Asthma Disease

Asthma is a serious public health problem estimated to affect approximately 300 million people worldwide. In our country, it is seen in approximately 5-7 out of every 100 adults and 13-15 out of every 100 children.

It is a chronic disease that can affect individuals of all ages, can be controlled with the right treatment, and can seriously restrict daily activities when it cannot be controlled.

Asthma is a disease that manifests itself with narrowing of the airways and occurs in attacks (crises). Patients feel well between attacks. Attacks in the form of narrowing of the airways and crises are typical in asthma. Patients with asthma have non-microbial inflammation in the bronchi. Accordingly, secretions in the bronchi increase, the bronchial wall contracts and the patient experiences an asthma attack. Dust, smoke, odor and pollen may initiate the attack. Asthma may be due to allergies or may develop independently of allergies.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ASTHMA?

When there is narrowing in the airways;

• cough (usually dry),
• shortness of breath,
• feeling of pressure in the chest and wheezing-wheezing

symptoms such as these occur.

Any one or more of these symptoms may occur together. These symptoms are specific to asthma and may also occur in other diseases. However, they are important for asthma when they are accompanied by the following features:

Symptoms;

• They are recurrent and come in fits,
• They usually occur at night or in the morning,
• They resolve spontaneously or with medication,
• They may vary seasonally.