Introduction
What is asthma and how does it affect me? How do I live with this respiratory condition? Read on in this blog post to find out!
What is asthma and how does it affect the airways?
This respiratory condition primarily affects the lungs due to the swelling of the lower airways which consist of the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles and alveoli. An asthma attack occurs when these airways have been “triggered” or “set off” by one or more external stimuli that “activate” the condition.
When an attack occurs, the airways inside the lungs become inflamed which then causes the muscles to contract. Mucus starts to be created inside the airways which further diminishes the amount of oxygen that can pass through the airways to the lungs. (Soliman, Holland, & Goldman, 2024). The swelling can happen either gradually or suddenly, which makes it harder for the individual to breathe properly.
About 2.8 million (11%) of the Aussie population were evaluated to have asthma in 2022. (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2024)
Respiratory diseases such as the common cold, flu, and coronavirus can exacerbate the symptoms of this condition and lead to an attack because they all infect the lungs. (Robinson, 2023)
Asthma heritability
The cause of asthma is multifaceted, with environmental and genetic factors at play. Research into twins and families of asthmatic individuals (preceding current genetic research technology) have shown that the heritability of asthma ranges from 25 to 80 percent. (Victor et al., 2024)
What are the symptoms and triggers of an attack?
The symptoms of an attack can vary from individual to individual. Signs of an attack include:
- Persistent coughing, which is worse at night due to colder air.
- Excessive mucus produced in airways.
- Wheezing.
- Tightness in the chest.
- A hoarse or raspy voice when speaking.
- Difficulty breathing (closing of the airways).
The main triggers of these attacks are:
- Cold weather.
- Pollen.
- Electrically charged air.
- Some animals.
- Intense exercise.
- Smoke.
- Humidity.
- Dust.
- Mould.
- Some viral infections like pneumonia and the common cold.
It’s important to note that not everyone who has this condition has the same triggers. Some only have attacks due to one or more of the listed triggers. Some triggers cannot be avoided.
How asthma affects my everyday life
In my experience of asthma, attacks occur most often early in the morning or late in the evening, primarily from low temperatures in most seasons in South Australia. The low temperatures gradually lessen as spring progresses due to the increasing temperatures and vice versa. Pollen is a major factor in causing my attacks during spring and autumn. Windy days are also a major issue during the seasons of spring, autumn and winter for this very reason.
The walking I do on most days is also affected by my asthma because I have weaker lungs than most individuals due to the damage sustained to my lungs from extreme prematurity (15 weeks). Walking almost every day outside has improved my lungs and endurance, and I can now walk several laps around my rural house (1 acre approximately).
Despite my lungs having been strengthened, climbing up staircases is still a challenge for me, especially with ones that have high treads. The one seen below for instance, is more demanding on my lungs than stairs that have shallow treads and requires more oxygen to climb up. As a result, I often find myself having to pause midway on a long flight of steep treads just to regain enough oxygen to continue climbing up to the top.
I also have a very mild phobia of stepping down staircases (especially ones with steep treads) because I fear that I might fall. Unlike other individuals, I cannot balance as well on precarious surfaces or certain angles, so I need to use the railings on the stairs when climbing down.
This phobia is known as “bathmophobia” and is a fear of falling down a flight of steps or a steep incline. (Cleveland Clinic, 2022)
Despite this fear of stairs, I would rather take the stairs than the elevator, as elevators make me disorientated and nauseous. In rare cases, elevators have been known to malfunction or even fall. Taking the stairs is healthier and helps build up leg muscles as well as provide a visual path of where I am going. 👀
How I manage my attacks with preventers and relievers
If an attack occurs, I use a type of inhaler known as a reliever. In order to reduce the likelihood of an attack, I use a preventer. These two types of inhalers are explained in more detail below.
A reliever opens up the airways through the use of a fast-acting drug known as salbutamol. This process works by dilating the airways, which reverses an attack that is already occurring, making it useful for asthma. (Wikipedia contributors, 2024).
A preventer makes the airways less sensitive, thus reducing the likelihood of an attack occurring through the use of inhaled corticosteroids. An example of an inhaled corticosteroid used for this purpose is beclometasone dipropionate, used in the treatment of asthma. (Wikipedia contributors, 2024).
My carer and I have both found that by taking my preventer at 8am and 8pm every day in a fixed routine has helped greatly with reducing the likelihood of attacks, and has really improved my quality of life during the winter months.
The reliever and preventer are both visualised below with this image, just in different colours from the usual blue and brown:
Tips for managing attacks
In my experience with asthma, following these tips can help reduce the likelihood of attacks occurring or flaring up. To reduce the likelihood of an attack:
- Avoid any smoke, as this can cause attacks.
- It has been suggested that the use of refrigerated airconditioning may lower the risk of humidity in your home. The use of evaporative (water-based) airconditioning can humidify the air, and increase the risk of mould and dust mites inside the house. (Better Health Channel, 2022).
- Take care when using the airconditioner to cool your house, as the cold air it creates can also be a trigger.
- Keep any pets away that are known triggers of attacks.
- Clean out any dust or mould.
- Try not to exercise on days when the pollen level is high. Checking weather forecasts can help give you a rough guide on how high or low the pollen levels are.
- Close windows and doors on breezy spring and autumn days in case of pollen from grass or spores from fungi. This can also help with smog from city air.
- Remove any air drafts from your house, as these can be a trigger for attacks.
- Always keep an inhaler with you at all times (especially when on outings or going somewhere).
- Try to avoid rainforests and visiting the tropical regions during the wet season, as the humidity will always be at 100%.
- Schedule a regular time to take a preventer if possible. (As recommended by your doctor).
- If an attack occurs, use a reliever straight away.
A living, breathing video clip of the lungs
The video clip shown below was created in the 3D modelling software Blender (version 4.0.2), and is a simplified example of how the lungs work inside the human body:
Disclaimer:
The content in this post is my personal journey of living with asthma and what I have found that works for me and what does not. It is not intended to be used as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for guidance and treatment for asthma.
Princess Lilli Lilac
Although Lilli may not have much to do with my asthma as she doesn’t trigger it, she does help to keep me calm and relaxed at times. We have been inseparable from the day we first met, and will always love each other. 💜
Conclusion
I hope that you have learned lots about asthma, and how it affects my day-to-day life. See you on the next blog post! 🗞
References
Asthma Australia. (n.d). Asthma flare-ups & attacks. Asthma.org.au. https://asthma.org.au/about-asthma/asthma-attacks/
Wikipedia contributors. (2024, July 28). Anti-asthmatic agents. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 06:40, August 27, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anti-asthmatic_agents&oldid=1237079009
Robinson, J. (2023, May 11). Asthma & coronavirus. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/asthma/covid-19-asthma
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2024). Chronic respiratory conditions. Retrieved from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-respiratory-conditions/chronic-respiratory-conditions
Cleveland Clinic. (2022, March 22). Bathmophobia (Fear of Stairs). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22576-bathmophobia-fear-of-stairs
Victor, E., Anne, E. D., Benjamin, A. R., & Paul, D. (2024, July 8). Genetics of asthma. UpToDate. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/genetics-of-asthma
Soliman, M., Holland, K., & Goldman, L. (2024, January 2). Everything you need to know about asthma: symptoms, types, causes, prevention and more. https://www.healthline.com/health/asthma
Wikipedia contributors. (2024, August 30). Salbutamol. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:59, September 12, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Salbutamol&oldid=1243165073
Wikipedia contributors. (2024, March 27). Beclometasone. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 00:04, September 13, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Beclometasone&oldid=1215843470
Better Health Channel. (2022, November 17). Asthma-friendly home. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/asthma-friendly-home