At the Florida Lung, Asthma and Sleep Specialists, we are seeing spring on the immediate horizon in spite of all the wintry bad weather across the nation. We know we are coming into the time of year when we will be answering the most questions about asthma.
Asthma symptoms can overlap with allergies. First of all, what are the symptoms of asthma?
On the one hand, this list includes the symptoms of asthma.
Wheezing,
Shortness of breath,
Tightness in the chest,
And coughing, are symptoms of asthma.
On the other hand, just because you have these symptoms doesn’t mean you have asthma.
Symptoms are clues to what is wrong with you, but only your doctor can definitely differentiate asthma from asthma-like symptoms.
If Not Asthma, What Is That Cough?
Thomas Asciuto, MD, medical director of pulmonary services at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, stated that some basic principles that go with this group of symptoms:
1. Asthma can be brought on by “a host of allergens and other factors.”
2. You also might be suffering with “allergic asthma or allergies without asthma.”
3. You could have a combo! He concluded, “There’s an overlap of symptoms between these conditions. What’s more, allergies can trigger asthma attacks.”
Asthma Tests and Frequent Answers:
Stanley Fineman, MD, past president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology states that “There’s no single patient profile for asthma.”
“Some will have more coughing, some more wheezing, and some more problems breathing with exercise.”
At FLASS, we are often called to consult with doctors concerning respiratory diagnosis.
If you have such a case, we will work closely with your general practitioner on your diagnosis. Below is a list of the medical tests we often administer, to help us better understand what is causing your distressing symptoms.
I. Spirometry: In this breathing test, you will blow into a tube and we will measure how much air you can inhale and exhale, as well as how fast you are able to exhale.
Sometimes you will inhale a “bronchodilator, an inhaled medication that opens airways, to see whether it improves your breathing.”
Often improvement after taking a bronchodilator is a signature of asthma.
II. Allergy testing: These tests help determine which allergens are negatively affecting your efforts to breathe. In this test, “allergens are diluted and applied to your skin through a prick or puncture or with a very thin needle. The allergist then observes your skin for about 15 minutes to see whether you develop an allergic response.”
III. A Chest X-ray: With a picture of your lungs and ribs, the experts at FLASS determine the blocked airways that might make you feel like there is a ten ton truck on your chest when you try to breathe.
Likewise, we use Chest X-rays to exclude other causes of asthma-like symptoms such as pneumonia, TB, lung cancer, and heart failure.
4. An IgE Blood Test: IgE (immunoglobulin E), is a special antibody that fights invaders in your bloodstream.
Normally, it is found in very tiny amounts in your blood.
We know you have a good probability of being diagnosed with allergic asthma if your IgE level is elevated.
Sometimes your primary care doctor diagnoses and treats your asthma. Other times you need specialists.
If the diagnosis is asthma, we will help to identify your triggers. “For people with asthma, respiratory infections, allergens, chemicals, odors, physical activity, emotions, seasonal changes and smoking can irritate the lungs.
We call these triggers because they cause (trigger) changes in the airways. Understanding the things that trigger your asthma will help you manage your disease.”
If you do not respond to inhaled corticosteroids and short-acting bronchodilators, you should visit a specialist.
That is why FLASS is here! If you have been suffering the symptoms of asthma, don’t let yourself miss the beauty of another Florida spring.
We can devise an action plan to manage your asthma, and you can enjoy the coming season without a visit to the Emergency Room.
Read more about asthma and its diagnosis at this informative online resource.