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To know asthma and to live with

Over 150 million people throughout the world, according to the WHO, but many more according to other sources. One thing is sure: asthma kills over 180 000 people every year. Asthma is a disease which causes chronic inflammation and hence thickening of the bronchial tubes. The symptoms vary from one day to another. Often they are more acute at night. Several factors such as allergens, cold dry air and some viral infections can be involved in the inflammatory process. With breathing capacity being undermined with each attack. We are not equal when it comes to asthma! Each person suffering from asthma develops their own symptoms: a cough, wheezing in the chest, a feeling of lack of breath or even suffocation… But this is not common to everyone. The disease affects each patient differently. So when it comes to asthma, we are not equal. While it cannot be cured, asthma is a disease that can be treated very well. Even when benign, child asthma must be treated to preserve the child’s breathing capacity. It cannot be repeated often enough that the objective of the treatment is not to cure the disease, but to improve quality of life. Asthma is a chronic affliction. It lasts throughout a lifetime. The treatment fights the inflammation of the bronchial tubes. It is based on the use of inhaled corticoids. They are administered directly into the bronchial tubes with a small inhaler. The medicine is thus placed where it is most needed: in the bronchial tubes and not elsewhere. The objective is always to seek the minimum dose that is effective to achieve a balance with the asthma while not putting the organism at risk. For when it comes to corticoids, “less is always better”. Even when inhaled, the product always passes into the circulation – sometimes up to 30% of it! The basic treatment must be taken every day If this is not enough, instead of increasing the dose of corticoids, another medical product can be combined with them. Either a long-acting bronchodilater – which increases the diameter of the bronchial tubes – or an anti-leukotriene. This is a medical product which blocks substances that mediate the bronchial inflammation. It can be taken in tablet form, once a day. With a different method of action from that of corticoids and without their pernicious effects, they are useful when asthma responds badly to the traditional treatment, or for use in addition to corticoids in order to reduce the dose of the latter. Lastly, because they are easy to take, this promotes observance, particularly among children. The most important thing is to understand that treatment of asthma must not be confined to the periods of crisis! A basic treatment must be taken every day, even when there are no symptoms. Precisely to avoid an attack. The aim of the treatment is twofold: to limit attacks by treating the inflammation and to enable the patient to lead a normal life. Asthma is a disease which evolves. It is therefore essential to have a flowmeter at home which enables you to measure breathing capacity at any time, and to assess the degree of obstruction of the bronchial tubes. Consult your doctor – he will be able to tell you where to get one. Asthma is becoming more frequent throughout the world. A major epidemiological survey conducted in the 1990s showed that children are being increasingly affected, boys more than girls. Asthma is the most widespread chronic disease found in young people. Generally speaking, in the past thirty years, its prevalence throughout the world has risen by 50% every ten years. Some people are genetically predisposed to asthma. There are entire families that have asthma. Others suffer from early exposure to certain allergens: atmospheric pollution, damp housing, poor aeration, dusty carpets, pets with fur, cockroaches and chemicals. Cigarettes play a major role in spreading the disease. Smoking by parents and, in particular, by mothers increases the risk of asthma in children. Let’s put paid to one idea that is prevalent: that people suffering from asthma should not engage in sport. In fact, it is even strongly recommended! Remember the American swimmer, Mark Spitz: seven Gold Medals at the Munich Olympics… yet he was asthmatic. Cycling, mountaineering are highly recommended. The only real contraindication is undersea diving. Each asthmatic can and must practise a sport Apart from diving, each asthmatic can and must practise a sport. Physical exercise not only increases breathing capacity, but it also helps to combat obesity, a real factor in perpetuating the disease. Unfortunately, those suffering from asthma do not tend to engage in sport. A lot remains to be done in this respect. In schools for instance, dispensation from sport is still all too frequent. In every country, without exception. This is because almost eight out of every ten asthmatics suffer from asthma caused by effort, once they have stopped the exercise. However, there are solutions. Simply restrict yourself to a gradual warm-up. Then, while exercising, breathe through the nose, not the mouth! Bronchodilaters prescribed by doctors can relieve people suffering from this kind of problem. As a general rule, effort must remain below the maximum. In other words, it must be below a degree of breathlessness that can be easily assessed by talking to the patient. If he is so out of breath that he cannot speak without difficulty, then the effort is too much. The only time when sport is not recommended for asthmatics is when there is a high level of pollution.