Asthma

Asthma

Asthma is a chronic airway disease . The airways are tubes that carry oxygen in and out of the lungs . In asthma the inside walls of airways become swollen , inflammation makes the airways very sensitive and tend to react to things that you are allergic to or find irritating . Some of the factors are allergens (animal dander , dust mites , pollen ) drugs (beta blockers , aspirin , sulfites in food ) infection , occupational and environmental factors (dust and chemicals , scented products , cold air air pollution (smoke and cigarette smoking ) exercise and emotional stress (crying or

laughing hard . Infection is said to be the most common stimuli to evoke exacerbation of asthma . When airways react widespread narrowing of air passages and less airflow to lung tissues occurred , which may be relieved spontaneously or with therapy . Triad of dyspnea (difficulty of breathing , cough and wheezing best describe asthma unique with other kind of obstructive diseases . This symptoms which may occur more often at night and in the early morning , may increase AP (Antero-Posterior ) diameter of thorax and use of accessory muscles of respiration

Asthma affects all ages , it often starts in childhood , most , but not all , people with asthma have allergies . Children with a family history of allergy and asthma are more likely to have asthma . 50 onset is before the age of 10 , 1 /3 before 40 , during childhood M F (2 :1 , by age 30 years old male is equal to female

Symptoms may differ from one asthma attack to another . Some may not have symptoms at all . Some attacks may be mild but some may be serious that is life threatening . To check how lungs work a devise called spirometer is used . Spirometry on the other hand is the test that measures how much air you can blow from your lungs after taking a deep breath Inflammation or narrowing of the airways or the muscles around your airways may have tightened if the result of spirometry showed lower than normal . In case of normal spirometry but symptoms of asthma persist other tests may be necessary such as chest x-ray or electrocardiogram to see if other foreign objects or lung or heart disease may be causing the symptoms . It is important to know the right diagnosis because asthma is treated differently with other diseases with the same symptoms

Pathologic changes seen in asthmatic patients severe spasm of smooth muscle of the tracheo-bronchial tree (the tubes or passages which conduct air to and from the lungs , narrowing of airways , inflammation of the mucosal lining of the tracheo-bronchial tree and hyper secretion of mucus , which is usually sticky and therefore obstructive because of an increase in size and number of goblet cells , severe asthma over a prolonged period of years can lead to emphysema (Kisner 1996

Treatment of asthma with long term control uses medications that are taken daily to maintain control of persistent asthma . They primarily serve to control airway inflammation . While the quick relief treatments are taken to achieve rapid reversal of acute asthma attack by relaxing bronchial smooth muscle . Asthma can not be cured but can be controlled with proper asthma management . Plan of care should be given attention Removal of allergens bronchodilators , breathing exercises and postural training . Impairments as summarized are severe episodic attacks of SOB (shortness of breath ,cough which is usually unproductive during an asthmatic attack but productive later , abnormal breathing pattern over-use of accessory muscles , resulting in upper chest breathing and increase respiratory rate and poor posture , described as rounded shoulders and forward head

Periodic assessment and ongoing monitoring of asthma is necessary to know if treatment is adequate . Follow-up check ups are necessary to maintain control of asthma and reassess medication adjustments and requirements

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Colby , Lynn Allen and Kisner , Carolyn . Therapeutic Exercises Foundations and Techniques . 3rd ed . F .A . Davis Company , Philadelphia 1996

Delisa , Joel A , et al , eds . Rehabilitation Medicine , Principles and Practice . 2nd ed . J .B . Lippincott Company , Philadelphia , 1993

Liebermann , Phil , M .D . Understanding Asthma . University of Mississippi Jackson , MS , 1999

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