What Causes Asthma?
Everyone wants to know what causes asthma as well as what cures it. However, there are no definitive answers for either of these questions. Most doctors and researchers believe that the cause of asthma is more likely a combination of factors, most likely genetic and environmental, than any one particular cause. Individuals who were frequently exposed to secondhand smoke, airway infections, and other allergens are more likely to develop asthma later on. Also keep in mind that if you are overly sensitive to irritants you may also develop asthma. People that have others in their family with asthma are also more likely to develop asthma at some point in their life.
 The following allergens and irritants are common causes of asthma symptoms. Pollen, smoke, cold air, dust mites, chemicals, strong smells, roaches, mold, sulfites, some medicines like Beta Blockers and NSAIDS, colds and other respiratory infections, stress, exercise or other exertion, laughing or screaming, GERD, and others.
Is there a Cure?
Everyone that is faced with asthma, whether personally, with a child or parent, wants to know if there is a cure. Unfortunately, there is no specific cure for asthma although there are many different treatment options. Be careful of the so called “asthma cures” that are on the Internet. These could actually lead you to believe your asthma is cured when in fact it is not. This could result in an emergency situation or an acute asthma attack. Please be very careful in regard to your asthma and follow your doctor’s treatment plan in order to keep it under control.
The most common treatment plan is to first determine what allergies and irritants affect a certain individual. Once these are identified it is significantly easier for the asthma sufferer to avoid those things that can trigger an asthma attack. In addition, two types of medicine are frequently used. The first one is a medicine that is taken on a daily basis. This medicine helps reduce inflammation of the airways and reduce the likelihood of an asthma attack. Basically, this medicine gets the asthma under control. Then there is a fast acting medicine. This medicine is usually in inhaler form and it is only taken when an individual is experiencing an asthma attack. In these situations fast acting medicine is really important to relax the airways and help the individual breathe properly. However, the fast acting inhalers do not always work because sometimes the asthma attack is too far gone to respond to the medicine. In these instances a trip to the emergency room is necessary to get the asthma attack under control. |
