores
• Cold air
• Stress
• Acid reflux
• Tobacco smoke
• Respiratory infections

Many people also have an asthma flare-up when they start exercising.

What symptoms does asthma cause?

You may have minimal or no symptoms between flare-ups. When an asthma attack occurs, the swelling and mucus in your airways quickly get worse, causing symptoms such as:

• Chest tightness
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Dry cough
• Fast or irregular breathing
• Difficulty talking

The severity and frequency of your asthma attacks may vary. You can have a mild flare-up one time, followed by a severe attack the next time.

How is asthma diagnosed?

After reviewing your medical history and symptoms, your provider performs lung function tests, such as spirometry and provocation tests.

Spirometry, the most common pulmonary function test, measures the amount of air you can breathe in and out and how quickly you can exhale the air. A provocation test shows how sensitive your lungs are to irritants or exercise.

How is asthma treated?

Allergy and Asthma Treatment Center develops an asthma treatment plan that includes:

Identifying and avoiding triggers

Your provider helps you determine the irritants that trigger your asthma attacks and develops a plan to eliminate or avoid them.

Quick-relief treatment

This treatment relies on an inhaler that contains quick-acting medications. As soon as an asthma attack begins, you use the inhaler, breathing in medication that opens your airways.

Long-term asthma control medications

You may need to take daily doses of medications that prevent asthma attacks and reduce the severity of your symptoms when a flare-up occurs. Allergy and Asthma Treatment Center stays up to date with the latest treatments, including the emerging field of biologics.

Biologics are complex medications made from extracts of living tissues. The biologics currently available treat eosinophilic asthma, as well as asthma triggered by year-round allergens.

Don’t wait to get help for asthma. Call Allergy and Asthma Treatment Center or book an appointment online today.