WHAT IS ASTHMA?

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that affects millions of people at varying levels of severity from minor to serious. Although asthma is a manageable condition, it does make breathing difficult during exacerbations. Asthma is characterized by swelling and inflammation in the airway, which can reduce the movement of air in and out of your lungs. As the airway tightens, it can cause symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness. If you have been diagnosed with asthma, you will have an asthma action plan in place to guide you through managing an asthma flare.

WHAT CAN CAUSE AN ASTHMA ATTACK?

If you have been diagnosed with asthma, you will quickly learn what your asthma triggers are and how to best manage the exposure to your triggers. Asthma is usually triggered by upper respiratory illness, exercise or environmental irritants such as allergens. With the proper diagnosis and asthma action plans in place, Pulmonary Associates of Richmond can help you manage all aspects of asthma care. 

SYMPTOMS OF AN ASTHMA ATTACK

When managing chronic asthma, it is important to be aware of your specific triggers that may cause an asthma attack and find ways to avoid these triggers. However, that is not always possible, especially if an upper respiratory illness is a known trigger. Asthma symptoms may include:

  • Coughing
  • Wheezing
  • Tightness in chest
  • Breathlessness
  • Fatigue

DIAGNOSING ASTHMA

At Pulmonary Associates of Richmond, our providers are highly skilled and trained in diagnosing, treating and managing asthma. Your doctor will take a family health history and a personal medical history to identify the symptoms you have been experiencing and what may be triggering these symptoms. Your pulmonologist will also review any other health conditions that can contribute to the diagnosis of asthma. You may have tests performed, such as:

  • Physical examination
  • Chest x-ray
  • Lung function tests

    • Spirometry
    • Peak airflow

Oftentimes, patients will present with other chronic health conditions that increase the chances of an asthma diagnosis, such as allergies and eczema.

TREATMENT FOR ASTHMA

Everyone’s asthma presents differently. Your doctor at Pulmonary Associates of Richmond will develop an individualized treatment plan that may include lifestyle modifications and medications, as well as specific steps to take to manage an attack.

Most patients can manage their asthma with medications. However, if you have moderate to severe asthma, Pulmonary Associates of Richmond offers biologic therapy to help patients with severe asthma. Biologic therapies are injectable medications that target the specific type of asthma that you have, which helps to reduce inflammation and control the frequency of asthma exacerbations. If you have moderate to severe asthma that is not controlled through medication, call Pulmonary Associates of Richmond to see if biologic therapy may be the right asthma treatment for you.

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH

START BREATHING BETTER