There is still much research that needs to be done to fully understand how to prevent, treat and cure asthma. If you think you may have asthma, your first step should be to speak with your healthcare provider. You can learn more about proper diagnosis here. Do you have questions about asthma? Contact our free helpline service to be connected with a Certified Respiratory Educator who can provide you with personalized support.
Knowing what actions to take could save a life. Download a copy of our Breathe Easy Booklet Series on asthma diagnosis. It discusses proper diagnosis and testing, and answers common questions about asthma. Different illnesses, viruses, or infections can be a factor in adult onset asthma. A bad cold or a bout with the flu is often a factor in adult onset asthma.
Smoking does not cause adult onset asthma; however, if you smoke or if you are exposed to cigarette smoke second-hand smoke , it may provoke asthma symptoms. Asthma is usually diagnosed in childhood. In many patients; however, the symptoms will disappear or are significantly reduced after puberty.
After age 20, symptoms may begin to reappear. Researchers have tracked this tendency for reappearing asthma and found that people with childhood asthma tend to experience reappearing symptoms through their 30s and 40s at various levels of severity.
To diagnose asthma, your physician will question you about your symptoms, perform a physical exam, and conduct lung function breathing tests. You also may be tested for allergies. Your internist or family physician may refer you to an allergist or pulmonologist who specializes in lung diseases for specialized testing or treatment.
After middle age, most adults experience a decrease in their lung capacity. These changes in lung function may lead some physicians to overlook asthma as a possible diagnosis. Untreated asthma can contribute to even greater permanent loss of lung function.
Get a definitive diagnosis from your health care provider. If you manage your asthma, you can expect to lead a normal lifestyle. Basically, there are four key steps to managing asthma successfully:. Take prescribed medications. Check your lungs daily at home by using a peak flow meter. Asthma patients often can detect lung changes with a peak flow meter before they actually experience any changes. Visit your physician regularly for further in-office tests.
Lung testing is painless and provides valuable data that helps your physician make adjustments in your medication. Make an asthma management plan with your physician. A plan establishes guidelines that tell you what to do if your asthma symptoms get worse. In order to determine relevant triggers, you may want to seek consultation with an allergist who can further define these triggers.
In addition, anyone with asthma should consider getting an annual flu shot. Older adults also should talk with their internist about getting a pneumonia vaccination. Many older patients are treated for asthma by their internist or family physician; however, if your asthma symptoms are not under control within three to six months, or if you have severe persistent asthma, or if you are having asthma episodes that need emergency treatment, it may be time to see an asthma specialist.
Adults, especially by middle age, may have stiffening of the chest wall, which can make treating asthma more difficult. Adults are also at a higher risk of death due to asthma than children. In , 3, people died from asthma. Almost all of these people were over 18 years old. The reasons why adults have a higher rate of asthma-related death are not clear.
It may be because symptoms tend to be less well-controlled than children or because of a delay in diagnosis. It is vital to get an accurate diagnosis of adult-onset asthma in order to develop the most effective treatment plan. In many cases, adult-onset asthma takes longer to diagnose than asthma in childhood. This is partly due to confusion with other conditions that occur in adults but are rare in children. For example, asthma that develops in adulthood is sometimes confused with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD.
Doctors can diagnose adult-onset asthma through a physical exam, medical history, and lung-function tests. A lung-function test involves a series of breathing tests that measure how much air a person can inhale and exhale. People can treat adult-onset asthma with a combination of lifestyle changes and medications. Everyone has their own treatment plan for asthma.
Adults are more likely than children to have other medical conditions as well, which is a consideration when developing an asthma treatment plan. Treatment for most types of asthma includes bronchodilators. Different types of bronchodilators are available, including long-acting and fast-acting ones.
Both types can play a role in the management of asthma. Fast-acting bronchodilators, such as albuterol , work by relaxing the muscles of the airways. As the muscles relax, the airways widen, making breathing easier. People take fast-acting bronchodilators via an inhaler or through a nebulizer. The medications reduce sudden symptoms, such as wheezing and shortness of breath.
Although asthma can normally be kept under control, it's still a serious condition that can cause a number of problems. This is why it's important to follow your treatment plan and not ignore your symptoms if they're getting worse. There's also a risk of severe asthma attacks, which can be life threatening. Page last reviewed: 19 April Next review due: 19 April Video: Asthma Animated video about asthma, which is a chronic condition affecting the lungs.
0コメント