Understanding Severe Asthma: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the airways and makes it difficult for the person to breathe. While most asthmatic patients can manage their condition with inhaled medication, severe asthma can be life-threatening and requires emergency medical care. In this article, we will discuss the symptoms, causes, and treatment options for severe asthma.
Signs of Severe Asthma
The symptoms of severe asthma can interfere with the patient’s daily life and make it difficult for them to breathe. Some of the common symptoms include coughing, wheezing, tightness around the chest, and breathlessness. Besides experiencing recurrent symptoms, severe asthma can be deduced if the patient experiences exacerbation of symptoms despite optimal medication use, an increase in symptoms and flare-ups during the night, the need for quick-relief medications more than twice a week, and more than two hospital visits or admissions in a year due to flare-ups.
Understanding What Causes Your Severe Asthma
Patients with severe asthma may continue to exhibit symptoms in spite of optimal inhaled treatment and lifestyle modifications. Most patients, in consultation with their doctors, are treated with oral corticosteroids which result in several detrimental side effects. However, recent research studies show that several mechanisms are at work in severe asthma. Depending upon the underlying causes of the inflammation, severe asthma can be divided into allergic, eosinophilic, or non-eosinophilic asthma. Hence, it is important to identify the root cause and customise the treatment accordingly.
Targeted Treatments for Severe Asthma
Targeted treatments such as biologics are now available and may be added to the existing therapy by the clinician after assessing the patient. Biologics are specific injectable therapies that offer relief from persistent symptoms in severe asthma and reduce the need for oral steroids. Assessing asthma control is important and several tests such as online asthma control test can be taken by the patient to judge their condition.
Do Not Ignore Your Symptoms and Seek Treatment
The key target of any treatment is to reduce symptomatic flare-ups and improve a patient’s quality of life. Reviewing inhalation techniques and limiting triggers while regularly consulting a physician is also advised for better asthma control. As patients with severe asthma are already on high-dose inhalers, oral corticosteroids are often suggested by physicians to manage episodes. Newer and more advanced therapies are now available, in the form of add-on oral medications and biological therapies. Consult your doctor today to understand your symptoms better and seek the right kind of treatment for your condition!
Conclusion
Severe asthma is a chronic condition that requires timely medical intervention. Patients with severe asthma may experience recurrent symptoms despite optimal inhaled treatment and lifestyle modifications. It is important to identify the root cause and customise the treatment accordingly. Biologics are specific injectable therapies that offer relief from persistent symptoms in severe asthma and reduce the need for oral steroids. Patients should not ignore their symptoms and seek treatment to reduce symptomatic flare-ups and improve their quality of life. Regular consultation with a physician is advised for better asthma control.
- Asthma severity levels
- Signs of severe asthma
- Symptoms of severe asthma
- Understanding severe asthma
- Managing severe asthma
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