Asthma

Primary Care for Asthma

Telemedical Options: YesAsthma is a chronic respiratory disorder that affects the airways and lungs. It causes the airways to narrow and swell, which makes breathing difficult. Asthma can be diagnosed early in childhood or early adulthood. The most common risk factors for asthma are:
  • family history of asthma
  • frequent exposure to allergens
  • exposure to secondhand smoke
  • environmental tobacco smoke exposure
  • prenatal exposure to maternal smoking or secondhand smoke
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What Causes Asthma?

The most common causes of asthma are allergies and infections. It is also possible for an asthma attack to be triggered by: 

  • air pollutants or smoke
  • fragrances or strong smells
  • cold air
  • exercise
  • allergens (dust or pollen)
  • menstrual cycle
  • certain medications

What Are the Symptoms of Asthma?

The symptoms of asthma can range in severity from mild to severe attacks that require emergency care. Asthma attack symptoms vary from person to person and may include:

  • wheezing (a hissing or whistling sound when exhaling)
  • chest tightness
  • shortness of breath
  • coughing
  • tightness in the chest or throat
  • difficulty breathing

When suffering from asthma attack symptoms, the signs won’t always present themselves suddenly. Asthma attack symptoms can take hours to days to develop. Asthma symptoms in kids may also cause stomach pain or chest pain. 

These symptoms can affect how you go about your day, and interfere with work or school. This is why seeking primary care is vital.

What Are Asthma Treatments?

There are two main types of asthma treatment: control medications and quick relief medications. The goal of control medications is to prevent the symptoms from happening in the first place while quick relief medications provide immediate relief when they do happen.

Control medications can often be in the form of inhalers that are prescribed for daily use. Asthma medications that provide quick relief would be referred to as rescue inhalers which are to be used when an asthma attack occurs. In some cases, these medications can include oral pills. 

At our primary care for asthma, we can determine if you have it by taking your medical history and examining your symptoms. A peak flow meter is used to determine how quickly you can blow air out of your lungs. This can help us monitor or diagnose asthma.

We will need to know about the frequency of your symptoms, how long they last, what triggers them, and how severe they are. We will also take note of any other health conditions that might be causing similar symptoms like allergies or COPD.

Should I Go to Primary Care for Asthma?

Asthma is a serious condition and you might be wondering if you should go to primary care or the ER for an asthma attack. If you are experiencing mild to moderate symptoms of asthma, then going to a primary care facility would benefit you. 

If the symptoms you are experiencing are severe and do not respond to a rescue inhaler or other prescribed treatment, then you should go to the emergency room.

Get Your Asthma Symptoms Under Control

Getting your symptoms under control starts with seeking professional help at our primarycare for asthma. At Medberry Clinic, you can get the asthma treatment your need at our facility. Our medical staff is here to help you get back to living the life you want to.

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