Asthma is due to inflammation of the large airways in the lungs. Asthma can vary in severity
from occasional symptoms, mild intermittent, to severe daily symptoms, severe persistent.
The common symptoms of asthma are cough, wheezing and chest tightness. Shortness of
breath, dyspnea, is not always a symptom of asthma. Common triggers include exercise,
cold air, the common cold and exposure to allergens. Treatment plans depend on the severity of the asthma from occasional use of a rescue inhaler to a daily inhaled controller medication. The degree of airway inflammation, breathing tests and symptoms typically determines the best treatment option. Childhood asthma and adult asthma share many similarities as well as treatment. One shared similarity is the association of an allergic trigger. Up to 90% of children and 50% of adults have allergies worsening their asthma and increasing the number of their medications. Evaluation for allergy in asthma allows identification of the allergy and treatment of the allergy improving the symptoms and control of asthma.
