What is asthma?
Asthma is a chronic condition that affects your airways and makes breathing more difficult. With asthma, your airways get swollen, sensitive, and narrow.
Treatment with the highly trained staff at Sherman Oaks Family Medicine, Inc. can offer you symptom relief.
What are the symptoms of asthma?
Signs and symptoms that commonly occur in people diagnosed with asthma include:
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Shortness of breath
- Chest tightness
- Chest pain
With exercise-induced asthma, you might experience these symptoms only during physical activity. Severe asthma attacks are serious and can even be fatal.
What are asthma risk factors?
Some people are more likely to develop asthma. Risk factors include a family history of asthma, being overweight, smoking, breathing in polluted air, and exposure to occupational chemicals or other irritants. Having allergies increases your risk of experiencing asthma symptoms.
What can trigger asthma symptoms?
Certain triggers can make asthma symptoms appear or cause them to worsen. Examples of such triggers include:
- Colds
- Other respiratory infections
- Pollen
- Dust mites
- Mold spores
- Pet dander
- Cold air
- Physical activity
- Smoke and other air pollutants
- Certain medications
- Stress
- Some food preservatives
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Asthma triggers are different for everybody. If you have allergies in addition to asthma, Sherman Oaks Family Medicine, Inc. can treat both of these conditions.
How does my doctor diagnose asthma?
To diagnose asthma and develop an effective treatment, the team at Sherman Oaks Family Medicine, Inc. asks about your symptoms and reviews your medical history. They also complete a physical examination and have you undergo lung function tests to measure how fast and hard you can breathe.
The team might recommend you complete chest X-rays, allergy testing, or other diagnostic tests to determine the type and severity of your asthma.
What are my asthma treatment options?
Sherman Oaks Family Medicine, Inc. might recommend one or more of the following asthma treatments:
- An inhaler
- Medications
- Allergy shots
- Other allergy treatments
- Regular exercise
- Healthy weight management
- Asthma trigger avoidance
- Controlling GERD symptoms
The team personalizes each treatment to match your needs, preferences, and lifestyle.
Don’t live with breathing problems associated with asthma when simple treatments are available at Sherman Oaks Family Medicine, Inc. Schedule an appointment by phone or online today.
