Asthma: the first alarm bells

Difficulty breathing, but also night cough and wheezing: these are the typical symptoms of asthma attacks, which are caused by chronic inflammation of the bronchi.

Asthma is one of the most common respiratory diseases in the world: it can affect anyone, regardless of gender or age, but it is more frequent in allergy sufferers or in those who have a family history for this disease.

There is still no definitive cure, but recognizing the symptoms can help early diagnosis and help prevent or manage asthma crises.

Asthma is not only allergic

Asthmatic subjects are characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways that causes hyperreactivity of the bronchi to certain triggers.

Contact with an allergen (pollen, mites, animal hair, etc.), a respiratory infection, a slight physical effort, or even just a strong emotion, can in fact cause a so-called “asthma attack”, during which the progressive thickening of the bronchial wall, the increase in the secretion of thick mucus and the contraction of the bronchial muscles (bronchospasm) hinder the passage of air, causing difficulty inhaling and exhaling adequately.

In the case of allergic asthma, the attack can be caused by “perennial” allergens, such as mites or animal hair, or “seasonal” allergens, such as pollen.

The following table shows the main blooms for the different periods of the year.

Symptoms not to be underestimated

Dyspnoea, dry cough especially at night, wheezing, feeling of tightness in the chest – these are the most frequent manifestations of an asthmatic crisis. They do not always occur at the same time and their intensity can vary from one asthmatic episode to another, and even from person to person.

Their sudden appearance should not be underestimated but, on the contrary, should lead to suspect this pathology and to undergo specialized examinations; or, in subjects who have already been diagnosed, to intervene promptly to try to prevent or manage the possible aggravation of symptoms, following the indications of their doctor.

Dyspnea is also called “feeling of air hunger”: although it is typical of asthma, it is also a common symptom of many other diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia or some heart disease. It resembles the feeling of breathlessness that is felt during intense or prolonged physical activity; In asthmatic subjects, however, it is also observed after a mild effort or even at rest, for example if you come into contact with an allergen to which the patient is sensitised.

Other typical, but not exclusive, manifestations of asthma are the sense of “weight” on the chest and wheezing, also called wheezing. If physiologically breathing takes place almost silently, during an asthma attack patients often emit a sort of gasp, due to the narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi and the massive presence of mucus that the air encounters during its passage.

Finally, especially at night, asthmatic patients often manifest a dry and constipated cough, which worsens in the presence of respiratory infections, but which can also be present in good health. Recurrent episodes of coughing that are concentrated during the night, or even in the morning, are therefore another sign not to be underestimated and to report to your doctor.

How to fight it: early diagnosis and adherence to therapy

To adequately control this pathology and prevent the onset of its symptoms, an early diagnosis is necessary, which must be followed by the prescription of a personalized therapeutic strategy.

Once the most effective treatment has been identified, however, it is essential that the patient carefully follows the doctor’s instructions: it is believed that most cases of uncontrolled asthma (ie requiring more emergency interventions during the year) are due precisely to the poor adherence to treatment by the asthmatic subject.