Salamatak – Asthma

Asthma is a chronic condition that causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways, leading to coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Coughing often worsens at night, or early in the morning. The coughing can also get worse if the person is exposed to allergens or cold air, or as a result of exercising. Asthma affects all age groups, but usually begins early in childhood.

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Background information #1
Diagnosis #2
Treatment #3

Background information

The main cause of asthma has not been identified yet. However, some researchers believe that some environmental and genetic factors may contribute to the development of asthma early in life. These factors include the following:

Genetic susceptibility to allergies (Diathesis)
Parental history of asthma
Lung infections during childhood
Exposure to viral infections in early childhood during the development of the immune system

Diagnosis

In order to diagnose the condition, your doctor must:

Inquire about your family’s medical history
Perform a physical examination to listen to the sound of your lungs as you breathe. Symptoms of asthma and allergies include rattling in the chest, a runny nose, swelling of the sinusitis, and signs of skin allergy such as eczema
Administer lung function tests to check how well the lungs are functioning and measure the amount of air entering and leaving the lungs during breathing.
Perform an X-ray or electrocardiography (ECG) to ensure that there are no external factors or other diseases that present symptoms similar to asthma

Geographic Distribution of Asthma

In 2015, 358 million cases of asthma were reported worldwide, resulting in 397,000 deaths, most of which were in developing countries. A sharp increase in the number of asthma cases has also been observed since the year 1960 around the world. It is worth noting that there are cases of asthma that are dated back to the ancient Egypt civilization. Additionally, the word asthma is originally derived from the ancient Greek word “Azma” meaning “panting”.

Treatment

There is currently no cure for asthma, but a treatment plan is designed to stabilize the patient’s condition and control the associated symptoms. The treatment plan helps to:
• Relieve the associated chronic symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath
• Reduce the need for asthma relief medications
• Maintain the functions of the lungs
• Maintain an active daily routine and help patients to sleep through the night
• Prevent the cases of angina which is a medical emergency that requires hospitalization
As part of your treatment plan, your doctor may recommend the following:
• Avoid asthma triggers
• Use the appropriate treatment and dosage depending on your condition and your medical history. The medication may be in the form of inhalers or pills
• Use long-term medications to reduce recurring bronchitis
• Use short-term and fast-acting medications which relieve acute symptoms by relaxing the muscles surrounding the bronchi in the event of angina
• Use of a small device to measure the function of the lungs when inhaling and exhaling air during the lung function test
It is crucial that you monitor your condition along with your symptoms when following the treatment plan recommended by your doctor. Your condition is considered stable if:
• Symptoms do not last for more than two days a week, and the number of times these symptoms wake you up at night is once or twice a month
• Symptoms do not prevent you from carrying out your daily tasks
• You do not experience severe angina that requires taking an oral corticosteroid more than once a year
• The result of the lung function test is 80% or higher

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Salamatak is an awareness program with an authentic Arab spirit that provides health advice and guidance in line with the standards of international health awareness organizations. It aims to elevate society through health and safety awareness in a spontaneous way, and targets healthy people in particular and society in general.