Asthma

Asthma is a serious lung disease affecting more than 14 million Americans. People with asthma have sensitive airways that may react to things like smoke, dust, and pollen. These triggers are different for everyone, so it is important to know what triggers your asthma. When airways react the lining of the airways become swollen or inflamed and thick mucus starts to line the airways. As the airways swell, the muscles around the airways also tighten, narrowing the airways even more. This makes it hard to breathe.

People with asthma may experience coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. Asthma varies from person-to-person and symptoms can be mild or severe. Asthma can be controlled and most people with asthma can live full active lives. Asthma that is poorly controlled can cause missed days from school and work, ER visits, hospital stays or death.

Understanding and avoiding asthma triggers, following a simple asthma plan and using your asthma medications as your doctor tells you are all essential to controlling asthma. To find out how well controlled your asthma is, take an Asthma Control Test now and print the results to share with your doctor at your next visit.

 

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