Asthma is a lung disease characterized by inflamed airways that connect to the lungs. because of this inflammation, air isn’t able to travel through these airways and therefore makes it very hard to breathe. This will cause asthma sufferers to try even harder to get air in their lungs, which results in coughing and wheezing.

There are several reasons why the airways could have inflammation. Asthma sufferers are allergic primarily to specific substances. not every patient is allergic to the same thing. Allergies may be caused by heavy pollution, cold air, pollens, and dust. Other triggers of asthma include stress and tension. Occasionally, the inflammation of the airways will diminish by itself and not require treatment at all. Though, if the symptoms continue then applying treatment is safe.

the number of people with the disease is on the rise, and the reasons why could include more and more pollution and lifestyle changes . while all ages are affected, children and teenagers are most likely to get it. Allergies and genetics are the primary causes for asthma in children.

the triggers of asthma are different for each case, so identifying them is important for each patient so they can avoid being exposed to them. For those who have cold air as a trigger, you will normally be impacted by it during the early morning or at night when the temperatures are cooler. When pollens are a trigger, then asthma attacks can occur when certain flowers are being planted.

Understanding the asthma symptoms is important in the early stages. if asthma is not treated in a timely manner, then the patient’s life could be in jeopardy. having access to medicine is vital just in case an attack occurs. an inhaler is the most common treatment, and either the patient or someone around must have it especially when participating in sports or exercise. the symptoms should not be allowed to persist.

Asthma patients must take their medication when required. Cortisones should be avoided as the side effects can be very harmful. Always see a doctor first before proceeding, and try to stay with one doctor.

Yoga and breathing exercises are also helpful toward living a healthy lifestyle as it will decrease the possibility of having an asthma attack.

See Also: Signs of Asthma in Children, Preventing Asthma Wheezing, Asthma and Acid Reflux

I've never had this happen before..but could that be what is causing my symptoms?

I have asthma as well as one of my three children. My children have never been in contact with smoke but as a child I was since my father smoked(people didn't know at the time), as soon as he learned the cause of my illness he stopped smoking. yes, all kind of smoke can be a trigger, even dust and any kind of pollution. It's a pain in the neck, isn't it?(or should I say in the chest?)

Asthma is a genetic disorder. someone in your family, passed a bad gene on to you. If you have asthma, you'll probably pass that same gene to someone else.

However, people with asthma are 42 percent more likely to go to an emergency room during the fifth to seventh days of continuous inversion compared to days with no inversion.

“While we didn’t see an association with PM2.5 pollution and ER visits for asthma, we did find that particulate matter is more likely to reach unhealthy levels during inversions, so people with asthma should still take extra precautions on those days,” said UDOH asthma program epidemiologist Celeste Beck.

Dr. Brett Wiesley, emergency department physician at St. Mark’s Hospital, said the report’s findings jive with his experiences.

“I think there is definitely a correlation” to the duration of an inversion and corresponding uptick of people seeking care for respiratory issues, Wiesley said.

“It not the inversions that last two or three days, it’s the inversions that set in for a week. It’s not the healthy people we see. It’s the people with chronic disease.”

The state health department, the National Weather Service and other partners participating in the research plan further research to analyze the characteristics of lengthy inversions that sends people with asthma to the ER.

The Utah Department of Health’s asthma program recommends that, during November to March, inversion season, that people with asthma monitor PM2.5 levels.

Other recommendations include:

Avoid or limit exposure to asthma triggers during the inversions.

Wash hands regularly.

Avoid people with upper respiratory infections.

Talk to a health care provider about steps to control asthma, such as stepping up use of controller medications.

Meanwhile, many schools in the Salt Lake Valley were keeping students in for recess periods while the air quality red alert is in effect.

“They (students) do get a little antsy if it’s too many days in a row,” said Jan Tanner, principal of Jordan School District’s Eastlake Elementary School in South Jordan. to help students pass the time, teachers and administrators facilitate indoor games or show videos.

Bonnie Midget, spokeswoman for Primary Children’s Medical Center, said the emergency room had not experienced any increase in asthma patients seeking care due to the current inversion. it can be difficult to parse the source of asthma exacerbations this time of year because upper respiratory infections are also a common trigger, she said.