Asthma Treatment
Our team at Impact Medical can assist you in identifying your asthma and providing treatment to alleviate your symptoms.
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic lung condition that is characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways. It is commonly referred to as “reactive airway disease” because patients’ airways overreact to different triggers.
Levels of Severity of Asthma
Are There Different Types of Asthma?
In addition to the levels of severity, asthma is often identified by who it impacts as well as its triggers. Types of asthma can be categorized as:
Pediatric Asthma
Asthma that affects children, characterized by recurrent breathing difficulties and airway inflammation.
Adult-Onset Asthma
Asthma that develops in adulthood, typically after the age of 20, with similar symptoms to childhood-onset asthma.
Exercise-Induced Asthma
Exercise-induced asthma is triggered by physical activity. This can occur during and after exercise.
Allergy-Induced Asthma
Most asthma patients have an underlying allergy trigger. In these patients, identifying and controlling exposure to your triggers is one of the foundations of treatment.
Eosinophilic Asthma
Eosinophilic asthma is associated with high levels of white blood cells called eosinophils. Eosinophils are often involved in causing the airway inflammation of asthma.
What Are Symptoms of Asthma?
Asthma symptoms encompass a wide range of respiratory distress indicators, often varying in intensity and duration. Patients do not need to present all these symptoms to have the diagnosis of asthma. Some common asthma symptoms include:
Shortness of Breath
A common symptom characterized by difficulty breathing and a feeling of not getting enough air
Coughing
Frequent coughing, especially at night or in the early morning, is a classic asthma symptom
Wheezing
High-pitched, whistling sounds while breathing, commonly associated with asthma due to narrowed airways
Chest Tightness
A sensation of pressure or constriction in the chest often associated with asthma, making breathing uncomfortable
Chest Pain
Discomfort or aching in the chest, which can occur during an asthma attack but may also have other causes
Chest Heaviness
A sense of weight or pressure in the chest, typically linked to asthma symptoms
Chest Squeezing
A gripping or constricting feeling in the chest, often experienced during an asthma attack
Shortness of Breath with Activity
Experiencing breathing difficulties during physical exertion or exercise due to asthma triggers
Decreased Endurance with Sports
A reduction in physical stamina and athletic performance due to asthma-related limitations
Diagnosing & Treating Asthma
At Impact Medical, we utilize the most modern diagnostic tools to accurately diagnose and manage asthma patients.
Medical History & Physical Exam
Gathering a thorough medical history and conducting a comprehensive physical examination are pivotal steps in diagnosing and managing asthma effectively.
Diagnostic Testing
Your medical provider will conduct pulmonary function tests including spirometry, lung volumes, and DLCO and fractional exhaled nitric oxide as diagnostics tests for asthma. If necessary, additional testing, such as a chest x-ray or a methacholine challenge may also be obtained.
Treatment
Asthma treatment recommendations will be determined based on the level of severity of your diagnosis.
How to Test for Asthma
How to Treat Asthma
Asthma FAQs
Asthma is a heterogeneous disease – which means it can develop because of multiple reasons. For example, environmental allergies can be a risk factor for asthma. However, asthma can also result from adenoid hypertrophy or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
You should consult with an asthma specialist at Impact Medical to find out if you have asthma. The diagnosis of asthma is based on your clinical history, physical exam, allergy testing, and pulmonary function testing.
People can outgrow their asthma. The most likely explanation for asthma to resolve is when the underlying disease state is treated (i.e. Allergen Immunotherapy for underlying allergies).
The best treatment for asthma depends on what is causing your asthma and how severe your asthma is.
We consider a biologic medication for a patient when the asthma is moderate to severe and not well controlled with conventional asthma medications.
Yes. 80% of severe asthmatics have an underlying allergic trigger as the primary etiology.
Yes. The tightening of the airways in conjunction with mucus production from airway inflammation can increase the risk of lower respiratory tract infections.
Yes. Long standing uncontrolled asthma can lead to airway scarring called fibrosis. This can then result in asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS) or even worse COPD.
