Do you also feel shortness of breath and chest tightness? Let's talk about asthma!

Do you sometimes have a cough that wakes you up at night? Or do you feel like you're having a hard time running around and playing? Not only children, but adults too can experience this kind of discomfort. One reason for this is asthma , or what some call asthma . Let's talk about this in detail and very simply today, shall we?

What exactly is asthma?

Simply put, asthma is a long-term condition that affects our airways . Think about it, when we breathe, there are small tubes that carry air to the lungs , and those tubes, called airways, are a little more sensitive in people with asthma.

A person with asthma may have difficulty breathing. This means:

• A cough , perhaps a persistent cough.
• Feeling short of breath.
• A feeling of heaviness, as if the chest is being squeezed .
• Wheezing is a sound that sounds like "sigh" when breathing. Some people also call this "whistling."

Now you're probably wondering why this happens. This happens because the airways of people with asthma become swollen , narrowed , and sometimes filled with mucus . So the airways become narrower, which is when the breathing becomes difficult.

Asthma is a very common disease . It can also be passed down from generation to generation . This means that if both parents have asthma, children are more likely to develop it. For some, it may be very mild and not interfere with their daily activities. But for others, asthma can have a major impact on their daily lives.

But the most important thing is that with proper medical treatment and proper disease management, people with asthma can live normal, active lives just like everyone else . So there's nothing to fear!

Why does this disease called asthma occur?

A question that many people ask is, 'Why did my child/doctor develop asthma?' To be honest, it's hard to say exactly what the cause is . Scientists are still researching this. But they think that a combination of our genes and some things in the environment we live in can cause asthma.

Think about it this way,

• If anyone in the family has asthma: As I said before, if a close relative, such as your mother, father, or siblings, has asthma, you are slightly more likely to develop asthma as well.
• If you have other allergic conditions : Some people have eczema , hay fever , or food allergies , right? Those people are also more likely to develop asthma. These all seem to be linked.
• If you are slightly overweight (Overweight or Obese) : It has been found that people who are overweight are also at higher risk of developing asthma.
• Some events that happen early in life :
• Premature births , that is, babies born before their due date.
• Babies who are born with low birth weight .
• Exposure to cigarette smoke during childhood. If someone in the home smokes, it is very harmful to young children.
• It is believed that some viral infections in childhood may also be a cause of asthma later in life.

So it seems, there's not just one reason. It could be a combination of many reasons.

What happens to the breathing process of someone with asthma?

Now let's look at what actually happens inside the body when someone with asthma breathes.

Normally, when we breathe in, air enters through our nose or mouth, passes through our main windpipe (trachea) into the smaller airways inside the lungs. When we breathe out, the air comes back out the other way. This is what happens in a healthy person.

However, the airways of a person with asthma are always slightly swollen and inflamed, like a small wound. This swelling is present to some extent even when there are no symptoms.

Then, these airways respond very quickly to certain things called 'triggers' . These triggers cause the already slightly swollen airways to swell even more, narrow even more, and fill with mucus . This makes it very difficult to breathe. Not only that, but the muscles around the airways tighten , making the narrowed airways even more constricted. That's when it becomes very difficult to breathe. We call this an 'asthma attack' or 'asthma flare-up' .

What are the 'triggers' that make asthma worse?

These triggers can vary from person to person. What makes one person's asthma worse may not affect another. However, there are a few things that can make asthma worse in general:

• Respiratory infections: Asthma can worsen when you get sick with illnesses like colds and flu.
• Things that cause allergies:
• Pollen
• Types of mold found in dust inside homes
• Things like pet hair and dander.
• Irritants and pollutants in the air:
• Cigarette smoke (this is very harmful!)
• Things like smoke from vehicles and smog from factories.
• Weather changes:
• Cold, dry air.
• Or extremely hot, humid air.
• Strong emotions: When you suddenly laugh out loud, cry a lot, or are under a lot of stress .
• Exercise: Some people may experience an increase in asthma symptoms when they exercise. But that doesn't mean that exercise is not good. There are ways to do that too.

So being careful about things like this is very important to control asthma.

How do you know if you have asthma? What are the symptoms?

Now you might be thinking, 'I have some of these symptoms too, I don't know if I have asthma.' Let's look at the most common symptoms of someone with asthma.

The main symptoms that are seen are:

• Cough: This is not just any cough. It can be a cough that gets worse especially at night , or a cough that comes on when you are a little tired, play, or exercise . Sometimes the cough can also get worse in the early morning.
• Difficulty breathing: A feeling of being suffocated, like you have to exert a lot of effort to breathe.
• Chest tightness: As if someone is squeezing your chest, or you feel a heaviness inside your chest.
• Wheezing: This is the sound I mentioned earlier, when you inhale and exhale, like a 'c... c...' or 'c... c...' sound coming from your chest. This sound comes from the narrowed airways when air is having difficulty moving through them. But not every asthma patient hears this sound, and it's important to keep that in mind.

Importantly, some people may not experience any of these symptoms on normal days when their asthma is not worsening . They may appear completely healthy.

However, for others, they may have mild symptoms all the time . For example, they may have a constant cough or wheeze when they are slightly stressed. As their asthma worsens, these symptoms may become more severe.

Asthma flare-ups can sometimes be very minor and come and go without much trouble. But sometimes they can be very severe, even life-threatening . Some asthma flare-ups can come on suddenly, but most of the time, symptoms gradually get worse.

So what are the things we need to remember from what we've talked about? (Take-Home Message)

We've talked a lot about asthma now. From all of this, there are a few things that need to be firmly established in your mind.

1. Asthma is a controllable condition: This is the most important thing. You don't need to be afraid of retaliation for saying you have asthma. With proper medical advice, proper use of medication, and small lifestyle changes, you can control your asthma well and live a normal life.

2. It is essential to see a doctor: If you suspect that you or someone in your family is having asthma symptoms, be sure to see a doctor to get a proper diagnosis . The doctor will then provide you with the right treatment plan .

3. Identify your triggers: Take some time to find out what triggers your asthma. Then try to avoid them as much as possible.

4. Use the prescribed medication correctly: Learn how to use the medication prescribed by your doctor, especially if you are using an inhaler . Take the medication at the correct time and in the correct dosage. Do not stop the medication or change the dosage on your own.

5. Be prepared for emergencies: Always keep something like a reliever inhaler handy in case your asthma suddenly worsens. Also, talk to your doctor about what to do if your asthma worsens and when to go to the hospital immediately.

6. Don't be afraid, be aware: Living with asthma can be a challenge, but it's not insurmountable. Awareness is the best weapon.

Remember, you are not alone. There are millions of people around the world who are living successfully with asthma. You can do it too!

Asthma, Difficulty breathing, Cough, Wheezing, Bronchial, Triggers