There is no universally accepted definition of Asthma. The Oxford dictionary describes it as a disease of respiration characterized by difficult breathing, cough etc. Any good medical book will describe it in more technical terms, but difficult breathing is the part with which any asthma sufferer is familiar, even if it varies from mildly uncomfortable to life breathing.
The term ‘Ashma’ is a Greek translation of gasping or panting and the problem was treated as far back as 2000 BC by Chinese doctors with the herb Ma Huang. The first known recording of the symptoms was about 3,500 years ago in an ancient Egyptian manuscript called Ebers Papyrus.
Over the years there has been an assortment of different theories about the cause of asthma, and so an eclectic range of remedies has been advised, including horse riding, strong coffee, tobacco and faith healing.
Ashma now affects more people throughout the world, particularly in more developed countries, than at any other time in evolution. In the Western world, Ashma crosses all class, race, geography and gender boundaries. Although it causes persistent symptoms among seventy per cent of all people diagnosed with it, asthma causes only minor discomfort to the majority.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
The condition consists of inflammation, tightening and swelling of the airways in the respiratory system, resulting in obstruction of the flow of air to and from the lungs. The symptoms of asthma include breathlessness, wheezing, coughing and chest tightness.
An asthma attack is the term used to describe an episode of breathing difficulty. In some cases, this may follow exposure to a specific trigger, such as dust, pollen, or certain foods.
A trigger is something that makes asthma worse. There is also a wide variety in the symptoms of asthma. The following is a list of those most commonly experienced by sufferers.
WHEEZE:
This is a high-pitched whistling sound produced when sir is forced through narrowed airways. The sound is similar when you blow a Biro pen when the ink refill is removed.
COUGHING:
This may be either a repetitive dry cough or a cough with phlegm, often occurring during the night or early morning.
BREATHLESSNESS:
This is the feeling of not being able to take enough air. There is a need to breathe out while, at the same time, a compulsion to breathe in.
FREQUENT YAWNING:
When asthma symptoms are at their worst, sleep is interrupted by difficult periods of breathing which contributes to tiredness.
CHEST TIGHTNESS:
Trapped air in the lungs generates a feeling that the chest is over inflated. This is often described as someone squeezing or sitting on one’s chest.
HISTORY OF THE PATIENT:
This includes establishing if the patient has experienced asthma symptoms while at rest, during exercise or after exposure to a known trigger.
CHEST X-RAYS:
X-ray is used to rule out other respiratory diseases in a person who has the symptoms of severe chronic asthma.
LUNG FUNCTION TESTS:
The peak flow meter measures the maximum speed at which the patient can exhale air in one second.
SKIN TESTS TO DETERMINE ALLERGIES:
A number of common allergies are selected, such as dust mites, pollen or animal danger. One at a time, the allergens are placed on the forearm, and the skin is then gently pierced to allow the substances to penetrate.
EFFECT OF RELIEVER OR STEROIDAL MEDICATIONS:
In part, diagnosis of asthma is based on the effects of medication, and whether or not it leads to a temporary reversal of symptoms.
