Do you frequently experience shortness of breath? When you breathe do you often hear a whistling or wheezy sound in your chest? If so, you may have asthma.
Asthma is a chronic condition that causes inflammation and narrowing of the bronchial tubes in your lungs. These ‘passageways’ allow air to enter and leave the lungs. If you have asthma being exposed to irritants such as pets, grasses and certain foods can cause a change in your regular breathing patterns. Even stress can cause asthma symptoms.
Asthma affects roughly 26 million Americans – including more than 7 million children. It’s one of the leading causes of absences from work and school. Although there is no cure for asthma, effective treatments are available. Asthma can be best managed by seeing an allergist.
There are two types of asthma: allergic (caused by exposure to an allergen) and nonallergic (caused by stress, exercise, illnesses like a cold or the flu, or exposure to extreme weather, irritants in the air or some medications).
Common Asthma Symptoms
- Coughing
- Shortness of breath
- Chest tightness
- Wheezing (a whistling or squeaky sound in your chest when you breathe, especially when exhaling)
Common Asthma Triggers
- Outdoor allergens, such as pollens from grass, trees and weeds
- Indoor allergens, such as pet dander, dust mites and mold
- Certain drugs and food additives
- Irritants in the air, such as smoke, chemical fumes and strong odors
- Colds, the flu or other illnesses
- Exercise (although people with asthma can benefit from some exercise)
- Stress
- Weather conditions, such as cold air or extremely dry, wet or windy weather
Asthma Testing
We use pulmonary (or lung) function tests to measure your breathing. These tests help us diagnose and monitor asthma. There are different types of lung functions tests but mainly you site comfortably in a chair and breathe into a tube. Lung function tests also help them tell if your asthma medicines are working.
If you or someone in your family experiences asthma symptoms, contact us today and schedule your asthma test.