This paper focuses on the treatment and management of asthma, providing background information on the disease, symptoms and diagnosis. A major argument in this paper is patient self-management education are vital in improving the health outcomes of asthmatic patient. Although asthma has no cure and there is different, treatment and management approaches to kept it under control. Emphasis has been put on the medical care and pharmacological approaches in treating and managing asthma. In this paper however, evidence from different literature is provided to show that emphasis on self-management might also improve the health outcomes of people with asthma. Self-management will contribute to the reduction of morbidity and mortality levels linked to asthma. Asthma remains a major chronic disease of the respiratory system which affects all ages. The effects of this disease are highly variable. People are affected at both the individual and societal levels. The economic burden of asthma is great. It is known to result in the disabling of patients and high costs for families and friends. As in the case of other diseases, medical researchers have put in great effort in finding the cure for asthma.
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To date, no cure for asthma has been discovered. Instead, once an individual is diagnosed with asthma, it is possible to manage the disease and improve his or her quality of life through the different treatment and management plans. These are available and play a role in treating and controlling the disease (Adeniyi, Awopeju & Erhabor, 2009). This research paper provides a background to the respiratory disease of asthma and specifically focuses on the treatment and management of asthma. Although there are different ways of treating and managing asthma, these present different challenges. These may not be as effective as they are meant to be. Morbidity and mortality levels due to asthma have continued to rise in different places: however, self-management, patient education and training is vital for successful asthma treatment and control, and must thus be emphasized in order to improve outcomes in asthma management. Asthma involves the airways of the lungs. The airways (bronchials) become narrow when the smooth muscle of the bronchial constrict. Another symptom of asthma is that the bronchial also become inflamed, further reducing the ability of the patient to breath air out of the lungs, which then makes it difficult to get air in. triggering the symptom of asthma. When the muscles of the bronchial tubes tighten, it become challenging for the affected person to breathe in air or out. Asthma mostly affects people who have a family history of the disease. However, one may suffer from occupational asthma, which is caused by the inhalation of poisonous fumes, dust and gases especially at the work place. Childhood asthma also affects most children and they are more likely to develop it when still under the age of five (Bateman et al., 2008). Most diseases have particular symptoms that are specific to them, and these symptoms are essential when it comes to the diagnosis of the disease. …show more content…
In the case of asthma, there are different symptoms that are usually linked to asthma, but the most common symptoms of asthma include shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing, and coughing. A person suffering from asthma may experience all of these symptoms on some days, only some of these, or no symptoms at all on other days. Wheezing is a sound likened to squeaking or whistling, and one might experience this sound when air moves through their bronchial tubes that have been narrowed. Coughing may be experienced at night or early mornings while chest tightness may be experienced any time of the day or night (Adeniyi, Awopeju & Erhabor, 2009). Apart from the mentioned major symptoms of asthma, an asthmatic attack is another important symptom of asthma. When someone suffers an asthmatic attack it signals a severe symptom. An asthmatic attack makes one to breathe faster and have a challenge talking. During this attack, they may experience all or some of the major symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. During this attack, a person’s lips and fingertips may also turn blue or grey due to the very low levels of oxygen in the person’s blood (Barnes, Drazen & Rennard, 2009). An asthmatic attack will usually require emergency health care; otherwise the life of the affected person is put under great risk.
To date, no cure for asthma has been discovered. Instead, once an individual is diagnosed with asthma, it is possible to manage the disease and improve his or her quality of life through the different treatment and management plans. These are available and play a role in treating and controlling the disease (Adeniyi, Awopeju & Erhabor, 2009). This research paper provides a background to the respiratory disease of asthma and specifically focuses on the treatment and management of asthma. Although there are different ways of treating and managing asthma, these present different challenges. These may not be as effective as they are meant to be. Morbidity and mortality levels due to asthma have continued to rise in different places: however, self-management, patient education and training is vital for successful asthma treatment and control, and must thus be emphasized in order to improve outcomes in asthma management. Asthma involves the airways of the lungs. The airways (bronchials) become narrow when the smooth muscle of the bronchial constrict. Another symptom of asthma is that the bronchial also become inflamed, further reducing the ability of the patient to breath air out of the lungs, which then makes it difficult to get air in. triggering the symptom of asthma. When the muscles of the bronchial tubes tighten, it become challenging for the affected person to breathe in air or out. Asthma mostly affects people who have a family history of the disease. However, one may suffer from occupational asthma, which is caused by the inhalation of poisonous fumes, dust and gases especially at the work place. Childhood asthma also affects most children and they are more likely to develop it when still under the age of five (Bateman et al., 2008). Most diseases have particular symptoms that are specific to them, and these symptoms are essential when it comes to the diagnosis of the disease. …show more content…
In the case of asthma, there are different symptoms that are usually linked to asthma, but the most common symptoms of asthma include shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing, and coughing. A person suffering from asthma may experience all of these symptoms on some days, only some of these, or no symptoms at all on other days. Wheezing is a sound likened to squeaking or whistling, and one might experience this sound when air moves through their bronchial tubes that have been narrowed. Coughing may be experienced at night or early mornings while chest tightness may be experienced any time of the day or night (Adeniyi, Awopeju & Erhabor, 2009). Apart from the mentioned major symptoms of asthma, an asthmatic attack is another important symptom of asthma. When someone suffers an asthmatic attack it signals a severe symptom. An asthmatic attack makes one to breathe faster and have a challenge talking. During this attack, they may experience all or some of the major symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. During this attack, a person’s lips and fingertips may also turn blue or grey due to the very low levels of oxygen in the person’s blood (Barnes, Drazen & Rennard, 2009). An asthmatic attack will usually require emergency health care; otherwise the life of the affected person is put under great risk.