Understanding Asthma: Mild, Moderate, and Severe

understanding asthma mild moderate and severe asthma is a chronic long-lasting lung condition that causes coughing wheezing and breathing problems it happens when inflammation and changes in the lungs reduce the flow of oxygen into the blood you get less oxygen to all your cells which is needed to survive asthma can be a serious condition without proper treatment the lungs become damaged and breathing becomes more difficult sudden symptoms can even cause death asthma has no cure but medication can control symptoms and keep the lungs working as well as possible asthma has many possible causes including allergies to

substances such as dust pollen and mold exposure to triggers that irritate the lungs such as air pollution or tobacco smoke and infections that affect the lungs nose and throat asthma symptoms include coughing wheezing chest tightness and shortness of breath if you have mild asthma these symptoms can happen about twice a week if you have moderate asthma these symptoms can happen every day but not multiple flares if you have severe asthma these symptoms can happen several times a day even if you take medication your lungs contain small tubes called airways when you breathe air passes into

these tubes the oxygen enters your bloodstream through tiny sacs at the end of the airways and your blood vessels carry it through your body asthma inflames the airways so they produce more mucus than normal air does not travel through them as well over time they also become stiffer and thicker not healthy and flexible mild and moderate asthma usually improve with regular medication severe asthma may not improve even if you take several medications other signs of severe asthma are visiting the er or hospital using a quick relief medicine more than two times per week other than

using it before you exercise if your doctor told you to do this needing a new quick relief inhaler more than two times per year needing to take steroid pills by mouth two times per year or more and having difficulty with everyday activities such as school work or doing things around your home if you take high doses of asthma control medicines as directed avoid things that could trigger a flare and still have symptoms you could have severe asthma knowing the cause of severe asthma can be helpful in controlling it doctors now know there are at least

four types of severe asthma allergic asthma asthma related to having too many of a type of white blood cell called eosinophils asthma related to having too many of a different type of white blood cell called neutrophils and asthma that happens when the muscles in your airways become over developed called airway smooth muscle hypertrophy an asthma flare is when symptoms get worse suddenly you might start coughing or not get enough air if so you need to use your quick relief medicine if your symptoms do not get better you need emergency care avoiding this type of flare

is an important reason to take control or medication regularly medicines that relieve asthma symptoms quickly are called quick relief or rescue medicines you breathe them through a handheld inhaler or nebulizer you might use a spacer with an inhaler or a mask with a nebulizer a mask or spacer helps you get the right amount of medicine use your quick relief medicines as advised by your doctor when you have asthma symptoms medicines that control asthma in the long term act on inflammation swelling and mucus that cause symptoms and damage these are called control or maintenance medicines you

take these medicines every day whether you have symptoms or not if you have severe asthma these medicines might not be enough treatment for severe asthma can help this can include medicines called biologics these medicines act on a specific molecule to treat the cause of asthma if you have severe asthma you need to see an asthma specialist regularly they can help you find a treatment that targets your specific type of asthma severe asthma will not go away although your symptoms might change over time having severe asthma can change your airways the muscles can become thicker and

over developed making it harder to get air through the lungs you might need treatment called bronchial thermoplasty to smooth out the over developed muscles this helps them work better tell your doctor about any problems such as not being able to afford your medicine or having new symptoms with the right medication and treatment even people with severe asthma have hope you