What is Asthma (Asthma) and is it contagious?
Bronchial asthma (abbreviated as asthma) is a disease characterized by chronic airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness. It can have a variety of clinical symptoms. The typical manifestation is recurrent dyspnea with wheezing. Onset or aggravation at night and early in the morning, atypical patients have cough and chest tightness as the main manifestations, which are easy to be misdiagnosed.
Although asthma is also a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract, it is different from diseases such as pneumonia and tuberculosis. It is caused by allergies and other factors, so it is not contagious.
2. What are the special types of asthma?
In addition to asthma with typical symptoms, there are several special types of asthma:
(1) Cough variant asthma: It is the most common special type of asthma. Cough is the only or main manifestation, and there is no typical asthma symptoms such as wheezing and shortness of breath. The clinical treatment is the same as that of typical asthma.
(2) Chest tightness variant asthma: It is more common in young and middle-aged people, with insidious onset, chest tightness is the only or main manifestation, which can be induced after activities, and some patients have frequent attacks at night.
(3) Occupational asthma: About 5%-20% of adults have occupational asthma at first. It is related to the contact with asthmatics in the work environment, and the symptoms can be relieved after leaving the work environment.
(4) Drug-induced asthma: Some drugs such as aspirin, non-selective beta receptor blockers, H2 receptor blockers, pilocarpine, etc. can induce asthma. The most effective way to prevent this type of asthma is to avoid re-application of this type of medicine. For those that really need to be used due to illness, desensitization treatment can be performed.
(5) Asthma during pregnancy and asthma during menstruation: The treatment is the same as that of typical asthma, but the treatment drugs for asthma during pregnancy should be carefully selected.
(6) Senile asthma: often missed, symptoms of wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and cough that aggravate during exercise or at night in the elderly can be misdiagnosed as cardiovascular disease. A detailed understanding of the medical history and a comprehensive physical examination supplemented by an electrocardiogram or X-ray are helpful to the diagnosis.
3. What factors are likely to cause asthma?
The pathogenic factors of asthma are more complicated, and most of them are considered to be a polygenic genetic disease. It is generally believed that the interaction of genetic factors and environmental factors causes the occurrence of asthma.
(1) Genetic factors: Patients with family and personal allergies, such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, infantile eczema, urticaria, etc., have a higher prevalence than the general population.
(2) Environmental factors: inhalation of air pollutants, allergens (such as dust mites, pollen, animal dander, chemical substances, etc.), infection, food, climate change (severe changes in temperature and humidity), mental factors, strenuous exercise, obesity , Smoking, drugs, menstruation, pregnancy, etc.
4. How can asthmatics prevent asthma attacks?
(1) Long-term and standardized medication, especially the use of inhaled corticosteroids;
(2) It is recommended that regular outpatient follow-ups in respiratory department are recommended to evaluate respiratory function status through lung function;
(3) Pay attention to the sanitation of the home and work environment, and prevent allergens such as harmful gases, smoke and pet hair from irritation;
(4) Pay attention to the season and climate change, add or remove clothes in time, avoid catching cold, and prevent influenza;
(5) Quit smoking as soon as possible, keep warm, exercise properly, and keep a happy mood;
(6) Carry bronchospasm relief medicine with you. If it does not relieve after medication, please consult a doctor in time.
