Everything You Need to Know About Asthma: Types, Symptoms & Causes

Asthma is one of India’s most common chronic respiratory diseases, affecting more than 25 million patients, both adults and children. In India, Asthma is a serious health problem that can significantly impact health, even resulting in the death of children and young adults.

Our country has the highest number of asthma cases, and its prevalence has rapidly increased among our children in recent years. Unfortunately, most asthma  cases in Karimnagar are either undertreated or underdiagnosed due to a lack of awareness among the general public.

At Lalitha Chest and Skin Clinic in Karimnagar, we continue to see a growing number of asthma cases, where most patients do not reach out to us until their symptoms show up due to a lack of awareness about this condition.

So, with inputs from the best asthma doctor in Karimnagar, Dr. Rajkumar Korra, we aim to give you the most relevant information about Asthma, its types, causes, & symptoms, to provide complete awareness about this condition. Read on to know more:

What is an Asthma?

Asthma is a respiratory illness that is characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, leading to breathing difficulties, coughing & wheezing.

Airways are the tiny tubes in the lungs through which we breathe in and out. Think of them as little straws through which air passes in and out. Asthma is a chronic lung condition that swells up these airways and narrows them, making breathing challenging.

So, with Asthma, a person will have trouble breathing like an average person does, and it feels like someone is pinching their airways. When the person does not get enough air, they might start coughing and making a wheezing sound to try to draw in more air unsuccessfully.

“When an asthma attack happens, your airways become inflamed and narrowed. This makes it harder for air to flow in and out of your lungs. Asthma can be either a temporary condition that suddenly springs up as an asthma attack in certain conditions, or it could be a chronic condition with continuous ongoing symptoms”, says Dr. Rajkumar Korra, the top pulmonologist and the best asthma doctor in Karimnagar.

Types of Asthma:

As Pulmonologist Dr. Raj Kumar Korra explained, there is no single type of Asthma. This respiratory disease can be divided into categories based on the symptoms’ cause, severity, and frequency.

• • Based on the frequency of the symptoms:
    Intermittent Asthma: The symptoms of Asthma come and go intermittently. The patient may feel normal and healthy between these asthma flare-ups, but when the attack strikes, it comes with its symptoms.
    Persistent Asthma: Persistent Asthma is when the patient suffers ongoing or continuous symptoms, which can be mild, moderate, or severe.

• • Based on the causes of Asthma:
    Allergic: Allergens like pollen, mold, and pet dander are triggers that may cause asthma attacks in specific individuals. In most cases, this could be seasonal.
    Non-Allergic: Asthma can also be due to environmental conditions without the involvement of allergens. Exercise, stress, weather, and even illnesses can trigger Asthma in a few patients.

• • Based on the age of the patient:
    Early Onset or Paediatric Asthma: Asthma can be a paediatric condition where children under five may suffer asthma flare-ups. In some cases, children may outgrow Asthma, but in others, they will need continuous treatment to mitigate the symptoms.
    Adult Onset Asthma: Asthma need not be only a paediatric condition. After age 18, adults may also develop Asthma due to newly discovered allergies, exercise, stress, or illnesses.

Who can get Asthma?

“Asthma can occur in childhood and even in adulthood. It can happen due to respiratory conditions or external factors like stress, exercise, or allergens. In short, Asthma can happen to anyone at any time,” says the best asthma doctor in Karimnagar, Dr. Rajkumar Korra.

Asthma Causes: Why Does Asthma Happen?

The chronic or temporary predisposition of Asthma leads to flare-up of symptoms and eventual Asthma attack where the airways narrow and make breathing difficult. The narrowing of airways in Asthma can happen for three reasons:

• The muscles around the airways get tighter and swollen to constrict the airways, narrowing them and making it more challenging for them to carry air.
• The airways get inflamed and swollen, which further narrows the airways.
• At the same time, asthma attacks trigger the production of large volumes of mucus, which may further clog the airways, making breathing difficult.

All three conditions happen in Asthma to varying degrees, making breathing difficult. Environmental conditions, genetic predisposition, respiratory conditions, illnesses, or even allergi
es may also trigger Asthma, leading to all the above factors that eventually make breathing difficult.

Symptoms of Asthma: How Does Asthma Feel Like?

The symptoms of Asthma vary from person to person, depending on the severity and type of condition they suffer from. As Asthma Doctor Dr. Rajkumar Korra mentioned, Asthma can be a condition with intermittent symptoms, symptoms in certain situations, or a chronic condition with continuous signs. Some of the most common symptoms experienced by patients include:

• Shortness of breath
• Coughing in the morning and at night
• Pressure on the chest, tightness, or chest pain
• Wheezing sounds when breathing out (common in children)

Asthma is considered severe when the above symptoms become more frequent to the point that they become bothersome. Severe Asthma can quickly worsen and make it extremely tough to get oxygen into the body, potentially leading to death.

It is always advisable to consult a qualified pulmonologist or asthma doctor as soon as possible to avoid worsening these symptoms. If you are unsure whom to consult, search for best asthma doctor near me or best allergy and asthma specialist near me on Google to reach out to a specialist as soon as possible.

If you live in and around Karimnagar, you can directly reach out to Lalitha Chest and Skin Clinic to find the best asthma doctor in Karimnagar, Dr. Rajkumar Korra here: https://lalithachestandskinhospital.com/