Asthma is a life long problem. Many people fear that asthma limits the normal activities of life. But people suffering from asthma can lead almost a normal life if (i) regular and appropriate treatment is done by good and experienced doctor and (ii) proper care of the patient is taken. Though asthma can not be cured, yet it can be controlled.

People should have knowledge about the disease. They should at least know what the disease is, substances and factors that can trigger asthma and how asthma can be prevented.

Asthma can be called a disease of the airways of lungs in which respiratory passage in the lungs become over sensitive and over reactive. The airways begin to react to many factors such as cold air, smoke, pollen etc. Inside walls of airways are inflamed, glands of the inner lining of the airways produce excessive mucus and the muscles around the airways tighten up. For these reasons the airways become narrow and obstruct movement of air in and out of the lungs. Once the airways become obstructed one has to make greater effort to force air to pass through them and experiences difficulty in breathing. This activity i.e. forcing of air through constructed airways, can produce a whistling sound which is known as wheezing.

Some of the Symptoms of asthma:-

i. Difficulty in breathing
ii. Wheezing
iii. Coughing – specially at night making in hard to sleep
iv. Tightness in chest
v. Restlessness
vi. Faster breathing than normal.

It is not necessary that all people have all these symptoms. Symptoms may vary. For instance some asthmatics do not wheeze or sometime wheezing is so light that it can heard only by using a stethoscope. In some asthmatics coughing is the only symptom.

Author: S.N.Bhattacharya