Asthma: Causes, Symptoms, Types & Tests

Asthma is a long-term (chronic) condition affecting the air passages in the lungs (wheezing). Occasionally, the air passages in people with asthma can become inflamed, swollen, and narrow, and breathing in and out of the lungs becomes more difficult. It's a symptom that occurs intermittently and can be worsened by certain triggers such as allergens, cold weather, exercise, infections, and air pollution.

Asthma can begin at any time during the year as well as in the early years of life. Asthma has no cure; however, if it is well controlled and managed, symptoms can be controlled and the likelihood of having an asthma attack reduced. Understanding what precipitates asthma attacks, its symptoms, the different types, and the diagnostic tests will help in early assessment of asthma. Molecular Diagnostics and Therapy provide multiple diagnostic tests and utilize them for the evaluation of the respiratory system during a health care practitioner's recommendation.

What Is Asthma?

Airways (breathing passages) are the site of a longterm disease called asthma. When an asthma sufferer comes into contact with the trigger, the airways become inflamed and narrowed. Muscles lining the airways also contract, and too much mucus is made. These changes cause a person to be hard of breathing. There may be some who experience symptoms on a regular basis, and some who may see symptoms often. Symptoms can change daily, or they can be worse during certain times of the year or after encountering certain triggers.

What Causes Asthma?

It is still unclear what the exact cause of asthma is. Typically forms as a result of a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Other exposures in the environment can increase the risk for asthma, including allergies in the family, respiratory infections, and asthma. Asthma may also be linked to occupational exposures to chemicals, dust, fumes, or other irritants. If a person is obese or a little overweight, it could worsen asthma symptoms or increase the risk for developing asthma. Knowing the difference between causes and triggers is important. Asthma doesn't need to occur in response to another trigger, but can be made worse or induced by a trigger.

Common Asthma Triggers

There may be different triggers for asthma in different people. It can be caused by pollen, dust mites, mould, pet dander, respiratory infections, exercise, emotional stress, cold air, air pollution and some medicines. However, types of viral infections such as colds and flu can exacerbate asthma symptoms. Once an individual has been identified, they and their health professional can develop a plan to manage the patient's asthma, considering these factors.

Symptoms of Asthma

Asthma symptoms can range from mild to severe and go in and out. Common signs and symptoms of asthma include a constricted chest, difficulty breathing, coughing, and wheezing. Coughing can be more prominent at night or the first thing in the morning. One characteristic of asthma is that it often does not occur 24 hours a day. Symptoms become worse when they exercise, are provoked by allergens, cold air, respiratory infections, and more. Some may also experience a greater amount of symptoms during night time. If a course of their symptoms becomes more regular, if they start to impact life or work activities, if they disrupt sleep or cause them to need reliever doses more frequently than normal, medical advice should be obtained.

Types of Asthma

There are many ways asthma can be expressed due to the different triggers, symptoms, age the condition occurs, and the pattern of occurrence. Symptoms may be quite different in people.

Allergic Asthma

In persons with allergic asthma, contact with allergens like pollen, dust mites, mold, or pet dander plays a role. Allergic asthma sufferers can also have other allergies.

Non-Allergic Asthma

For some, the symptoms of asthma do exist, though they cannot be explained by an allergy. May be associated with respiratory infections, stress, cold air, exercise, or irritants.

Childhood Asthma

Typically, asthma develops in childhood. Symptoms can include wheezing, coughing, difficulty breathing, or worsening symptoms when exercising, getting infections, or when in contact with things that trigger allergies.

Adult-Onset Asthma

Adults may also develop asthma, and sometimes people get their asthma when they are adults, but they have no symptoms as children. Environmental exposures, allergies, occupations, and other factors may be associated with adult-onset asthma.

Exercise-Induced Symptoms

Some persons' asthma is worsened by exercise. With the proper care and medical attention, however, individuals can usually control their asthma and engage in physical activity.

How Is Asthma Diagnosed?

Not all asthma cases can be diagnosed by one particular test. Symptoms and signs, past health history, breathing test results, and a physical examination are typically taken into account by doctors. Asthma symptoms are similar to those of other breathing problems, and testing can be used to assess whether changes in airflow are variable or reversible, and whether the symptoms are caused by other problems.

Tests for Asthma

Spirometry

One of the primary lung function tests that is used to assess asthma is called spirometry. It is a test of the volume of air that a person can exhale and his or her rate of exhalation. Spirometry can be conducted before and after bronchodilator drug administration. It can help clarify if the airways become easier to breathe after opening if the results of both comparisons are compared.

Peak Expiratory Flow Test

This test assesses how rapidly a person expels air from the lungs. May be done with a small handheld machine and can help to keep track of changes in airflow.

Bronchodilator Responsiveness Test

This test compares breathing measurements before and after the use of a fast-acting bronchodilator. Improvement in airflow after the medicine can provide useful information when evaluating asthma.

Bronchial Challenge Test

When asthma is suspected, but routine breathing tests do not provide a clear answer, a bronchial challenge or provocation test may sometimes be recommended. It evaluates how sensitive the airways are to specific challenge agents or activities such as exercise.

FeNO Test

A fractional exhaled nitric oxide, or FeNO, test measures nitric oxide in exhaled breath. Higher levels can indicate inflammation in the airways and may provide additional information when asthma is suspected or when the diagnosis is uncertain.

Allergy Tests

Allergy testing may be recommended when a patient's asthma appears to be associated with specific allergens. These tests can help identify substances such as pollen, dust mites, or pet allergens that may trigger symptoms.

Blood Tests

Blood tests may sometimes be used to look for signs of inflammation or allergic responses. They can provide additional information but are not usually sufficient by themselves to diagnose asthma.

Chest Imaging

A chest X-ray or CT scan is not routinely required to diagnose asthma. However, imaging may sometimes be recommended to investigate other possible causes of breathing symptoms or when the clinical situation requires additional evaluation. A chest CT can provide detailed images of the lungs and airways.

Why Are Asthma Tests Important?

Testing for asthma can aid the doctor's understanding of how well the lungs are working and whether the airways change during the test. There are other diseases that can have similar symptoms that can be differentiated with testing. Lung function testing such as spirometry can be useful to give objective information that can augment the history and physical examination findings. Further tests (such as FeNO, allergy tests, or bronchial challenge test) may be considered in some cases. Molecular Diagnostics and Therapy offers diagnostics in accordance with the needs of the patient and the treating health care provider.

When Should You See a Doctor?

If you have wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, or chest tightness on a regular basis (such as more than once a week), and they affect your ability to get a good night's rest or participate in day-to-day activities, it may be a good idea to seek medical evaluation. Any sudden trouble breathing that is severe requires urgent medical help. Emergencies of severe asthma attacks should not be treated without proper medical supervision.

Can Asthma Be Managed?

While there is no cure for asthma, the condition can be managed by following an asthma action plan and generally receiving the right treatment. Treatment may include specific medications, observing the symptoms, finding and staying away from personal triggers, and regular check-ins with doctors. Anyone who suffers from asthma needs to adhere to the treatment plan the doctors have devised and not try to reject or modify the treatment without talking to the doctor first.

Conclusion

Asthma can be a chronic disease of the airways that causes coughing, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and wheezing. It is not well understood what causes it, but there are genetic and environmental factors which can play a part. Allergens, infections, exercise, exposure to cold air/air pollution, and other factors may also worsen symptoms.

A diagnosis usually requires a history, physical exam, and lung function tests. Spirometry is an important test to be considered; depending on the symptoms and clinical situation, other tests such as peak flow, bronchodilator responsiveness, bronchial challenge testing, FeNO, allergy testing, etc., may be performed if deemed appropriate. For many people, asthma can be controlled with good management, monitored at regular intervals, and go about their daily lives. Assistance with diagnostic tests for a patient, as recommended by the provider of services, is provided by MolecularDiagnostics and Therapy.