World Asthma Day is an annual event celebrated on the first Tuesday of May, organized by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). This day is celebrated to spread awareness about asthma, a critical health issue on the rise around the globe. It gives a platform where people and organizations can discuss ideas and thoughts and come up with solutions to fight this health concern.
Asthma is a chronic condition in which your airways tend to get narrow, swollen and may even produce extra mucus making it difficult to breathe properly. Asthma is not the same for all, the symptoms vary from person to person, it may be a minor problem for some, while for others, it can be a major health problem that interferes with daily life and may lead to a life-threatening asthma attack.
Asthma signs and symptoms include:
Signs that your asthma is probably worsening include:
The causes and triggers for asthma can be many, including
Asthma symptoms flare up during intense workouts or exercise, especially when the air is cold and dry, occupational asthma is triggered by workplace irritants such as chemical fumes, gases and allergy-induced asthma is very common, which happens due to airborne substances like pollen, mold spores, dust, cockroach waste, etc.
There are a few tests to check your lung function, as well as some imaging tests, allergy tests, methacholine challenge and nitric oxide tests that your doctor may suggest to diagnose the condition. Asthma is a chronic condition with no cure but, reducing exposure to triggers and understanding long-term management is the key. Certain medications, inhalers and steroids may be recommended by the doctor to manage your symptoms effectively. Asthma symptoms often change over time which is why it is important to stay in touch with your doctor, discuss your symptoms and adjust your treatment accordingly.
While it is true that you cannot prevent asthma, there are ways you can make living with asthma easier and reduce the frequency of asthma attacks.
All over the world, there are several people suffering from asthma, while some address the health issue, some do not even opt for treatment. Here are some of the facts about asthma:
Every year GINA comes up with a relevant theme keeping in mind the current situation of asthma worldwide. ‘Closing Gaps in Asthma Care’ is the theme for the 2022 World Asthma Day. There are a number of loose ends in asthma care which must be looked at on priority to prevent suffering. Some of the things to consider are:
World Asthma Day is an ideal day to address the gaps in asthma treatment, it gives us an opportunity to discuss the health issue, talk about the challenges and find solutions. Each and everyone must be able to breathe freely and live a healthy life. It is essential for patients and health care providers to identify the concern and help implement and share innovative solutions for it both locally and globally.
Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.
Today more than ever, in these testing and changing times, we need to be more careful about how to manage asthma. The first Tuesday of every May is observed as World Asthma Day. This year on 5th May, countries across the world will spread awareness regarding this respiratory illness.
Currently, in India, 2% of the adult population and 6% of the child population are diagnosed with asthma and the number is increasing every year. With COVID-19 cases on the rise, many asthmatics are anxious about how it will impact them.
No, there isn’t a direct link that exists between the two. COVID-19 is a respiratory disorder caused by a coronavirus. It affects the respiratory apparatus in the body – nose, throat and lungs.
If an asthmatic person contracts COVID-19, then the person could suffer pneumonia, an asthma attack or other severe lung problems.
Although there is no evidence to show that having asthma increases your risk of contracting COVID-19, health experts have suggested that asthmatics will experience severe COVID-19 symptoms if they were to contract it. This is because COVID-19 leads to breathing troubles and asthmatics already have breathing difficulties.
Read More: 7 Breathing Exercises That Help Asthma Patients
Asthma is one of the existing illnesses that can make COVID-19 infection more severe. So if your loved one or you have asthma, manage it with extreme caution and don’t let there be flare-ups.
Many studies are suggesting that a recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection may rarely cause new-onset asthma, which could be linked to eosinophilic inflammation. Clinicians should consider asthma in the differential diagnosis of subacute or chronic respiratory symptoms following COVID-19 infection.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD
Asthmatic patients have to be very careful because many symptoms of COVID-19 and asthma are similar. Symptoms such as cough and breathing difficulties are common between the two disorders.
So when an asthmatic has breathing troubles, how can he or she determine if it’s an asthma attack or COVID-19?
One way to do that is to check your temperature. Studies have found that a large percentage of COVID-19 patients experience fever, it could be mild or high.
Respiratory infections like influenza (flu) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are more serious for individuals with asthma because they can lead to pneumonia and asthma attacks.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj – M.B.B.S, M.D.
Take medications for your asthma as prescribed. Avoid going out and even if you do, then wear a mask. This will lower your chances of being exposed to the virus. Stock up on foods and medication so that you don’t have to go out often to buy essentials.
A few other things you should do are –
If there are sick people in the house, then you have to isolate yourself. Avoid going near them and disinfect common spaces regularly.
You can keep a peak flow meter with you and use it daily to measure the speed at which air comes out of your lungs. Note down the readings in a diary. This will help your doctor determine if the symptoms of asthma are worsening or they’re signs of COVID-19.
If you have asthma, take steps to prevent getting the flu. Flu virus infection can cause you to have an asthma attack. Flu vaccine may be given at the same time as other vaccines.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj – M.B.B.S, M.D.
COVID-19 and asthma both cause damage to the respiratory system. So, take the necessary precautions and stay safe.
Also Read: 10 Effective Ways to Deal with Asthma At Home
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
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