About 15 years ago a 14 year old neighbor of mine died from an asthma attack. When I told people that Harry died I got responses like “I didn’t know you could die from asthma.” “How did he die from asthma?” I thought everybody knew asthma was a serious condition. It was then that I realized that even people with asthma didn’t realize it was serious or could be life threatening.

When I was doing asthma education I always started the first class telling the participants what asthma was. It’s a condition where the airways react to irritants. Could be something you’re allergic to or something your lungs find irritating and they react. It’s your body’s defense mechanism in overdrive. During an asthma attack the lining of your airways become inflamed. The cells in your airways produce excess mucus. The muscles around the airways tighten and you may cough and wheeze.

These are ways your body is trying to protect your lungs. The excess mucus is trying to wash the irritant out of your airways. The cough is another means of getting something out that doesn’t belong there. It could be the irritant or fumes you’ve inhaled but is also the excess mucus. The muscles tighten to try to prevent the irritants from entering the lungs. The wheeze is a sign of the tight muscles and the excess mucus in the airways. The problem is, these defense mechanisms can cause serious problems and be life threatening. If you can’t get air in, you’re not getting oxygen in and that is serious.

Most people think you have to wheeze to have asthma. Surprisingly not all people with asthma wheeze and not all people that wheeze have asthma. The only one that can say for sure you have asthma is your doctor.

Some people have problems with their asthma without coming in contact with an irritant. Emotions can trigger an attack. If you laugh you may start coughing and wheezing. If you are upset and crying it may trigger an attack.

Your doctor will work with you and help you develop a treatment plan. This may include using an inhaler or as some people call it a puffer. This is a small canister with medication that you spray into your mouth as you inhale. This medication can relax the muscles, making it easier to breathe and cough out the excess mucus. You may receive a nebulizer. This is a small air compressor that you use to deliver a liquid medication. The air compressor turns the medication into a mist that you inhale. One of the fastest ways to get medication to the lungs is to inhale it.

Sometimes these medications may not work. You may need more aggressive treatment that you receive in the emergency room. If you are well educated about your condition and work with your doctor the trips to the emergency room can be decreased.

Some people have what is called “exercise induced asthma.” This is an asthma that is triggered by strenuous physical activity. For this type of asthma you usually need to use an inhaler before engaging in the activity.

Asthma does not need to make you housebound and an invalid. Between attacks you can live life normally. You may have to make some adjustments such as not wearing perfumes or finding one that doesn’t bother you. Avoiding areas where there is smoking. You also need to recognize the warning signs that an attack may be coming on and slow down.

One of the most important treatments for asthma is to listen to your doctor and use your medications correctly and as prescribed.