Our expert physicians specialize in the treatment of allergy, food allergy, asthma, and sinus problems, as well as other conditions, such as hay fever, hives, eczema, contact dermatitis, insect allergies, drug reactions, anaphylaxis, and immune deficiency conditions.
Asthma, sometimes called bronchial asthma, asthmatic bronchitis, or reactive airway disease is a lung disease causing a person’s airways to narrow and swell with mucus. Asthma affects 5-8% of the population and can develop at any time in life. For children and young adults, more than 90% of the time, asthma is an allergic disease accompanied by other allergies, such as hay fever, eczema, and food allergies. For those who develop asthma after the age of 40, allergies are not as likely to be responsible for their disease. Asthma symptoms can occur a few times each year or as often as everyday.
Common Symptoms of Asthma:
- wheezing
- coughing
- shortness of breath
- chest tightness
There is no single laboratory test for asthma like there is for other diseases. To confirm an asthma diagnosis, your physician will perform a thorough medical evaluation and lung function testing, taking into consideration your symptoms, triggers, previous response to therapy, and environmental and family history.
Unlike other lung diseases, such as emphysema, the airway obstruction in asthma is reversible when properly treated. Asthma treatment can include allergen avoidance coupled with bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory medications, which relax lung muscle spasms and clear excessive mucus.
