How to Keep Asthma Under Control

What Is Asthma

Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways in which the bronchi become overly sensitive to various irritants. In response to contact with allergens, viral infections, physical activity, or other triggers, they narrow, causing difficulty breathing, coughing, wheezing, and a feeling of tightness in the chest. Bronchial asthma most often has an allergic nature. It may appear seasonally, for example during plant blooming, or bother a person throughout the year — it all depends on which specific irritant the body reacts to.

Asthma is a chronic disease. Even if symptoms disappear for several years, this does not mean that the disease has gone away forever. It can remain in remission for a long time but reappear under the influence of certain factors. That is why bronchial asthma requires regular monitoring and follow-up with a pulmonologist.

Causes and Risk Factors of Asthma

Bronchial asthma develops under the influence of certain factors. These include:

• heredity;
• immune system characteristics;
• environmental factors;
• tobacco smoking;
• air pollution (exhaust fumes, industrial emissions);
• working conditions (regular contact with chemicals, vapors, gases, dust, industrial aerosols, or other airway irritants);
• frequent respiratory infections.

In many cases, asthma has an allergic nature, so symptoms may appear after contact with plant pollen, household dust, animal fur, mold, or other allergens.

Main Symptoms of Bronchial Asthma

The manifestations of bronchial asthma may vary in intensity and frequency, but they are all associated with temporary narrowing of the bronchi and impaired normal breathing. The most common symptoms include:

• shortness of breath;
• coughing attacks;
• wheezing during breathing;
• a feeling of tightness in the chest.

They may occur periodically, become more severe at night, or appear after contact with triggers.

How Bronchial Asthma Is Diagnosed

The diagnosis of bronchial asthma is based not only on the patient’s complaints but also on an objective assessment of lung function. One of the «gold standards» of diagnosis is spirography (or spirometry) — a test that evaluates external respiratory function. It helps detect bronchial obstruction and determine how reversible it is.

During the examination, standard spirometry is performed first, after which the patient receives a short-acting bronchodilator. The test is repeated after 10–15 minutes. If respiratory function indicators improve, this indicates the presence of reversible bronchial obstruction, which is typical for bronchial asthma.

However, normal spirometry results do not always rule out the disease. The final conclusion is made only after evaluating clinical symptoms, medical history, and the results of all examinations. That is why spirometry should be correctly interpreted and correlated with symptoms only by an experienced pulmonologist.

Spirometry in Asthma

Spirometry is one of the most important tests for diagnosing and monitoring bronchial asthma. It allows doctors to assess external respiratory function, determine how well the lungs are working, and detect airway narrowing even when a person does not experience significant symptoms. Spirometry helps confirm the diagnosis, evaluate treatment effectiveness, and monitor the course of the disease over time.

Why Spirometry Is Important Even When a Person Feels Well

It can happen that a patient does not experience any discomfort in the airways, but spirometry already shows certain changes. That is why this test is an objective method for monitoring lung condition in chronic respiratory diseases.

Even if bronchial asthma does not cause symptoms for a long time, it does not mean that the disease has disappeared forever. Regular monitoring allows changes to be detected in time, even when a person feels well. Sometimes patients come for examination after one or two years of stable condition: there are no obvious symptoms during the examination, but spirometry indicators have already started to decline. If these changes are ignored, an exacerbation or severe asthma attack may occur at any time. That is why patients with bronchial asthma should undergo spirometry regularly.

Treatment of Bronchial Asthma

The main goal of bronchial asthma treatment is to ensure long-term disease control and prevent exacerbations. Basic therapy plays an important role in the management of bronchial asthma. Against the background of this therapy, respiratory function changes are assessed using spirometry. If the indicators improve, this confirms that the treatment approach is effective.

The main medications used for diseases associated with bronchial obstruction include inhaled therapies. These may include inhaled corticosteroids or combined medications. It is important to remember that treatment should not be stopped independently, even during remission.

Can Asthma Be «Outgrown»?

Sometimes people say that bronchial asthma can be «outgrown,» especially if the disease was diagnosed in childhood. It is important to understand that bronchial asthma is a chronic disease, and completely removing this diagnosis forever is very difficult.

Indeed, in some people, symptoms may disappear for a long period of time, sometimes for several years. A person may feel healthy, have no attacks, and even forget about the disease. However, asthma can return due to certain triggers — viral infections, stress, or allergens.

There are adult patients who were diagnosed with «bronchial asthma» in childhood. They may have had no symptoms for 10–15 years, but later typical symptoms appeared again.

When to See a Doctor

You should consult a doctor if symptoms appear that may indicate impaired respiratory system function. One of the first warning signs may be a prolonged cough. You should also not ignore discomfort or tightness in the chest, shortness of breath that occurs during physical activity or even at rest, as well as nighttime symptoms that interfere with proper rest.

How to Keep Asthma Under Control

Controlling bronchial asthma is not only about the absence of attacks but also about continuous monitoring of the respiratory system and timely adjustment of treatment. It is important to follow the prescribed basic therapy and regularly assess lung function using spirometry. Even during remission, patients should stay in contact with their doctor.

If the condition is stable, it is sufficient to have a follow-up examination approximately once every six months: discuss your well-being, undergo the necessary tests, and make sure that respiratory function indicators remain within normal limits.