10 Facts You Should Know About Adult Onset Asthma

10 Facts You Should Know About Adult Onset Asthma

Asthma, in a nutshell, is a disorder of the lungs that leads to the inflammation, narrowing and swelling of one’s airways which produce extra mucus, making it difficult for them to breathe. It is a condition that is quite common all over the world right now. Adult onset cancer is when asthma symptoms appear and are then diagnosed by a doctor in adults older than the age of 20. You may never have had a problem in your childhood, then all off a sudden you develop asthma as an adult. This is what is called adult onset asthma. This article will look to delve deeper into it and try to highlight some facts we should know about this condition.

The first thing we are going to highlight as far as facts on adult onset asthma go are its symptoms. Its symptoms are pretty much like those you would associate with asthma at any age, that is shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing, tightness of the chest, wheezing and frequent coughing especially at night. If you are presenting with these symptoms you need to get checked out by a doctor. If you are above the age of 20, and the doctor diagnoses you with asthma, then that is adult onset asthma.

The next thing we are going to highlight as far as facts go are those people who are likely to get it. Women having hormonal changes such as menopause and pregnancy are more likely to get adult onset asthma as do those who take estrogen after experiencing menopause as is covered on frontlineer.com. Others include those with acid reflex or GERD, those with allergies, those who had asthma when they were kids, those who have just been suffering from certain illnesses or viruses such as flu and those exposed to irritants such as mold, dust etcetera especially at the workplace.

Having mentioned those likely to get it, the next fact will revolve around those that are at a higher risk of getting adult onset asthma. While anyone can get it really, at any age, those more at risk include those with a family history of asthma, those who live in urban areas due to pollution in these areas as well as those who are living together with smokers.

The next fact we are going to take a look at involve its difference with childhood asthma. The major difference is that due to the fact that adults have a lower forced expiratory volume, with more on this to be found over at frontlineer.com, as compared to children, it is much more difficult for doctors to diagnose adult onset asthma when compared to its childhood counterpart.

Speaking of, the next fact about adult onset asthma we are going to take a look at is how it is diagnosed. There are a couple of ways through which a doctor may diagnose you. These include the traditional asking of symptoms and checking of medical history, performing a lung function test with the help of a spirometer, performing a methacholine challenge test if the previous tests are inconclusive on asthma as well as performing a chest X-ray. An X-ray allows the doctor to have a look at the organs inside your chest, especially the lungs.

The next fact we are going to highlight is on its different classifications. Its classifications are the same with those of asthma in general, and are four in number. They include mild intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent and finally sever persistent. The frequency of symptoms increases as one moves from mild intermittent to severe persistent where symptoms occur continuously. There is a more detailed write up on these classifications to be found on frontlineer.com.

The next thing we are going to look at is how it is treated. As we all know, asthma has no cure, however it can be controlled. There are two types of asthma medications, anti-inflammatories and bronchodilators. The former is the most important type of medication for those with asthma as they are aimed at reducing swelling and mucus production in the airways while the later are aimed at relaxing the muscle bands that tighten around the airways. The medications can be taken orally by swallowing or through an inhaler.

Another important fact we have to highlight involve the treatment goals of asthma. These are the ones that dictate whether or not your asthma is under control. They include being able to live a normal active life, attend work or school daily, perform daily activities without difficulty, stop making urgent visits to doctors and emergency rooms and the hospital in general, being able to use and adjust your asthma medication with little or no side effects and being able to prevent chronic and troublesome symptoms. If you can tick all these boxes, it means your asthma is under control.

Another fact we are going to highlight, as per the folks at frontlineer.com, is the importance of symptom monitoring when it comes to adult onset asthma. This is done with the help of a peak flow meter, which monitors one’s symptoms and therefore be able to tell if your asthma is improving or worsening. This will enable you to adjust your medication accordingly.

Last but not least we are going to take a look at the importance of an action plan when it comes to adult onset asthma. This is developed by your doctor, based on your history and severity of symptoms and within its framework it defines when and how to use your asthma medication, actions to take when your asthma worsens as well as when you should seek out the help and care of an asthma emergency.  You should ensure you understand and adhere to this plan.

The above are some of the facts about adult onset asthma, with more on the same to be found over at frontlineer.com, so check them out.

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