The doctor. Marcelo Vivolo Aun comments on the date and its relevance for people living with this syndrome.
Asthma can lead to severe attacks and even death.
World Asthma Day is held every year on the first Tuesday in May. The date exists to raise awareness of a disease that, even today, is a reason for hospital admissions. According to data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), about 20 million Brazilians have asthma in the country. In this way, this is a day to raise awareness of the fight to prevent and control the damage caused by the syndrome, which can cause severe crises and even death. Therefore, in this text you will understand more about the main features of the disease, how it manifests itself and the possibilities of treatment. For this, the
doctor Marcelo Vivolo Aun*
will answer the most common questions on the subject. Keep reading!
What is asthma?
Asthma is a disease that occurs chronically and causes inflammation in the bronchi of the affected person. It can also go by different names, such as bronchial asthma or asthmatic bronchitis. As you have seen, it is one of the most common chronic respiratory conditions among humans. Plus, it’s affecting more people as the years go by. Its incidence is estimated to have increased over the past 30 years. However, there are some specific types of the syndrome. One is allergic asthma, which often begins in childhood. There are also non-allergic or intrinsic ones, which can contain inflammatory cells and be neutrophilic or eosinophilic. In addition to this, occupational asthma is also worth paying attention to. He has a vested cause in the workplace. Nowadays, the condition has different clinical presentations and fluctuating levels of severity. “Asthma ranges from very mild cases with sporadic symptoms, to severe cases, with ongoing symptoms and frequent trips to the hospital, even with hospitalizations,” comments Dr. Marcelo Vivolo Aun. It still has a negative impact on the daily life of the affected person, causing insomnia, a decrease in the level of vigor in activities, fatigue, affecting work and study, among others.
What Causes Asthma?
Now that you know what asthma is, it’s important to understand its main causes. In this sense, Dr. Marcelo Vivolo Aun points out that it occurs due to an inflammation in the bronchi, which are the tubes that carry air to the lungs. “Most individuals with asthma have an underlying allergic disease, which includes a genetic predisposition, associated with exposure to allergens and environmental irritants,” contextualizes the physician. While there are signs that cause this syndrome, it is also possible for it to occur without any pre-existing conditions. In these cases, it is considered to be of unknown cause. However, there are some factors that may be related to the early manifestations of the syndrome. Are they:
- dust mites;
- pollution;
- cigarette smoke;
- mold;
- pollen;
- pet hair;
- viruses, colds and flu;
- climate changes.
What are the first signs of asthma?
In addition to knowing what can cause asthma, it’s important to know what the early signs of the condition are. This way, when they arrive, you can get to a specialist more quickly. With this in mind, it is worth knowing that the manifestation symptoms of the syndrome can be varied. However, they often include:
- feeling of tightness in the chest;
- shortness of breath or some degree of difficulty breathing (sometimes breathing becomes rapid or “short”);
- wheezing or breathing;
- cough
“The patient has 1 or more of the 4 symptoms that keep coming back and vary over time. Any of these symptoms can be the first, but many other diseases have the same signs, so a medical evaluation is needed to confirm that it is asthma ,” explains Dr. Marcelo Vivolo Aun. It should be noted that this is a process that damages the body as a whole and not just the respiratory system. The syndrome can affect sleep, work, study, daily activities, among others.
What causes the attacks?
Asthma attacks, attacks, or exacerbations can be caused by the same allergens, irritants, or even respiratory infections. Additionally, seizures can be a frequent cause of hospital visits. They are mainly characterized by a significant increase in shortness of breath, also known as dyspnea, cough and wheezing are also symptoms. It is common for this to be an event that gets worse over hours and days, but it can also have an immediate effect. Both scenarios require the help of healthcare professionals or the use of medicines prescribed by a doctor. Also, it is essential to pay attention to your body’s signals. “Severe attacks can lead to death, unfortunately. But, today, this is rare, as regular treatment controls it in 95% of cases. The risk is in patients who do not follow up,” says the doctor.
What are the methods used to improve the syndrome?
As we have seen, asthma attacks can have serious consequences on people’s daily life and quality of life. Therefore, it is interesting to know the methods that can help improve it. Many start with cleaning the environments, especially those where the person with asthma travels or lives. Agree with the doctor. Marcelo Vivolo Aun, the treatment is based on 3 main pillars:
- general treatments: balanced and regular physical exercise, associated with the reduction of contact with external agents (dust, for example);
- drug treatment: over 90% of patients control their disease only with various types of inhalation drugs (“inhalers”, for example), based on corticoids and local bronchodilators, but there are oral and injectable drugs for selected cases;
- allergen-specific immunotherapy (the so-called “allergy vaccine”), which is indicated only for some patients with proven allergy and who have no contraindications to the procedure.
To follow each cycle of treatment, it is imperative that a professional in the sector is consulted, such as a specialist doctor. In this way, he will ensure a definitive diagnosis and will be able to recommend the most suitable treatment for your condition.
Does the person who has asthma have limitations?
The individual’s limitations will depend on the stage of treatment, and initiation can be challenging, especially when practicing physical exertion. In this scenario, the person becomes physically tired, causing the symptoms to worsen. But the good news is that after initiation and adjustments to treatment, patients generally have no restrictions on exercise in their daily lives. In this regard, the doctor completes: “Just remember that there are countless Olympic athletes with asthma who are treated properly and take home medals and glory (including Brazilians),” says Dr. Marcelo Vivolo Aun. It is necessary to remember to have empathy and to help spread quality information about this syndrome so that more people can seek help to combat these difficulties and seek a specialist.
*Dr. Marcelo Vivolo Aun is an allergist, immunologist, graduated from the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Santa Casa de São Paulo and member of the Brazilian Association of Allergy and Immunology (Asbai).
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
