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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Asthma vs RAD
Answered by
This forum is for questions and support regarding lung and respiratory issues such as: Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds - Flu, Chronic Cough, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema, Fibrosis, Lung Abscess, Nasal Polyps, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sinusitis, Tuberculosis
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Feb 25, 2004 12:00AM
, Feb 25, 2004 12:00AM
Viral infections like a cold can cause inflammation of the airways of the lungs. Usually when this occurs, you may cough when you are active or laugh. This inflammation can cause wheezing and coughing. After the cold is gone, it is possible for the inflammation to linger. This inflammation can last for several weeks. Sometimes this inflammation may linger for 3 to 6 months. Eventually the inflammation will go away, and then the wheezing and coughing will stop. This is called reactive airways disease (RAD) and behaves a lot like asthma. This inflammation often clears more quickly when it is treated with an inhaled steroid, which is used to treat asthma. Your doctor is the best judge of this.
When this continues, it is generally considered to be asthma. Testing can be helpful to show if your symptoms are due to asthma or RAD. Generally testing starts with a simple breathing test called spirometry. This test provides detailed information about how your lungs are working. It will show if there is obstruction in your airways.
To really test for asthma it is best to repeat this test after using a rescue inhaler, an inhaled bronchodilator. This measures how much the bronchodilator helps your lungs by reversing the problem. When there is a 20% increase, the test is positive for asthma.
There are a variety of things that can make asthma worse. These things are called triggers. Smelling odors and infections are common triggers of asthma. Also some people start to have problems with asthma only after having a severe respiratory infection. Once you have asthma, you will always have asthma. It does vary from person to person. For some people the symptoms will come and go. For others the symptoms are constant. There is no cure at this time, but it can be controlled with medicine.
When this continues, it is generally considered to be asthma. Testing can be helpful to show if your symptoms are due to asthma or RAD. Generally testing starts with a simple breathing test called spirometry. This test provides detailed information about how your lungs are working. It will show if there is obstruction in your airways.
To really test for asthma it is best to repeat this test after using a rescue inhaler, an inhaled bronchodilator. This measures how much the bronchodilator helps your lungs by reversing the problem. When there is a 20% increase, the test is positive for asthma.
There are a variety of things that can make asthma worse. These things are called triggers. Smelling odors and infections are common triggers of asthma. Also some people start to have problems with asthma only after having a severe respiratory infection. Once you have asthma, you will always have asthma. It does vary from person to person. For some people the symptoms will come and go. For others the symptoms are constant. There is no cure at this time, but it can be controlled with medicine.
Almost all asthmatics have HRA, however, HRA is also seen in a lower percentage of individuals with chronic bronchitis, allergic rhinitis without asthma, and even in some normals with no history of airways symptoms (except possibly with exposure to inhaled irritants and cold dry air). In the old days, they would called it "hay fever". To make a diagnosis of asthma, one must document airway obstruction, rapidly reversible, spontaneously or following inhaled bronchodilators. (this is done with pre/post spirometries with a bronchodialator). This is generally manifest as prominent bilateral wheezing although some individuals, thought to have asthma have mainly a dry bronchial cough with little or no wheezing. A third manifestation of asthma is eosinophil inflammation of the airways, generally eosinophil predominant.As noted in the reference listed below, wheezing occurs commonly in young children associated with certain viral infection (particularly RSV). In only some of these children will wheezing recur in later years. Some physicians have been reluctant to call these childhood wheezers asthmatics (with the emotional, insurance, and other implications involved with assignment of this diagnosis). Therefore, they sometimes call this clinical presentation "reactive airways disease". I know...confusing as hell...but its hard to explain otherwise.
-Andy, RRT, CPFT
lots of headache with terms ha..
COMMON TRAITS OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
Affected Household Members initials: ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
Dust on furniture / Visible in air
House odors
Allergies
Asthma
Sinus problems
Headaches
Sleeplessness / Light sleeper
Snoring
Sore throats / Colds / Flu
Itchy/ Watery eyes