Asthma: Signs, causes and prevention

Asthma is a common chronic disease in children

1. What is asthma?

Asthma (bronchial asthma - Asthma) is a chronic disease of the respiratory system. When an asthma attack occurs, the lining of the bronchial tube becomes swollen, inflamed and easily irritated. The constriction and inflammation narrow the airways, thereby reducing the flow of air in and out of the lungs.

When the edema becomes severe, the airways will narrow and narrow. At this time the patient will have to deal with extremely uncomfortable wheezing and difficulty breathing.

Lung conditions and airways in a person with asthma

2. Symptoms of asthma

Symptoms of asthma are diverse. Some manifestations are quite clinical outside, so it is easy to confuse with other lung diseases such as tuberculosis, bronchiectasis, COPD, ... The following are the most common symptoms for people with asthma. asthma:

Cough, especially at night: Cough is a reaction when the body wants to push secretions or allergens from the environment such as dust, smoke, pollen, animal hair ... out. Coughs can come from diseases of sinus infections, colds ... but if the cough persists, coughing attacks appear mainly at night due to narrowed airways, patients should pay attention because May be a sign of asthma.

A prolonged coughing at night is one of the hallmarks of asthma

Wheezing: Wheezing is a form of hissing or unusual sounds that come out when breathing. These are considered typical signs of asthma. Air passing through the lungs is blocked by an edematous bronchial tube causing a wheezing sound. In particular, patients are susceptible to wheezing when exposed to cold air.

Difficulty breathing: Because the airways are narrowed, causing breathing problems for the patient.

Angina, pain or pressure: The person feels like something is weighing or squeezing the chest.

Fast and rapid breathing: This is the hallmark of asthma. This symptom will worsen when the patient is more active such as climbing stairs, jogging, exercising ..

Pale, sweaty face: the patient will show signs of pale face, sweating, fatigue when the body is not supplied with enough oxygen.

Above are the common symptoms of asthma. However, symptoms will vary from person to person, for example:

• Whether or not the above symptoms appear at the same time.

• An asthma attack is interrupted in one person but persistent in another.

• Some people only have asthma when they exercise or change the weather.

3. Subjects of asthma

Asthma is the most common chronic disease in children. But the disease can still appear in adults, especially the elderly. The disease usually starts early in the patient's childhood with popular subjects such as:

• Have respiratory infections.

• Have allergies, eczema.

• A history of one parent or family history of someone with asthma.

The target of asthma is in families whose parents have the disease

In addition, people living and working in a polluted environment with a lot of dust and chemicals such as teachers, construction workers, miners, ... are also very easy to become subjects of asthma.

4. Consequences of asthma

4.1. Affect the daily life of patients:

Asthma can recur frequently, manifested with persistent coughing at night, making the patient sleepless, tired during the day, affecting the quality of study, work, relationships. also somewhat affected ...

4.2. Likely to cause death or leave many dangerous complications:

Asthma can still be fatal, although its rate is relatively low compared to other chronic diseases. However, not so subjective with this disease, if not detected early and there are treatments and control of asthma attacks, there is a risk of complications such as bronchitis, emphysema. , chronic lung, respiratory failure, respiratory arrest with brain damage, atelectasis, pneumothorax, ...

4.3. Dangerous for pregnant women:

The risk of asthma in pregnant women usually occurs between 24 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. Accordingly, pregnant women with asthma can easily lead to complications such as eclampsia, vaginal bleeding, premature birth ... In addition, the children of pregnant women with asthma are also lighter than the babies. normal.

5. Classification of asthma and causes

 

6. How to prevent and treat asthma

The principle in the treatment and prevention of asthma is to minimize contact with the pathogens. Besides, asthma cannot be completely cured. However, the early detection and treatment of asthma in the early stages will control the disease and not aggravate the disease. Here are some ways to minimize the symptoms that the disease causes:

6.1. Use the drug according to the instructions of your doctor:

Asthma can be triggered by some drugs such as aspirin, nonsteroidal pain relievers such as ibuprofen, naproxen, ... even eye drops if the patient is not used properly and as directed by the doctor. Therefore, when using drugs to treat any disease, the patient should also comply with the regimen given by the doctor. Absolutely avoid arbitrarily buying drugs, using the wrong time or the wrong dose.

Patients need to comply with the prescription of the doctor about the use of the drug

6.2. Avoid having asthma triggers:

Common triggers of asthma include: pets, house mites, cockroaches, plants and pollen, mold, smoke, chemicals, and certain foods. The best prevention and treatment is to stay away from the agents that cause the disease.

- Avoid contact with pet feathers: If you are prone to asthma, it is best to avoid contact with the feathers of pets such as dogs, cats, birds ...

- Wear a mask when on the street: The air is very polluted now. So if you want to stay away from dust, tobacco smoke, and harmful chemicals in the air, you need to use a mask every time you go out.

- Abstain from allergy-prone foods: Shrimps, crabs, fried foods, alcohol ... belong to the group that is prone to allergies. People at risk for asthma should use these foods with caution.

- Clean the house regularly: Regularly cleaning the house, vacuuming dust, washing blankets, sheets, pillows, mattresses to destroy bacteria and parasites that cause disease. This is one of the simple, easy ways to get rid of the triggers of asthma.

6.3. Exercise properly and use foods to increase resistance:

To have a healthy body, you need to have a healthy and healthy diet. Accordingly, the daily menu should ensure adequate supply of essential nutrients such as protein, fat, fiber, ... In addition, you can add more resistant foods for the body. , especially fruits rich in vitamin C such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons, ...

Regular exercise is also a very good way to prevent asthma. When exercising, in addition to the muscles, the lungs will be strengthened, preventing asthma attacks from occurring. However, you should avoid exercising long in the cold or overtraining yourself.

Exercise and exercise every day to help prevent asthma effectively

6.4. Stay warm in cold weather:

Cold air is one of the most likely triggers of acute asthma attacks and other respiratory diseases. Therefore, when the weather changes in seasons or becomes cold, keep your body warm by preparing yourself thick gloves, socks, towels, hats, and coats to protect your body.

6.5. Perform screening for asthma and COPD:

The best way to correctly diagnose asthma is to perform screening for asthma and COPD. When performing the screening, you will be assigned to a clinical respiratory exam, radiological diagnosis through chest X-ray, inhalation measurement with drug trial and blood count test, ... to check respiratory system condition.

For the most accurate asthma screening results, you should go to a reputable medical institution. In which, CarePlus is one of the addresses that you should not ignore.

Introducing CarePlus international clinic system:

CarePlus is an international clinic system operated by CityClinic Vietnam Company Limited. Not only that, this clinic system is also a member of Singapore Medical Group (SMG). With a professional medical team and state-of-the-art equipment, CarePlus provides asthma and COPD screening services that deliver accurate results, save time and affordably. In addition to providing international standard services, CarePlus's enthusiastic consultation will help customers change their lifestyle for the better or have the most effective treatment direction.

List of CarePlus systems:

• Tan Binh Clinic: 107 Tan Hai, Ward 13, Tan Binh District, HCMC

• District 7 Clinic: 2nd Floor, Crescent Plaza, 105 Ton Dat Tien, Tan Phu Ward, District 7, City. HCM City

Work time:

• Monday - Friday: 8:00 - 20:00

• Saturday: 8:00 - 17:00

Asthma and COPD screening services give clients the comfort of having the exact same results

For details on asthma and COPD screening packages, please visit AT MEDICINE.

Asthma can appear of all ages, all classes and countries. The disease causes many limitations in daily life and can be dangerous if the patient is not well controlled. Therefore, keeping the body healthy, avoiding factors that affect the respiratory system, and proactive screening are essential to prevent disease.

For more information about asthma and other lung diseases, please visit Website: careplusvn.com, Fanpage: CarePlus Clinic Vietnam or contact Hotline: 1800 6116.