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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Can a person develop asthma in their late 20's...
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.
Can a person develop asthma in their late 20's...
by 73sunflowers, May 16, 2003 12:00AM
Even if there's no family history of it. On Weds. I woke up with a terrible cough that had me coughing stuff up and the more I coughed the more I couldn't breathe. I could feel my air passages closing. Last spring I had gotten sick like this and had pretty much the same symptoms. The Dr then gave me an inhaler to use. Today I went in to the dr. At first he thought it might be pneumonia because I was weasing. He gave me a neublizer treatment and then listened to my lungs again and ruled that it was virus that settled into my chest inducing the asthma attack. Now I have an inhaler again and it's helping. I have no history of asthma other than what happened last year. But I wonder if I might be developing it.
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, May 23, 2003 12:00AM
, May 23, 2003 12:00AM
Asthma is an ongoing lung problem with
· Inflammation or swelling of the airways. Some long-term control medicines decrease and prevent the swelling.
· Increased sensitivity of the airways to a variety of things that make asthma worse. These things are called triggers. Infections, exercise, acid reflux, allergies are common triggers.
· Obstruction of airflow due to the tightening of the muscles that surround the airways. This is called bronchospasm. Quick-relief medicines relieve the bronchospasm by relaxing the tight muscles around the airways. Sometimes the mucus glands in the airways make lots of thick mucus that decrease the opening of the airway more.
Medicines that are used to prevent asthma can be separated into 2 types. Long-term control medicines are taken every day, even when you do not have any asthma problems. This will keep your lungs working well and prevent asthma attacks. Quick-relief medicines are taken when asthma problems happen. A rescue inhaler is an inhaled quick-relief medicine. In addition asthma symptoms may be prevented during activity when a rescue inhaler is used before the activity. This is called pre-treating. Most people with asthma need both types of medicines.
A lung problem such as asthma could cause a cough. A cough can be the only symptom of asthma. Also asthma can start at any age even when there is no family history of asthma. When the cough is due to asthma, generally the cough is helped by an inhaled quick-relief medicine like you were given in the nebulizer and now in the inhaler. However it is also possible that there is some other problem causing your cough.
Other possible causes are allergy, infection, irritation or all of these. Many viral infections, most notably the flu, can cause irritation of the airways of the lungs. This irritation can cause a cough that lasts for 3 to 6 months. Coughing could be due to a heart problem. Coughing can be a side effect of a group of medicines used to treat high blood pressure called angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. In a person who has a normal chest x-ray and who doesn’t smoke the other common causes of cough are postnasal drip and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), commonly called acid reflux or heartburn.
To know for sure if your cough is due to a breathing problem you will need to have testing done. 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. Sometimes this test is repeated after you have used a rescue inhaler. When there is a 20% increase the test is positive for asthma.
You will need to continue to work with your doctor to find out the nature of the problem that is causing your symptoms each spring. An allergist would be the type of specialist to identify if this is due to allergies and your upper airways and the best treatment. An ENT would be the type of specialist to identify a sinus problem and the best treatment. A gastroenterologist is the type of specialist to let you know if GERD is causing your symptoms and the best treatment. A pulmonologist would be the type of specialist to identify a lung problem and the best treatment.
· Inflammation or swelling of the airways. Some long-term control medicines decrease and prevent the swelling.
· Increased sensitivity of the airways to a variety of things that make asthma worse. These things are called triggers. Infections, exercise, acid reflux, allergies are common triggers.
· Obstruction of airflow due to the tightening of the muscles that surround the airways. This is called bronchospasm. Quick-relief medicines relieve the bronchospasm by relaxing the tight muscles around the airways. Sometimes the mucus glands in the airways make lots of thick mucus that decrease the opening of the airway more.
Medicines that are used to prevent asthma can be separated into 2 types. Long-term control medicines are taken every day, even when you do not have any asthma problems. This will keep your lungs working well and prevent asthma attacks. Quick-relief medicines are taken when asthma problems happen. A rescue inhaler is an inhaled quick-relief medicine. In addition asthma symptoms may be prevented during activity when a rescue inhaler is used before the activity. This is called pre-treating. Most people with asthma need both types of medicines.
A lung problem such as asthma could cause a cough. A cough can be the only symptom of asthma. Also asthma can start at any age even when there is no family history of asthma. When the cough is due to asthma, generally the cough is helped by an inhaled quick-relief medicine like you were given in the nebulizer and now in the inhaler. However it is also possible that there is some other problem causing your cough.
Other possible causes are allergy, infection, irritation or all of these. Many viral infections, most notably the flu, can cause irritation of the airways of the lungs. This irritation can cause a cough that lasts for 3 to 6 months. Coughing could be due to a heart problem. Coughing can be a side effect of a group of medicines used to treat high blood pressure called angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. In a person who has a normal chest x-ray and who doesn’t smoke the other common causes of cough are postnasal drip and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), commonly called acid reflux or heartburn.
To know for sure if your cough is due to a breathing problem you will need to have testing done. 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. Sometimes this test is repeated after you have used a rescue inhaler. When there is a 20% increase the test is positive for asthma.
You will need to continue to work with your doctor to find out the nature of the problem that is causing your symptoms each spring. An allergist would be the type of specialist to identify if this is due to allergies and your upper airways and the best treatment. An ENT would be the type of specialist to identify a sinus problem and the best treatment. A gastroenterologist is the type of specialist to let you know if GERD is causing your symptoms and the best treatment. A pulmonologist would be the type of specialist to identify a lung problem and the best treatment.
Follow up with your doc if you continue to have wheezing, so you can receive optimal treatment and hopefully it will promptly resolve. You may wish to have a breathing test, called a spirometry, to help determine whether you have asthma. It would be best to have such a test a while after you infection has cleared.
Best of luck!
Aloha,
Starion