Asthma Symptoms and Treatment in Adults

[damon harvey]

Asthma in young adults, those in their twenties and thirties is very
similar to the childhood asthma. In fact most of the young adults who
develop evident symptoms of asthma are those who have remained
undiagnosed and therefore untreated in their childhood. Many children
who have susceptibility towards chest infections and other bronchial
disorders are often termed as "bronchial" children. They may be having
asthma which does not get diagnosed. As adults they show signs and
symptoms that can no longer be denied.
When asthma strikes a person in his or her middle ages it is a very
different kind of disorder with very different kinds of symptoms and
repercussions. Like when a person in his forties gets diagnosed with
asthma it is usually non-hereditary and inheritance through the family
history plays no role. Generally it is seen that in this stage in life
asthma is usually of intrinsic or non-allergic type. Adult asthma is
considered to be also more serious than the childhood asthma.
This is because it is more difficult to control and also because the
unpredictability factor is very high. Also it strikes the women much
more than the men, so there are clear indications that the disease is
gender biased. Adults with asthma are more susceptible to allergy of
aspirin and related drugs. In fact many times the adult asthma may
remain hidden and then one day strike with full fury after getting an
allergic reaction to aspirin. Also sulphite reactions, other
allergies, chronic sinus problems and nasal polyps are also more
common in adults.
Asthma is extremely common in the people as the age advances. In fact
there are distinct indications that the frequency of asthma is rising
with the advancement of age. Sometimes people do not show symptoms
till they are well over sixty five years of age. But it is generally
believed that such incidents are rare. Nearly one-third of all asthma
cases begin in childhood and the early teens.
There are not many studies to confirm the exact statistics but it is
believed that most people who get diagnosed with asthma at a later
stage in life may not have been properly diagnosed earlier for asthma.
This is because in adults especially in senior citizens the symptoms
of coughing and wheezing are also associated with so many other
diseases as well.
Another reason for this diagnostic failure in elderly is that the main
perception of symptoms of asthma in senior citizens is that of chronic
cough with production of mucous, while they may only show sudden bouts
of wheezing. And this may be associated with emphysema or chronic
bronchitis. But with breathing tests they show clear indications of
asthma and respond well to conventional treatments of asthma.
Asthma triggers are very difficult to zero down to, in adults. As the
age advances pin pointing them keeps getting more and more difficult.
These triggers are also mostly associated with respiratory tract
infections and air pollutants. As the age advances considerably there
is a lot of confusing signals given out by the patients that may make
the diagnoses difficult further still. Asthma symptoms may also be
manifesting in the form of tightness in the chest, shortness of breath
or cough.
They are also many times misinterpreted as cardio-vascular problems.
The disturbance in the patterns of sleep that is associated with
asthma may also be confused with urinary tract disorders. But many of
the patients who are given a confirmed diagnoses for asthma after the
age of fifty also are believed to have shown distinct symptoms earlier
in their life, which may have either gone unnoticed or undiagnosed and
untreated.
After the diagnosis is complete the next step is to take adequate
precautions so as to not get caught unawares with the fury of an
asthmatic attack. Most young people respond very well to conventional
treatments. These coupled with some regular precautions and
disciplined changes in the lifestyle make them lead healthy, happy and
perfectly normal lives. Since they are in the prime of their lives and
sexual activity is also important, it is advised to them to use a puff
or two of inhaler before indulging in any sexual activity.
This is because the exercise factor involved in any normal sexual
activity is equivalent to walking about six kilometres in an hour or
can be compared to climbing about two to three flights of stairs in a
few minutes. This may be very hectic for a person suffering with
asthma. It is also worth mentioning that some of the drugs especially
some corticosteroids taken for asthma may cause impotency or temporary
decrease in sexual desires.
Asthma treatment in the elderly people my have several difficulties.
There are many drug interactions with conventional asthma treatments.
Glaucoma or high blood pressure medications such as beta blockers may
enhance the symptoms of asthma. It is also seen that because of
multiplicity of treatments in elderly people for various diseases
happening all at the same time, the asthma medications may be required
in smaller dosages. An average dose for a young adult may prove to be
a toxic dose for an elderly patient.