All About Bronchial Asthma. Symptoms of Asthma

Bronchial asthma is a pulmonary disease, manifested by attacks of suffocation with a very difficult exhalation, which arise from the violation of bronchial obstruction. As a rule, the violation of patency of the bronchi leads: edema of the bronchial mucosa, bronchospasm and the formation of new mucus.

In fact, bronchial asthma is a polyethylene disease, but the main role in its occurrence is played by allergens. And as contributing factors for the development of the disease are: a tendency to allergies, heredity, recurrent respiratory diseases (rhinitis, pneumonia, bronchitis) and, of course, the presence of a chronic bronchitis in a person complicated by an asthmatic component. Patients with chronic bronchitis are most prone to the appearance of bronchial asthma, so they need to closely monitor their condition, so as not to miss the first symptoms of asthma.

The causes of asthma are allergens, which can be infectious and non-infectious. Of the infectious group the most pathogenic properties are bacteria (white staphylococcus, saprophytes, golden staphylococcus), fungi (yeast, mold), viruses (parainfluenza, rhinovirus) and helminths. But according to statistics, non-infectious allergens are most often the cause of asthma.

What about the non-infectious group? Allergens of this group, in turn, are divided into five subgroups. The first is household, for example, feathers, house dust, mold. The second subgroup includes vegetable allergens and animal origin, such as: animal hair, pollen, sloping field and others. The third one is food allergens: egg, fish, chicken, citrus fruits, strawberries, chocolate. The development of asthma can lead to long-term intake of vitamins and antibiotics (the fourth subgroup). The last subgroup (the fifth) is chemical irritants (powder, alkali and salts).

The main and most important clinical manifestation of asthma is an attack of suffocation. In addition, the patient has a cough, shortness of breath, and at auscultation hears wet rales. As a rule, in the remission phase of the patient, there is practically nothing to worry about, that is, there are no symptoms of asthma. No manifestations are present until they are provoked by some allergen, physical stress or stress. If this happens, then a gasp of suffocation begins.

The phases of an attack of suffocation. The first stage is the period of the harbinger. It appears for a while (a couple of days or hours) before the peak period. At this stage, the symptoms of asthma acquire a pronounced character: the patient feels stuffy nose and chest tightness. And as there is a loss of appetite, drowsiness, sneezing, there is a nasal cough.

The second phase is the peak period. At this stage there is suffocation with a significantly complicated exhalation. Breathing becomes very noisy, accompanied by remote rattles with a characteristic sound (whistle, buzzing). As a rule, patients in this period take a more convenient position, that is, forced. In addition to wheezing, there is a tachycardia, and the sputum is not going away.

The third phase and the last are the period of resolution. The patient becomes much easier to breathe, sputum begins to depart. It is viscous, viscous, difficult to separate. There is a feeling of intense fatigue and impotence. A microscopic analysis of sputum reveals an increased number of eosinophils, as well as Charcot-Leiden crystals and the Kurshman spiral. At auscultation, wet rales are heard. After this period, the symptoms of asthma become less pronounced.

If you do not treat bronchial asthma, then the probability of more severe complications increases. These include:

• Asthmatic status - the extreme degree of asthma manifestation;
• Spontaneous pneumothorax - accumulation of gases or air in the pleural cavity ;
• Emphysema of the lungs;
• Respiratory insufficiency.

Diagnosis of asthma always begins with an anamnesis. The next stage is an objective examination, it includes: auscultation and percussion. After collecting all the necessary data, laboratory studies are carried out. Necessarily appointed: an expanded blood test, in which ESR, leukocytes and eosinophils are looked; Sputum analysis; Intercutaneous tests are made. Another important study is spirography and x-rays.

In accordance with the results, the doctor prescribes treatment and prevention.