Facts We Bet You Didn’t Know About Asthma

We, mortals, take a lot of things for granted in our routine lives. Believe it or not, one of them is breathing easily. Have you ever scrambled to catch your breath after a fall that knocks the wind out of you? Or have you ever felt like you would wheeze to death during a coughing fit? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then you might have had a glimpse into what life with asthma is like. Losing control over breathing is petrifying, however not understanding asthma and its root causes and treatments can be even scarier. 

A Brief Overview

There are two types of asthma based on the severity and symptoms. 

1. Intermittent asthma attacks come and go, so you feel absolutely normal between the sudden flares. 
2. On the other hand, in persistent asthma, the patient has mild to severe symptoms most of the time. 

For people who breathe normally, the muscles around their airways tend to be relaxed, which lets air move quietly and easily. However, during an asthma attack, the following three things tend to happen:

• The body creates more mucus during the asthma attack which clogs the airways.
• Muscles around the airways stiffen which is known as bronchospasm. During the bronchospasm, they constrict and make your airways narrow which obstructs the flow of air. 
• The airway lining becomes swollen due to inflammation which doesn’t let much air in or out of the lungs. 

Causes

Asthma might be a result of a myriad of causes. Some of them are listed as follows:

• Allergic : Allergies can be the root cause of flaring asthma attacks. Allergens like pollens, molds, and pet dander affect the respiratory pathway and might cause asthma. 

• Non-allergic : External factors like stress exercise, illness, and weather can also cause asthma. 
  • Occupational Asthma: People who tend to work around irritating inhalants might struggle with occupational asthma.
  • Exercise-induced Asthma: Exercise-induced asthma is caused mostly due to bronchospasm and triggered by physical exertion.
  • ACOS: This is the acronym for Asthma-COPD overlap syndrome. ACOS happens when a patient has both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. 

Facts

The symptoms of asthma include wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, etc. In some people, asthma attacks can also be fatal. Despite the fact that millions of people suffer from asthma, several myths and misconceptions surround asthma. To support people suffering from Asthma, here is our take on shedding light on some of the least-known facts about the life-threatening condition:

#1 Asthma Attacks can be severely triggered by exercise, allergens, pollution, smoke, or airway infections. 

#2 The symptoms of Asthma can change over time. The symptoms you had as a kid might not necessarily be the same once you grow up. It can get better over time with proper treatment, or get worse when not treated correctly. 

#3 Just when people think they have outgrown their childhood asthma, it might rear its wheezy head into adulthood. Asthma tends to leave and return which is why holistic healthcare is imperative for treating asthma. 

#4 Alternative therapies including yoga, nutritional therapy, and Ayurveda can be used to heal asthma from the source by bringing back the lost balance in the body in a holistic way

#5 Asthma affects a whopping 6.1 million kids in the States which makes it one of the most chronic childhood diseases. 

Conclusion

According to the Global Asthma Report, asthma affects more than 339 million people globally. Roughly, every 1 in 13 Americans struggles with Asthma, which accounts for around 25 million people. Prevention in the initial stages and holistic treatment options is crucial. In a world where Asthma is treated as a near-incurable ailment with nascent treatment alternatives, consistent efforts to cure Asthma are imperative. 

Need more information or insights regarding how Asthma can be treated with holistic healthcare? Dig deeper into the free mini course at RedAsh TV now. It gives you an in-depth idea about how alternative therapies can be leveraged for healing asthma from the grassroots level and how inclining towards a healthier lifestyle can be a game-changer.