What is asthma?
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease. It causes the airways to swell and makes it difficult to breathe. It's a potentially dangerous disease because of its unpredictable nature. Those with asthma can have a severe attack one month and no symptoms at all the next. What triggers the attacks and how the body responds to triggers can vary, too.
Unless asthma gets appropriate management, a common cold could end up in a hospital visit. Dr. George strives to keep your symptoms under control.
What are the symptoms of asthma?
Several symptoms accompany asthma. You may not have them all at the same time, and, on different occasions, they may be more or less severe. Common signs of asthma include:
- Colds that turn into coughs
- Coughing after exercise or through the night
- Fatigue
- Feeling weak
- Interrupted sleep due to coughing
- Tight chest
- Trouble breathing or shortness of breath
If you think you have asthma, make an appointment to see Dr. George. He's an expert at recognizing the early signs and can start you on a treatment plan to help manage the symptoms.
What are the different types of asthma?
You can experience different types of asthma. It's possible to have more than one kind, depending on what triggers your symptoms. Types of asthma include:
- Adult-onset asthma
- Allergic asthma
- Cough-variant asthma
- Exercise-induced asthma
- Non-allergic asthma
- Occupational asthma
At each appointment, Dr. George reclassifies your asthma so he can provide the most appropriate treatment at the current time.
Can you prevent asthma?
There's no cure for asthma, but with due diligence, you can manage and control the symptoms, recognize the triggers, and lessen the chance of a severe asthma attack. There are various asthma medications, which include combined inhalers, steroids, and pills.
Understanding your triggers is a vital part of asthma management. Dr. George helps you identify what causes your attacks and then advises you to follow preventive measures, including:
- Cleaning your home regularly
- Covering mouth and nose when it's cold outside
- Decontaminating décor
- Removing smoke from fabric
- Maintaining humidity
- Preventing mold spores
- Removing pet dander
- Using air-conditioning
No two people have the same asthma conditions. Dr. George provides individualized treatment plans to each of his patients to help ease their symptoms and to continue enjoying all the activities they're used to doing. Call the practice today and take control of your asthma.
