Asthma
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a common chronic disease characterized by the inflammation of the airways, or bronchial tubes, in the lungs. When triggered, muscles surrounding the airways contract causing them to become more swollen, twitchy, or spastic. Causes of an asthma attack can include:
- Allergens
- Inhaling fumes, gases, or dust
- Physical activity
Symptoms of Asthma
- Chest tightness or pain
- Chronic coughing
- Coughing until vomiting
- Recurrent bronchitis requiring steroids or breathing treatments
- Scratchy, whistling sound when breathing
- Trouble sleeping due to coughing or wheezing
- Wheezing
Childhood Asthma
Another type of asthma that affects millions of families is childhood asthma, which often develops before the age of five and sometimes wanes as the child gets older. Overall, asthma in Middle Georgia is often allergic, especially if there are allergies in the family or if there are concurrent sinus, nasal, or eye symptoms.
Children may exhibit only one symptom, so it’s important to pay close attention for signs of asthmatic trouble. These signs include coughing triggered by:
- Sports or social activities
- Cold air
- Fatigue when playing
- Problems feeding or grunting during feeding (infants)
Breathe Easy! Call 478-787-4728 to Schedule an Asthma Consultation!
Testing for Asthma
Langford Allergy offers a spirometry test, also called a lung test, to examine your lung health. Spirometry measures how much air you inhale and out and how fast you exhale. This test helps us determine if you have asthma or if certain asthma medications are working appropriately for you.
Best Treatments for Asthma
Although there is no cure yet, you can find relief from symptoms and attacks. The team at Langford Allergy is trained to identify the factors that trigger asthma and create a treatment plan specifically designed for a healthy life.
For certain patients triggered by allergens, immunotherapy can offer relief from asthmatic symptoms. For asthma caused by other factors, we’ll prescribe medication to maintain control of your symptoms and attacks.