According to the American Lung Association, nearly 26 million Americans suffer from asthma, including seven million children. Asthma is the third leading cause of hospitalization among children. Hetal Gandhi, MD, of Synergy Medical in Livonia, Michigan, has been helping patients manage life-threatening chronic conditions for more than two decades. Make an appointment online or call today
Asthma is a chronic lung disease that makes breathing difficult due to a narrowing of the airways. Asthma symptoms differ from person to person and may be mild in some sufferers and life-threatening in others. Common asthma symptoms include:
People who suffer from asthma may experience “asthma attacks,” episodes where their symptoms worsen or flare up, and over time, asthma symptoms change. Dr. Gandhi recommends working together to track your asthma symptoms so that your treatment plan can be modified as needed.
There are two basic types of asthma that are differentiated only by what triggers their symptoms.
This is the most common form of asthma. Allergic asthma is triggered by breathing in allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, pollens, and mold.
Allergic asthma also involves your immune system, which kicks in to fight back against the allergens and releases a substance called immunoglobulin E (IgE), which in large quantities triggers swelling and inflammation of the airways.
Non-allergic asthma is triggered by anxiety, stress, exercise, cold air, dry air, hyperventilation, smoke or other irritants, and colds or respiratory infections.
Getting and treating a common cold when you are an asthma sufferer can be tricky and annoying. Although a common cold is caused by a virus and has nothing to do with your asthma, its symptoms affect the upper airways — your nose and your throat. If that’s not bad enough, a cold can trigger or worsen your asthma.
Dr. Gandhi can help you find the best way to treat your cold and help you monitor your asthma during cold season.
Although there is no cure for asthma, Dr. Gandhi and the staff at Synergy Medical can help develop an asthma treatment plan that can be adjusted as your needs change. The goal is to stop asthma attacks before they start and to learn to recognize and avoid common triggers.
The typical treatment plan includes a combination of:
For help managing your asthma symptoms, book an appointment online or call today.
