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Asthma is a serious and occasionally fatal disease. However, with a careful diagnosis, expert medical treatment, and responsible self-care, most people with asthma lead normal, healthy lives.
Causes
It is not exactly clear what causes asthma. Those who seem more at risk of developing the condition include individuals with a family history of asthma or allergies or those who were exposed to tobacco smoke, infections, and certain allergens early in life.
Symptoms
Common asthma symptoms include the following:
Wheezing (a whistling or squeaky sound when breathing)
Chest tightness
Shortness of breath
Faster or noisy breathing
Trouble breathing & coughing, especially at night and in the early morning
Attacks
Many factors can lead to an asthma attack and some people may only have an attack if a combination of triggers exist. Asthma triggers are essentially anything that makes symptoms appear or worsen, such as:
Allergens Animal dander (from skin, hair, or feathers), dust mites (contained in house dust), cockroaches, pollen from trees and grass, and mold (both indoor and outdoor)
Irritants Cigarette smoke, air pollution, cold air or changes in weather, strong odors from painting or cooking, scented products, strong emotional expression (including crying or laughing hard), stress, and exercise
Other triggers Medicines such as aspirin and beta-blockers, sulfites in food or beverages, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that causes heartburn and can worsen asthma symptoms, infections, and irritants or allergens that one may be exposed to at work, such as special chemicals or dusts
Treatment
Treatments for asthma include:
Self-management Make plans for controlling asthma daily and an emergency action plan for stopping attacks.
Avoiding triggers Remove dust-catchers from the bedroom and keep humidity levels in your home low. Consider using an air filter in the bedroom. Do not smoke cigarettes or spend time in environments where others are smoking and try changing your workouts to put less stress on your breathing.
Medication Use preventive (long-term control) and rescue (quick-relief) asthma medications; allergy medications, and shots could be recommended as well.
Prognosis
There is no cure for asthma, but with proper treatment:
Your asthma can be controlled.
You will have fewer attacks.
You should not need to use quick-relief medicines as often.
You should be able to do normal activities without having symptoms.
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Lisa oversees the client service team and provides leadership and guidance to managers and team leaders. Working with clients for more than 15 years, Lisa provides industry expertise, possesses strong strategic planning skills and establishes solid working relationships. Lisa works side-by-side with the partners and benefits consultants on client strategic planning and initiatives. In addition, Lisa helps manage administrative and business operations.