Is all asthma the same?
Not all asthma is the same, there are different types. Until a few years ago, allergic asthma was only differentiated by its particular trigger. Today, experts consider asthma not to be a single disease, but rather a syndrome. Each person is affected differently and we speak of different phenotypes (observable characteristics in an individual and that are the result of the interaction of the subject’s genetic load and environmental factors).
What treatment do you usually have asthma?
The goal of asthma treatment is to control your symptoms, especially choking and wheezing, so you don’t have to give up your daily activities.
Depending on genetic causes, due to other pathologies or the lifestyle of the person who suffers from it – such as stress levels, physical activity, smoking, etc. – asthma will have some characteristics or others. Hence, each type of asthma is different, so its treatment must be individualized.
Health professionals follow a series of treatment steps to control asthma. If the first step does not help control the symptoms (make them go away), they will try to find out why the medication is not working, try a different medication or increase the dose until the asthma is controlled. Medications given by injection are also beginning to be used for people with more difficult-to-control types of asthma.
On the other hand, in the non-pharmacological field, the Buteyko method is being analyzed in scientific studies and is giving promising results in helping to control asthma.
What is severe asthma or difficult-to-control asthma?
It is that type of asthma that, despite attempts with alternative treatment options, remains difficult to treat and continues to show symptoms. Asthma is considered to be “hard to control” in people who struggle to keep their asthma under control and who are unable to prevent asthma from affecting their daily lives.
What type of medication exists for asthma?
- Preventive medication , which should be used every day to treat inflammation of the lungs, which reduces symptoms and lowers the risk of an attack.
- Palliative medication , which provides quick but short-term relief from symptoms of wheezing or shortness of breath.
Correct use of inhalers is necessary for treatment to have the correct effect. In this link we offer you some guidelines for its management https://lovexair.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/terapia-inhalada-consejos-para-pacientes.pdf
What factors can prevent good asthma control?
- Tobacco : tobacco increases by three the chances of hospital emergency and medications will be less effective.
- Allergies – It is important to treat allergies and know what to avoid to better control your asthma.
- Psychological disorders , such as anxiety, stress, or depression.
- Environmental factors : air pollution, living in a musty or moldy building, passive smoking, etc.
- Occupational factors : dust at work, bakery flour, chemicals, etc.
- Inactivity : doing sports in a controlled and regular way improves asthma symptoms).
- Other illnesses, such as acid reflux, nasal polyps, aspirin intolerance, obesity, chronic cough, obstructive sleep apnea, pollen allergy, or rhinitis.
What treatment should you receive if your healthcare professional confirms that you have severe asthma?
In this case, different treatment options can be considered. The ERS (European Respiratory Society) has published several guidelines on severe asthma, with recommendations for health professionals on the treatment of this disease. The patient version of these guidelines and more information on the indicated treatment regimens can be found at this link http://www.europeanlung.org/projects-and-research/task-forces
interesting links
A Patient Guide to Severe Asthma Treatments:
http://www.europeanlung.org/assets/files/en/publications/Severe_asthma_guideline.pdf
http://www.neumosur.net/files/EB04-32%20fenotipos%20asma.pdf
http://www.europeanlung. org/assets/files/es/publications/severe_asthma_es.pdf
Lovexair Guide to Quit Smoking
Bibliography on the Buteyko method: Respir Med. 2008 May; 102(5):726-32. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2007.12.012. Epub 2008 Jan 31.
A randomized controlled trial of the Buteyko technique as an adjunct to conventional management of asthma: Cowie RL 1 , Conley DP , Underwood MF , Reader PG .
By: Eva Maroto López and Anna Ferran Roig, Lovexair Foundation
