Asthma Treatment in San Francisco, CA
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic (long-term) condition that affects the airways in the lungs that carry air in and out. If you have asthma, the airways can become inflamed and narrowed at times. This makes it harder for air to flow out of your airways when you breathe out. At San Francisco Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, we provide the testing and treatment for Asthma in San Fracisco, CA. Call our clinic to schedule an appointment today!
What are The Causes of Asthma
It is common for individuals to be diagnosed with asthma early on in life. For those who are not diagnosed until age 20 or later, this condition is known as adult-onset asthma.
Generally, there is little difference between these two types of asthma, though adult-onset asthma can usually be linked to other conditions such as:
- Allergies
- Heartburn or GERD
- Pregnancy
- Menopause
- The flu
- A respiratory illness
- Environmental irritants
What Are the Symptoms of Asthma?
Asthma symptoms can vary widely from one person to another, but they all affect the individual’s ability to breathe. This may present itself as a slight wheeze for some, while others may experience severe complications that make it difficult to make it through the day without an asthma attack.
Some of the most common signs of asthma include:
- Tightness in the chest
- Shortness of breath
- A whistling or wheezing noise that is present when exhaling
- Difficulty sleeping due to breathing troubles
The severity of an individual’s asthma symptoms will help to determine exactly what category they fall into. These categories consist of:
- Mild intermittent
- Mild persistent
- Moderate persistent
- Severe persistent
Diagnosing Asthma
There are a variety of tests and assessments that may be performed to determine whether or not an individual has asthma. This process typically begins by discussing your family health history with San Francisco Allergy, as having a relative with this condition increases the likelihood that you also have it.
At this point, you will likely complete one or more tests to determine your current lung function. Such tests include:
- Spirometry
- A chest X-ray
- Methacholine challenge
- A sputum eosinophils test
- Allergy testing
- A nitric oxide test
- A CT scan
What Treatment Options Are Available?
Treating asthma with medication is the most common treatment option. There are various ways these medications can be delivered, with inhalers being the most common. An inhaler is a small, handheld device that delivers medication directly to your lungs.
You can receive asthma medication through:
Inhalers
- Reliever inhalers -you use a reliever inhaler to treat your symptoms when they occur and usually works within minutes.
- Preventer inhalers -a preventer inhaler contains a steroid medicine and is used daily to reduce the inflammation and sensitivity of your airways, which stops your symptoms occurring
Nebulizers
- A machine changes asthma medications from a liquid to a mist so it’s easier to get the medicine into your lungs
- Usually used if you are having trouble with inhalers
- Cromolyn sodium is a mast cell stabilizer that prevents the release of certain natural chemicals into your body that can be delivered through a nebulizer
Tablets
- Leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) may also be in a syrup or powder form to prevent symptoms
- Theophylline can be taken daily to avoid symptoms
- Steroid tablets are usually a last resort if you don’t respond to other treatments
You will probably take more medicine when you begin treatment to get control of your asthma. Once your asthma is well-controlled, your doctor may be able to reduce the amount of medicine you take.
Injections
For some people with severe asthma, injections of medicines called biologic therapies are given every few weeks. These can help to control the symptoms. They are not suitable for everyone with asthma and can only be prescribed by an asthma specialist. Talk with San Francisco Allergy, Asthma and Immunology to see if injections are the right choice for you to manage your asthma.
See an Asthma Specialist Today
If you suspect that you may have asthma, or would like to discuss alternatives to your current method of treatment, please call San Francisco Allergy today at (415) 362-2614 to schedule an appointment.
