Asthma Treatment in Hyderabad | Bronchial Asthma Treatment

Is asthma curable?

Asthma is a disease of hyper reactivity (increased response and reaction to a particular stimuli) of airways. Its symptoms vary with age, exposure to allergens, other allergic diseases, climatic change etc., It can be controlled i.e., the symptoms can be controlled, but altogether cure is not possible. Being said that, it has been observed in some patients where the symptoms of asthma have disappeared completely with no obvious reasons.

Also, there are different types of asthma, of which the one called allergic / atopic asthma which occurs because of allergy of a person to a particular substance/material can be cured completely if the person avoids the particular substance/material for the rest of his life.

Certain causes of asthma include symptoms arising as a result of disease of another organ like GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease), adenoids, tonsils, sinusitis where curing/controlling the causative disease can lead to disappearance of asthma symptoms.

How long asthma symptoms last?

There is no particular time limit for the symptoms to be present in asthma. It can range from a few minutes when it is called mild asthmatic attack to a condition where the patient can become so breathless that he can lose consciousness inspite of emergency treatment when it is called severe asthma attack / status asthmatics.

The symptoms not only vary in time for each episode, but the frequency of the episode also varies greatly.

What causes asthma attacks?

Asthma attacks are usually caused when an asthmatic patient gets exposed to the substance or material that he is allergic to such as wool, dust, and pollen from flowers, strong scents etc. Another important cause for asthma attacks is the sudden change in weather which will precipitate an attack. The change in temperature is also the reason for the early morning or late night onset of asthma symptoms.

Does asthma cause COPD?

Asthma and COPD are diseases of different spectrum, although the symptoms for both of them are almost the same. The causes for both diseases also vary greatly. It has been seen in a number of cases where the diagnosis have been confused in the above diseases. The treatment is almost the same in both of them, but the complication rate and lung damage is much more severe in COPD when compared to asthma.

In recent studies, it has been observed that poorly controlled asthma for a long time can sometimes convert to COPD. There’s a special disease called Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome (ACOS) where the symptoms and findings of both asthma and COPD are present and is a borderline between asthma and COPD.

What is the difference between asthma and COPD?

Asthma and COPD differ at various levels, starting from causes. Whereas asthma is caused by genetic, allergic and other causes, COPD is caused by destruction of lung because of smoking, pollution etc., some congenital diseases like Cystic Fibrosis may result in congenital COPD.

The diagnosis of both the diseases is done by PFT. Asthma is a reversible airway disease, whereas COPD is caused by permanent damage to the airways. HRCT chest is much more useful in COPD when compared to asthma. The treatment for both the diseases comprises inhaled drugs, but COPD patients need regular and more extensive medication. 

How to control asthma?

Is asthma a communicable disease?

Asthma is not caused by any infectious microorganisms, hence it is not communicable. It can be genetically transmitted from parent to children, but it’s not infectious.

Can asthma lead to lung cancer?

Asthma is a disease characterized by low grade inflammation in airways if we speak pathologically. But it doesn’t cause lung cancer. On the contrary COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) can cause lung cancer.

Can smoking cause asthma attacks?

Anything that irritates the normal airways of the lung can cause or precipitate an asthma attack. As smoking of cigarettes causes irritation and inflammation of the airways it definitely increases both the onset and increase in frequency of asthma attacks. The attacks can be much more severe when compared to a non smoking person.

Can asthma patients take covid vaccine?

All asthma patients with more than 2-3 exacerbations per year or who are older than 50yrs of age are advised to take Influenza vaccine yearly and Pneumococcal vaccine every 5 yrs. In the same manner, asthma is not a contraindication for covid vaccination. In fact asthmatics have to invariably take the vaccine as they are at a greater risk of respiratory infections.

What is the best treatment for asthma?

Inhaled drug formulations are the best form of therapy for asthma, as they deliver the drug directly to the airways, bypassing the bloodstream. The side effects are negligible in this form of therapy. Inhalers can be of different types, and the treating doctor decides which is best for the patient after discussing clearly. The drugs used for the inhaler differ, and the dosage and combination of the drugs shall be prescribed by the Pulmonologist as per the requirement of the patient.

Nebulizers are used in persons who cannot follow the inhaler technique properly or in seriously ill patients. Other supportive medications like oral or injectable steroids, anti-allergic medications, and oral bronchodilators can be given as and when necessary.

Is asthma associated with any other allergic symptoms?

Asthma patients with a history of allergy are more prone to have skin allergic manifestations like Contact dermatitis, photosensitivity (rashes over sun exposed parts of body), ENT symptoms like early morning nasal block, repeated sneezes, itching of eyes and throat.

Can asthma patients travel in flights?

Asthma patients can travel in flights provided their symptoms are under control. In case of symptoms persisting, they need to take advice of the pulmonologist before going on journey.