JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
May is Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month. Asthma is a disease of your lungs that causes coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing and chest tightness. It is caused by inflammation in the airways of the lungs, which is present even if you don't feel any symptoms. You feel the symptoms when something triggers the lungs to react. We don't know what causes asthma, but it does run in families.
Asthma triggers can include exposure to allergens (pollen, pets, dust, mold, foods), respiratory tract irritants (smoke, pollution, chemicals, exhaust, strong odors), exercise, weather changes, viral illnesses, etc. Many people have other health problems that can make asthma worse, such as nasal allergies, sinus disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, obstructive sleep apnea, stress and depression.
Asthma can be quite different among individuals and, over time, in any asthma sufferer. It can be mild and occur seldom, or it can cause unrelenting daily symptoms. No matter how severe your asthma appears, anyone can have an attack that can require emergency care, hospital admission or even intensive care treatment.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that from 2010 - 2011, asthma caused 1.8 million emergency department visits, 14.2 million physician office visits, 1.3 million outpatient hospital visits, and over 439,000 hospital admissions in the US. In 2013, 50 percent of individuals with asthma reported having one or more attacks, and there were 3,630 deaths.
"While we cannot cure asthma, most people can live symptom free by controlling the illness. Some factors that help asthmatics maintain control of their asthma include getting regular medical care, knowing how and when to use the right medications, knowledge about their triggers and how to modify their environment to reduce exposure, and controlling other health conditions that may worsen asthma," said Staff Sgt. Caitlyn Thomason, Allergy Technician, 779th Medical Operations Squadron.
Visiting the Allergist is a great way of evaluating how all of the possible triggers impact your asthma. The Allergist will take a complete history of your asthma problems, look for other health problems, identify allergens and other triggers, educate you about how to avoid your triggers, prescribe a treatment plan for medications, and monitor your asthma regularly. Some asthmatics start allergy shots (immunotherapy) or other injectable medications to help control allergic reactions that can trigger asthma. You should have an influenza vaccine each year, since flu puts you at risk for severe asthma attacks.
When considering whether your asthma is well controlled, think of the "Rules of Two." Do you have asthma symptoms more than two days per week? Do you need a rescue inhaler more than twice per week, or more than two canisters per year? Do you awaken from asthma twice per month or more? Does your peak flow drop to 20 percent of your baseline reading with asthma symptoms? If you answer yes to any of these questions, your asthma is not under control. You should see your primary care manager to discuss use of preventative medications to control your asthma and get a referral to the Allergist.