Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the respiratory system, causing inflammation and tightening of airways, obstructing the natural flow of air. The symptoms of asthma vary from one person to another, so the Bahraini newspaper Akhbar Al-Khaleej spotlighted everything related to asthma in the following interview with Dr Wafaa Abd Ali, Family Medicine Consultant at the University Medical Center, King Abdullah City.

-    What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic inflammation and sensitivity in the bronchi, i.e. the respiratory tract, which leads to their constriction and difficulty in passing air through them. Asthma symptoms include coughing, breathing difficulty, and wheezing, which is a sharp sound accompanying inhalation.

-    What are the most prominent symptoms of asthma and its triggers?

The severity of symptoms varies from time to time, and they occur in the form of attacks that often take place at night or early morning. Sometimes chronic coughing is the only symptom of asthma, especially in children.

Asthma may be accompanied by other types of allergies, whether in the patient himself or in his family, such as skin allergies, nasal allergies and food allergies.

Asthma attacks may occur as a result of exposure to asthma triggers, such as smoking, exercise, cold air, dust, viral colds and some medications. The patient should avoid exposure to triggers to prevent severe asthma attacks. He should stop smoking and the use of chemical cleaners, hairspray and pesticides. Medication should not be taken without a doctor's supervision, for example, anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen, certain blood pressure medications and eye drops may trigger asthma.

Care should be taken to ventilate the house and expose it to sunlight to prevent moisture. Dust should also be correctly removed. Do not raise pets, stay at home and close the windows during dust and pollen seasons and cold weather. Avoid contact with flu patients, and use appropriate asthma medications before starting to exercise.

-    What are the latest methods for treating asthma?

There are several medications to treat asthma, including:

Firstly: Asthma inhalers, which are small portable devices with specific doses. Preventer inhalers are used daily to reduce inflammation, thus asthma attacks, while therapeutic inhalers are used to treat symptoms when an asthma attack occurs.

Secondly: Nebulizers.

Thirdly: Orally or intravenously administered corticosteroids.

Fourthly: Biological therapy, for severe cases of the disease.

Through treatment and follow-up, the doctor seeks to control asthma so that the frequency and severity of attacks decrease. The occurrence of asthma symptoms more than twice a week, waking up at night due to coughing or breathing difficulty, the frequent need for asthma inhalers, or the inability to exercise are all signs that asthma is not under control. At that point, the doctor reiterates avoiding asthma triggers while reviewing the method of using the inhaler, and may need to increase its dosage according to a treatment plan aimed at controlling asthma and reducing its attacks