The organs of the respiratory system are primarily attacked by foreign agents, be it viruses or bacteria. Therefore, their diseases are found in almost everyone. But some of them are quite harmless and, with timely treatment, pass quickly and do not cause complications, but there are quite serious ones that a person has to live with all his life. These include bronchial asthma. The causes and methods of treatment of this disease will be considered further.
What is this pathology?
Asthma is a serious disease of the respiratory system. Recently, such a diagnosis is becoming more common - bad ecology, lifestyle and many other reasons affect.
This disease belongs to the group of pathologies of immunoallergic origin, which develops as a result of a non-infectious inflammatory process in the respiratory system. Asthma has distinctive features, among which the main place is occupied by asthma attacks. It is characterized by a chronic course, gradually progressing with the development of periodic attacks.
This pathologydevelops as a result of a combination of many factors, so it can be noted that the causes of bronchial asthma are quite diverse.
What factors provoke the development of the disease
Among all the factors, one can note those that are provocateurs of an attack, and some are able to constantly maintain the inflammatory process in the bronchi. In all patients, this is purely individual, but the following causes of bronchial asthma in adults can be distinguished:
- Genetic predisposition. If there are relatives in the family, and even more so parents suffering from this disease, then the risk of developing it in a child increases significantly. This type of pathology is atopic in nature, it is quite difficult to trace the provoking factors.
- Exposure to harmful production factors, which include: hot or cold air, chemicals, dust and many others.
- The presence of chronic bronchitis can also trigger the development of asthma.
- Frequent viral and bacterial infections of the respiratory tract.
- Unfavorable ecological situation. It is noted that residents of villages and villages suffer from this pathology much less often.
- Having bad habits and, first of all, smoking.
- Dust mites, which are present in large numbers in house dust. Where you can also find many allergens in the form of animal hair, chemicals. More pollen is added outsideplants.
- Medications, which can also quite easily become provocateurs of the development of the disease.
Not all patients have the same causes of asthma. They are established as a result of the examination, and only after that therapy is prescribed.
Causes of asthma in children
Children's body is even more vulnerable to various external and internal factors, so asthma can develop for many reasons:
- Hereditary predisposition to allergic manifestations. If one of the parents has such a pathology, then the he alth of the baby must be treated more carefully. It is better to immediately discuss everything with the doctor in order to prevent the development of the disease.
- Quite often in children asthma is provoked by infectious diseases of the respiratory tract, frequent SARS, colds, bronchitis. Pathogens easily change the bronchial mucosa, so it becomes easily susceptible to various allergens.
- In children, asthma is often caused by various allergens that enter the body. First of all, these are dust mites from house dust, plant pollen, animal hair, and medicines. In infants, everything can start with a food allergy.
- If there is already a predisposition to the disease, then physical effects on the body can provoke an attack: hypothermia, sudden changes in temperature, increased physical activity. The disease is quite insidious asthma. Causespsychological can be when the baby develops an attack against the background of stress, fear or excitement.
- Often, doctors recommend that parents change their place of residence if their baby has asthma, because polluted city air constantly provokes new attacks.
- Smoking parents, especially in the presence of a child, may also be responsible for the development of this pathology.
- Medics have such a thing as "aspirin asthma", which occurs on "Aspirin". The drug itself does not belong to allergens, but provokes the release of substances that cause bronchospasm.
- Some gastrointestinal disorders can also cause asthma. These include: dysbacteriosis, gastritis, stool disorders.
At the first suspicion of the development of the disease, it is necessary to show the child to the doctor.
The first harbingers of bronchial asthma
This insidious disease can torment a person all his life. The success of therapy depends entirely on the timely detection of the disease. Therefore, it is very important to be able to distinguish the first bells, which may indicate an approaching pathology.
- The appearance of shortness of breath or suffocation, which develop against a background of complete well-being, for example, at night or during rest. This condition can develop after exercise, inhalation of tobacco smoke or plant pollen. Most importantly, the attack always develops suddenly.
- The appearance of a dry cough. It often accompanies shortness of breath and is unproductive. The person wants to clear his throat, but he can't.
- Shallow breathing, in which it is impossible to make a full exhalation.
- When breathing, wheezing appears, which is often heard even by a person standing nearby.
All these symptoms can appear for a very short time, and then disappear and do not bother for a long time, and it does not matter at all what causes asthma in adults.
Signs of Asthma
It has already been noted that this disease is characterized by its periodic attacks. If the diagnosis is already confirmed asthma, the causes of occurrence are identified, then each patient should be prepared for the periodic manifestation of the disease.
Despite the suddenness of the attack, you can always note some symptoms-harbingers:
- There is some anxiety.
- Irritable.
- Weakness.
- Drowsiness and lethargy may occur.
- Tachycardia.
- Possible nausea and vomiting.
- Face redness.
All these signs can be observed 2-3 days before the attack.
If the harbingers of an attack occur at any time, then the attack itself often begins at night, although not always. Many muscle groups take part in the respiratory act, one can observe the retraction of the supraclavicular and subclavian spaces, which indicates breathing difficulties.
Breathing is noisy and a quiet whistle is heard on exhalation, body temperature remains within normal limits. The attack may lastup to several hours and has its own stages with characteristic symptoms:
- At the first stage, the attack proceeds quite easily, many patients do not even go to the doctor, gradually getting used to the discomfort. Breathing is noisy and weak, rales are not heard.
- In the second stage of the disease, an attack leads to a serious respiratory failure, which can result in respiratory failure. The pulse quickens, blood pressure decreases, the general condition of the patient worsens. Hypoxic coma may develop.
- The third stage is dangerous with complete decompensation and a rather high risk of death. This stage of the attack is characterized by: progressive hypoxia, tachycardia, shortness of breath and loss of consciousness.
The post-attack period also has its signs:
- General weakness.
- Low blood pressure.
- Gradual normalization of breathing.
- When exhaling, wheezing can still be heard.
If the causes of asthma in adults are identified, then with the help of instrumental diagnostics it is necessary to establish the stage of the disease in order to select the appropriate treatment.
How to recognize asthma in children
Now doctors note an increase in the number of patients with this pathology, what worries is the large number of children among them. Parents, with a careful attitude to the he alth of their baby, may suspect a disease at the very beginning of its development according to some characteristic signs:
- Periodicallybreathing becomes wheezing and labored.
- Cough occurs, especially at night.
- Chest congestion after exercise or during colds.
- After contact with allergens, a cough appears.
In order not to miss the development of a serious pathology at the first symptoms, it is necessary to visit a specialist.
Asthma symptoms in a child
The causes of asthma in children are considered, but are there any differences in the manifestations? An attack of this disease in a child most often has the following symptoms:
- Feeling short of breath.
- Heaviness and congestion appear in the chest.
- The child breathes noisily, breathing can be heard even at a distance. Whistling wheezes appear on exhalation.
- Tormenting cough when phlegm is difficult to clear.
- Often, during an attack, a child sits down and leans on his hands, while his shoulders are raised, and his head is pulled in.
If a baby is diagnosed with asthma, the causes no longer play a role, most importantly, parents should know how to help the child at this moment. If seizures develop frequently, then the brain may lack oxygen, and this is fraught with developmental delays.
Once, having experienced such a state, the child begins to experience fear of the threat of a new attack.
Children become vulnerable, emotionally labile, neurosis is formed, disinhibition appears.
Asthma differential diagnosis
Sometimes, even the most experiencedexperts have difficulty distinguishing bronchitis from asthma. But the correctness of therapy depends on this. Bronchitis and bronchial asthma have characteristic differences, which are presented in the table.
| Signs | Chronic bronchitis | Asthma |
| Course of illness | The disease is sluggish with periodic exacerbations. | The course is characterized by the appearance of sudden attacks, in which the patient's condition deteriorates sharply. |
| Provoking factors | Viruses and bacteria, hypothermia, coughing can be triggered by exercise. | Ingestion of allergens into the body, may develop a sudden attack after exercise. |
| Shortness of breath | It only happens in severe cases. | Each seizure is characterized by shortness of breath. |
| Cough | Is a constant symptom, even during the period of remission of the disease. Alternating dry and wet cough. | Cough is always dry and always accompanies an attack. |
| Temperature | May rise from time to time. | Remains within normal limits. |
Usually, only in the first stages of the development of bronchial asthma and chronic bronchitis, there are fundamental differences. If pathologies occur for a long time, then they are combined under the general name"chronic obstructive pulmonary disease".
Asthma therapy
We examined what asthma is, the symptoms, the causes of the disease have also been studied, but the main question arises, is it possible to completely recover from this disease? The answer will depend on the severity of the illness.
The disease needs to be treated in stages, and therapy involves:
- Drug treatment.
- Change in diet.
- Using traditional medicine recipes.
All therapy should only be prescribed by a physician.
Treatment with drugs
Medication therapy involves the use of tablets and injections, which, with regular use, restore the normal functioning of the respiratory system. The list of medicines usually includes:
- Glucocorticosteroids, such as Acolate.
- Xanthines, among which you can often see "Teopec" and "Neophyllin" on the table of asthmatics.
- Monoclonal antibodies: Klosar.
Pills and injections are not suitable for emergency care, which is simply needed during an attack. For these purposes, inhalers are used. They help relieve a choking attack and should be kept with you at all times.
Doctors recommend using the following:
- Berotek.
- Berodual.
- Atroven.
- Symbicort.
- "Intal" and others.
These funds are suitable not only for emergency care, but also for regularuse.
Diet for asthma
If there are chronic pathologies, which include asthma, then you have to not only use medications, but also reconsider your lifestyle and diet.
For patients who have asthma, the causes are no longer so important. The main thing is to reduce the likelihood of an attack. in this regard, you need to adhere to the following nutritional recommendations:
- Reduce sugar and s alt intake.
- Reduce baking and sugary confectionery.
- Eat only one-day dairy products.
- From the first courses, vegetable soups, beef broth are recommended.
- Porridges better cooked with water.
- Vegetables and fruits that are not capable of provoking an allergic reaction.
- White bread, but not rich.
- Boiled potatoes.
Folk recipes for asthma
Completely get rid of such a pathology as bronchial asthma, alternative treatment will not be able, but it is quite possible for him to ease the attacks and their frequency. You can use the following recipes at home:
- Use rye pollen, which must be collected during flowering. It is necessary to prepare an infusion from a glass of pollen and 0.5 liters of alcohol, insist 3 weeks in a dark place and take a teaspoon before meals.
- Ginger powder has proven itself well. It is necessary to insist 400 grams on 1 liter of alcohol for 2 weeks, strain and take twice a day1 tsp each
- Gives its effect and the use of propolis. It is necessary to take 20 grams of raw materials and pour 80 ml of alcohol, leave for 7 days and strain. Consume 20 drops 30 minutes before meals, after diluting them with water or milk.
It must be understood that the use of alternative methods of treatment should be only after consulting a doctor. Do not self-medicate, it is fraught with complications and aggravation of the condition.
Bronchial asthma, which can have any cause, is a serious pathology that should not be taken lightly. If you visit a doctor when the first harbingers of the disease appear, then it is much easier to cope with the disease.
