Asthma

Asthma and conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can cause severe breathing difficulties. If you have symptoms of asthma or COPD, visit Cookeville Medical Clinic RHC with four convenient locations in Cookeville, Gainesboro, Crossville, and Sparta, Tennessee. The knowledgeable team offers comprehensive care to patients with these chronic lung conditions to help them breathe more easily. To find out how they can help you with asthma, call the nearest office or request an appointment online today.

What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic condition that causes difficulties with breathing. These problems typically peak during an asthma attack, when you might struggle to draw breath.

The reason for your difficulty is inflammation in the airways. The inflammation causes swelling and narrows the passages. Even worse, your body produces thick mucus, which further clogs your airways.

During an asthma attack, your muscles tighten, and the airways narrow even further, causing problems like:

• Shortness of breath
• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Tightness in your chest

As these symptoms worsen, you might become distressed and feel panicky, which makes it even harder to breathe.

Other conditions that cause similar symptoms include chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Chronic bronchitis is long-term inflammation of your airways, while emphysema involves damage to the air sacs in your lungs. In addition to breathing problems, you might produce greenish or yellowish phlegm.

Chronic bronchitis and emphysema come under the umbrella of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD has close links to asthma, and around 40% of people with COPD also have asthma.

What causes asthma?

Asthma develops when your immune system overreacts to something in your environment that triggers airway inflammation. Why this should happen to some people isn’t clear. Factors that increase your chances of developing asthma include:

• Tobacco smoke exposure at a young age
• Working with chemicals or in a dusty environment
• Living near busy roads
• History of allergies

Smoke, pollution, exhaust fumes, and chemicals also trigger asthma attacks. Some people have allergic asthma, with triggers like dust, pollen, mold spores, and animal dander.

How is asthma treated?

Cookeville Medical Clinic RHC offers several treatments that ease asthma symptoms and improve quality of life.

Medications are a vital part of asthma treatment. Some reduce airway inflammation day-to-day, while others quickly open your airways during an asthma attack. You might benefit from immunotherapy if you have allergic asthma, a long-term method of desensitizing your body to allergens.

The team also helps patients with COPD using treatments such as:

• Bronchodilators
• Inhaled or oral steroids
• Combination inhalers
• Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors
• Theophylline
• Oxygen therapy
• Pulmonary rehabilitation

If you have asthma, you should always keep an inhaler to hand. Triggering a release of medicated spray into your throat during an asthma attack should give you relief from your breathing difficulties and could save your life if you have a severe attack.

For expert assessment and treatment of asthma and COPD, call Cookeville Medical Clinic RHC today or book an appointment online.