Did you know that 28 million people in the United States have asthma? That equates to about one in every 12 Americans.¹ Both children and adults can be affected by asthma, with over 10 million cases occurring in those aged 35-64.²

Because asthma is a highly prevalent health condition, it is important to know the facts about asthma and how to treat it. Here is some helpful information on what asthma is, its symptoms, and how to treat it.

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a disease that is caused by chronic inflammation in your lungs. Your case of asthma could cause you to have an asthma attack from factors such as cold air, pollution, or exercise. When you have an asthma attack, your airways tighten and fill with mucus, which could impair your breathing.³

There are 4 main types of asthma that you could be diagnosed with, and they are allergic asthma, cough-variant asthma, exercised-induced asthma, and occupational asthma.⁴ Here is more info on these types of asthma and what symptoms to watch out for.

Types of Asthma

Allergic Asthma

Allergic asthma is when your body’s response to an allergy causes asthma symptoms. Oftentimes, allergic asthma occurs after you inhale an allergen into your lungs. Symptoms of allergic asthma include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.⁵

If you have been diagnosed with allergic asthma, there are some treatment options you could explore with your doctor:

• Allergy Shots. One option is to take allergy shots. Allergy shots reduce your immune system’s response to the allergen over time. Your immune system gradually builds a tolerance to the allergen, which causes allergic reactions, and therefore asthma attacks, to lessen⁶
• Leukotriene Modifier. Another treatment option is to take a leukotriene modifier. This inflammatory mediator treats asthma symptoms and can also help alleviate common allergy symptoms.⁷

Cough-variant Asthma

People with cough-variant asthma have a non-productive cough, which is when their cough does not release any mucus. It is not known what causes cough-variant asthma but oftentimes coughing occurs after exposure to allergens or cold air. The symptom of cough-variant asthma is a non-productive cough.⁸

There are a few effective treatment options that your doctor may prescribe for your cough-variant asthma, such as:

• Inhaled Steroids. Inhaled steroids work to lessen inflammation in your lungs and help prevent chronic asthma coughing spells. They are taken via an inhaler with an aero chamber.⁹
• Leukotriene Modifier. Like allergic asthma, cough-variant asthma can be treated with a leukotriene modifier. This medication is a pill that provides relief for 24 hours.¹⁰

Exercise-induced Asthma

Exercise-induced asthma, or sports-induced asthma, occurs when your airways narrow during exercise. It can be worse for those who exercise in environments with cold or dry air, poor air quality, or in areas with a high pollen count. Symptoms of exercise-induced asthma are coughing, trouble breathing, and tightness in the chest.¹¹

If your doctor diagnosed you with exercise-induced asthma, he or she may offer the following treatment options:

• Albuterol. Albuterol is an oral medication used with an inhaler that helps relieve any difficulty with breathing during exercise by relaxing the muscles around your airways.^12,13 It is recommended to take albuterol 15 to 20 minutes before exercising.
• Leukotriene Modifier Research has shown that the leukotriene modifier reduces exercise-induced asthma symptoms and helps improve the opening of your airways.¹⁴

Occupational Asthma

Occupational asthma can occur when you are exposed to certain irritants at work, such as dusts, gases, and fumes. Symptoms of occupational asthma are wheezing, eye irritation, runny nose, and shortness of breath.¹⁵

If you have occupational asthma, there are a few treatment options that may give you relief, such as:

• Inhaled Corticosteroids. Inhaled corticosteroids, such as Ovar and Pulmicort, help treat your symptoms and may prevent occupational asthma from worsening. It is recommended to start inhaled corticosteroids soon after you have been diagnosed.^16,17
• Long-acting Beta Agonists. LABAs help lower inflammation and help you breathe better by opening the airways. You should take LABAs with inhaled corticosteroids to have the most effective outcome.^18,19

Reach Out to a Doctor

If you are diagnosed with asthma, or suspect that you might have asthma, reach out to your doctor. They will provide you with the correct guidance and let you know what the best treatment option for your case will be.