Asthma: a common foe for patients Published July 15, 2009 By Maj. (Dr.) Christopher Coop 3rd Medical Group Allergist and Immunologist ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- Asthma is a chronic lung disease that causes airways to become inflamed, leading to symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Anyone can have asthma. Asthma development is often inherited. Many people with asthma can breathe normally for weeks or months between flare-ups. When flare-ups do occur, they often happen without warning. Actually, an asthma flare-up develops over time, involving a complicated process of increasing airway obstruction. All patients with asthma have inflamed airways, which mean they swell and produce thick mucus. In addition, their airways are overly sensitive, or hyperreactive, to certain asthma triggers. The muscles surrounding the airways tighten when exposed to these triggers, making the airways even narrower. Things that trigger flare-ups differ from person to person. Some common triggers are exercise, allergies, viral infections and smoke. When considering an asthma diagnosis, a provider must rule out other possible causes of the patient's symptoms. The provider will ask questions about the family's asthma and allergy history, perform a physical exam and possibly order laboratory tests, such as chest X-rays, blood tests or lung function tests. Allergy skin testing is also available. Every patient needs to follow their individually developed asthma management plan to control symptoms. Mild asthma should never be ignored since in between flare-ups airway inflammation can exist. Asthma severity can worsen or improve over time, placing the patient in a new asthma category that requires different treatment. With patient education and the right asthma management plan, patients and families can learn to control symptoms and asthma flare-ups more independently, allowing them to do just about anything they want. (Information provided by the Asthma Education Web site of Maine Medical Center)