Interesting Facts About Asthma

Asthma is a disease that affects your lungs. If you have asthma, you have it all the time, but asthma attacks only when something bothers your lungs. In most cases, the cause of asthma is not known, but it causes repeated episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and nighttime or early morning coughing. One can control one's asthma by knowing the warning signs of an attack, following the advice of health-care provider and staying away from things that trigger an attack. Mentioned in this article are a few interesting facts about asthma that you would surely like to read till the end!

Asthma can be scary as you never know when an asthma attack may come. So it's highly recommended that if you have asthma be sure to always carry around your source of medication that you need. If someone in your family has asthma, you are also more likely to have it. Asthma is the most common long-term disease of children, but adults have it, too. When you control your asthma, you won't have symptoms like wheezing or coughing. You'll also sleep better, won't miss work or school, will take part in all physical activities, and most importantly you won't have to go to the hospital.

During an asthma attack the lining of the airways becomes swollen, and start producing thick mucus. At the same time, the muscles around the airways tighten and make the airways narrower. As a result of these changes in airways, the flow of air slowers down, making it hard to breathe. It should be noted that in the UK, one in 10 children is affected while more than five million people currently have asthma. Asthma is not a psychological condition neither contagious. However, emotional triggers can cause flare-ups. Although prior to the introduction of bronchodilators in the 1930's, asthma was not regarded as a fatal disease in Australia, but now 700 - 800 Australians die from it each year.

In about 50% of children with asthma, the disease may become inactive when a child reaches to its teenage. If neither parent has the condition, you have a 6% chance of having asthma. If one parent has it, there is a 30% chance and if both parents have it, it may rise up to a 70% chance. There is no cure for the disease and can be controlled in most patients with good medical care. The symptoms of Asthma may reoccur anytime in adulthood and the condition should be taken seriously. Uncontrolled asthma may result in emergency hospitalization and possible death.

Asthma is the most common chronic illness of children and adolescents while asthma medications are not addictive. The rate with which asthma is growing in Australian school aged children has doubled in the last 10years.Exercising in dry, cold air may be a trigger for asthma in some people, but swimming is an optimal exercise for those with the disease. Also noteworthy is the fact that a new environment may temporarily improve asthma symptoms, but the disease is best controlled by having an asthma management plan designed by your doctor!