Most attacks of asthma, though frightening and uncomfortable, are usually mild and subside within a few minutes with simple treatment. At times though, they can go on for hours. Some attacks are serious - and the sufferer may feel that he is suffocating. Struggling to expel air only makes it more difficult to breathe, and the panic that can seize a patient who is fighting to breathe only makes things worse. In an effort to take in more air, the asthma sufferer may sit upright, or stand. His labored breathing can often be heard some distance away.
The majority of those suffering from episodes of asthma are children. The condition can begin as early as the first year of life. Both boys and girls can suffer from the disease. Most asthmatics can have their ailment controlled by medication. They can participate in normal activities and sports, taking a dose of their treatment just before beginning a game or a period of physical exercise to prevent an attack. The unlucky ones are those who do not get proper treatment and support: Their asthma may be allowed to become magnified into a physical and mental burden, even hindering their normal development.
It is interesting to consider exactly how an attack is provoked. People with asthma are said to have "sensitive" bronchi. Their lung tissues react far more than they should to various stimuli. The stimulus may be an allergen (a name given to any substance that excites an allergic reaction). On the other hand, it may be a non-allergic factor such as an infection, physical exercise or even a blast of cold air. An episode of asthma can be triggered off by a cat, by cigarette smoke or even by air that has been polluted by dust or aerosol spray. Sensitivity to animal fur and similar allergens is more likely to show up in those who have inherited an allergic tendency.
Worry and fear of an attack can contribute to bringing one on; so can undue excitement and emotion. But it is certainly not correct to label asthma an emotional or psychological disorder.
No comments:
Post a Comment