Asthma: what can trigger an attack and what are the unobvious dangers

December 11 is World Asthma Day. Statistics show that people suffer from this disease more than 230 million people all over the world. In addition, asthma is the most common chronic disease in children. The disease has been known since the time of Hippocrates – and, of course, there are many myths about it.

REN TV will tell you what is important to know about bronchial asthma, who is at risk and how to help a person if he has an attack.

What is bronchial asthma

Among main symptoms: difficulty breathing, attacks of suffocation, shortness of breath, cough and wheezing.

Depending on the causes, there are three forms of bronchial asthma:

• allergic – develops against the background of one or more allergens;
• non-allergic – can be triggered by hormonal changes, acute respiratory viral infections and taking certain medications;
• mixed – combines the features of two other forms.

Symptoms of asthma exacerbation

The main symptom of the disease is asthma attacks, but there are also non-obvious symptoms of asthma that are worth paying attention to:

• periodic difficulty breathing;
• frequent coughing at night;
• seasonal problems in the respiratory system;
• frequent colds;
• feeling of discomfort and heaviness behind the sternum;
• wheezing with whistling when exhaling;
• cough when inhaling tobacco smoke, during emotional stress and physical exertion.

What does an asthma attack look like?

Harbingers. This stage accompanied by incessant sneezing, as well as watery discharge from the respiratory tract. It is most pronounced in patients who have an infectious-allergic nature of the disease.

The height of The patient cannot breathe freely: every act of breathing is accompanied by wheezing and whistling. At the same time, a cough appears. During an attack, a person, as a rule, tries to sit down and tilt his body forward, resting his hands on his legs. If help is not provided in a timely manner, the condition may worsen – shortness of breath increases, the cough becomes stronger, the patient begins to experience fear, and the skin acquires an atypical shade.

Reverse development. At this stage, sputum gradually disappears and the number of wheezing decreases. Gradually, suffocation becomes less pronounced, breathing is restored.

Symptoms may disappear spontaneously, but more often the patient needs special medications – rapid-acting bronchodilators.

Risk factors for bronchial asthma

Risk factors for bronchial asthma can be both internal and external. TO internal factors include: genetic predisposition, the presence of excess weight (obesity) and the gender of the patient (asthma develops more often in boys in childhood, and in girls from adolescence).

Of course, the presence of one or more factors does not mean that a person will necessarily develop asthma. But with the additional influence of external factors, the risk increases. External factors otherwise called triggers – they start a pathological process or cause aggravation.

Main triggers of the disease

• Various allergens – pet hair, plant pollen, mushrooms, dust mites, down and feathers of pillows, household chemicals. Sometimes certain metals can become allergens, for example, in dental prosthetics.
• Viral infections.
• Smoking (active or passive).
• Working conditions – at risk: chemical industry workers, livestock breeders, health workers, welders, painters.
• Temperature difference (cold or overheated).
• Taking certain medications, such as aspirin or non-steroidal drugs.
• Menstruation and pregnancy.
• Stress, emotional overstrain.
• Physical activity.
• Strong odors.

Unobvious dangers for asthmatics

Temperature changes in winter

In the comments REN TV Doctor of Medical Sciences, pulmonologist Pavel Berezhansky told what can trigger an asthma attack and what unobvious things pose a danger to patients.

“The main thing that can trigger attacks: physical activity in cold weather and during temperature changes. The second is a sharp change in temperature. Also these are infectious diseases, ARVI or influenza. Influenza very often provokes severe attacks of bronchial asthma, so you need to be vaccinated,” – says the doctor.

Bronchial asthma, according to Berezhansky, is often provoked by allergens, cigarette smoke, stress and emotional experiences – strong laughter or crying.

Vapes are more dangerous than cigarettes

As the pulmonologist noted, both passive and active smoking can provoke the development of asthma. Moreover, vapes are many times more dangerous to human health than regular cigarettes.

“Vapes form a fatty film of propylene glycol, glycerin, vitamin E and aromatic oils on the mucous membrane. And under this film, firstly, easy inflammation develops, and secondly, local immunity is disrupted. Our mucous membrane stops working altogether as an immune system “Vapes are also dangerous due to their composition because they may contain allergens,” – explained

specialist.

Home carpets and soft toys

Allergens that surround us everywhere pose a great danger to asthmatics. As Berezhansky noted, at home this is most often dust on bookshelves, carpets, beds and soft toys. In addition, do not forget about seasonal factors.

“If we talk about external factors, this is pollen that can be on the trees, and smoking around are probably the main factors,” – the doctor noted.

Working long hours at the computer

According to Berezhansky, one of the non-obvious triggers of asthma is long work at the computer (more than two hours a day), especially in children and adolescents.

“While working at the computer, the patient, a teenager, sits incorrectly, raises his leg higher, and breathes incorrectly. The computer is an element that attracts dust with static electricity, attracts more dust. And when the patient breathes incorrectly, he inhales all this dust,” – the specialist explained.

Poor nutrition and dietary supplements

Factors such as obesity and poor nutrition also provoke the development of bronchial asthma. The doctor advises reducing the consumption of fast food, as well as fatty, fried and smoked foods.

“Also, improper use of medications and abuse of vitamins and dietary supplements, because dietary supplements may contain a huge amount of substances that we do not know. Since dietary supplements are not registered as medicines and are not certified by the Ministry of Health,” – said Berezhansky.

How to help someone during an asthma attack

The doctor told us what to do if a person suddenly has an asthma attack, but there is no inhaler or emergency medications at hand.

1. The patient should be placed in the “cab driver’s position” – he should sit up straight and lean forward slightly, with his hands resting on the table or knees (this makes it easier to breathe).
2. Next, you need to ask the person to take a deep breath and exhale. With a mild exacerbation, the attack may go away on its own.
3. Call an ambulance.
4. The patient must be given the opportunity to breathe deeply. If a tie or turtleneck is in the way, this item of clothing must be removed. If the house is hot and dry, be sure to open the window.

However, according to the doctor, most asthmatics carry emergency medications with them. For example, in the form of an inhalation aerosol. If the patient has such a remedy, you need to help the person use it.

“First, we shook the drug, pressed it between the patient’s lips, made 1-2 presses. We held it for 3-4 seconds, then pulled it out. Within about 5-10 minutes, the drug begins to act. If another dose is required, you can repeat it after 20 minutes, but We can’t repeat it any more, because we will get the opposite, more severe effect,” – the doctor explained.

Popular myths about asthma

Asthma can be cured

Asthma has no cure. Inflammatory processes are always present in the respiratory tract, even during remission, said Pavel Korolev, a doctor at the Center for Public Health and Medical Prevention of the Perm Territory.

Children grow out of asthma

According to statistics, in 90% of cases asthma begins to manifest itself in childhood. As the body matures, the disease may recede, but this does not mean that it has disappeared completely. Under severe stress, after childbirth or severe pneumonia, asthma can make itself felt again.

Asthma is an allergic reaction, not a disease

According to the doctor, the cause of asthma is not always an allergic reaction. Sometimes the disease can develop, for example, due to stress. The reasons may vary. An allergic reaction is one of them, but not the only one.

Asthma is inherited

This is a proven fact. Asthma is inherited from close relatives – directly from parents, and not through generations. As doctors note, if only one parent suffers from asthma – the risk is 25%, and if both, then 75%. The first child is more likely to inherit asthma. The second and subsequent children may not have the disease.

The material is not medical instructions, created for informational purposes.