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October is Healthy Lung Month. During this month, the American Lung Association works to raise awareness of lung diseases like asthma, COPD, and lung cancer. Now with flu season and the threat of swine flu looming, people affected by lung disease should be even more educated about their condition, how to prevent symptoms, and how to treat symptoms. Since an estimated 20 million people in the United States suffer from asthma, we will focus on this chronic lung disease for Healthy Lung Month.
What is asthma?
Asthma is a chronic (long-term) disease of the airways of the lungs. The airways are tubes that carry air into and out of the lungs. Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most often starts in childhood.
What happens to someone when their asthma is not under control? Most patients with uncontrolled asthma have one or more of these common asthma symptoms:
Wheezing- a whistling sound that's usually heard when breathing out
Coughing- a cough or hack that may not go away and often occurs at night or is worse at night
Chest tightness- feels like a rope being tightened around the chest
Shortness of breath- feels like trying to breathe through a straw--or worse, like not being able to catch a breath at all
What causes asthma symptoms?
Airway Constriction
The muscles around the airways in the lungs squeeze together or tighten. This tightening can make it hard to breathe the air in or out of lungs.
Airway Inflammation
Asthma can make airways swollen and irritated. This swelling may be referred
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to as "inflammation." Inflammation can lower the amount of air taken in or breathed out of lungs.
How is asthma managed?
One way to manage asthma symptoms is to avoid "asthma triggers"--whatever makes asthma symptoms worse. Some people have symptoms from being around animals, dust, cigarette smoke, or even extreme temperature changes. People with asthma should know their triggers and how to manage their symptoms when around them.
There are 2 types of medications used to help treat asthma symptoms:
Prevention medications:
Are used daily, even if there are no asthma symptoms
Help relieve inflammation
Keep symptoms from occurring
Examples: Advair®, Symbicort®, Flovent®
Quick-relief medications:
"Rescue" inhalers
Are used to relieve constriction of muscles in the airways during an asthma attack
Examples: Pro-Air HFA®, Proventil HFA®, Xopenex HFA®
Important tips for people affected by asthma:
Wash your hands! Good hygiene is the first line of defense against cold or flu, which can make asthma symptoms worse. Make sure to wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 15 to 20 seconds. A good way to measure this time is to sing "Happy Birthday" twice in your head while washing. If no hand-washing is available, use alcohol-based hand gels or wipes instead.
Get vaccinated! Adults and chil
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