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Asthma & Hay Fever by Dr. Eccles
Dr Eccles discusses: What are asthma symptoms?
Asthma symptoms can vary. You may find that you start to cough or wheeze, get short of breath, or have a tight feeling in your chest. Despite what many people think, wheezing does not always occur. In fact, coughing is the most common asthma symptom. What are the causes of asthma? Asthma can start at any age. Some people get symptoms during childhood which then disappear in later life. Others develop ´late-onset´ asthma in adulthood, without ever having had symptoms as a child.
It is difficult to say for sure what causes asthma, but so far we know that:
- Asthma can be inherited (like the related allergic conditions eczema and hay fever).
- many aspects of modern lifestyles – such as changes in housing and diet and a more hygienic environment – may have contributed to the rise in asthma over the last few decades.
- smoking during pregnancy increases the chance of a child developing asthma.
- environmental pollution can make asthma symptoms worse but has not been proven to actually cause asthma.
- late-onset asthma may develop after a viral infection.
- irritants found in the workplace may lead to a person developing asthma.
Asthma triggers?
An asthma trigger is anything that irritates your airways. Everyone´s asthma is different and you will probably find that you have several asthma triggers.
Common asthma triggers include:
- viral infections (colds or flu)
- allergies (eg to pollen, animals, house-dust mites)
- irritants (eg cold air, tobacco smoke, chemical fumes)
- exercise
Although it is unlikely that you will be able to avoid all your asthma triggers all of the time, steering clear of them when you can, will help to keep your symptoms at bay. Keeping a record of the times and situations when your asthma is worse will help you identify what your asthma triggers are. Exercise and asthma? If you are fit you are also less likely to be troubled by your asthma. Some people find that exercise triggers their asthma. However, if you take your preventer treatment regularly and keep your reliever inhaler to hand, there´s no reason why you can´t take part in exercise as much as everyone else.
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