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Asthma symptoms often begin in childhood and persist throughout your life. But you can also have your first asthma attack at any age. At Southwest Pulmonary Associates in Dallas and Plano, Texas, their team has a wealth of experience specializing in lung disease and treating adults with asthma. Whether you’ve faced a lifelong struggle or you just had your first asthma attack, Southwest Pulmonary Associates can help you get symptom relief and prevent future flare-ups. To schedule an appointment, call the nearest office or request one online today.
Asthma Q & A
What is asthma?
Asthma is a chronic lung disease that, in some situations, can be life-threatening. If you have asthma, it means there’s inflammation or swelling in the airways in your lungs. This makes it hard to breathe during an asthma attack. While some individuals experience occasional flare-ups, others may struggle with persistent, daily symptoms.
Asthma affects nearly 20 million Americans, including approximately 3 million children. Of these, nearly 10 million have allergic asthma, where environmental triggers like pollen, dust, or pet dander set off symptoms. Understanding what type of asthma you have is key to creating a personalized treatment plan—and today, asthma is broadly categorized into Type 1 (allergic) and Type 2 (non-allergic) forms.
Type 1 asthma
Type 1 asthma, also known as allergic asthma, is the most common form. It is typically triggered by allergens such as pet dander, mold, pollen, or dust mites. This type of asthma is often associated with other allergic conditions like hay fever, eczema, or food allergies.
In people with Type 1 asthma, the immune system overreacts to harmless substances, producing IgE antibodies that trigger inflammation in the lungs. Symptoms may worsen during allergy seasons or after exposure to specific irritants. Treatment usually includes inhalers, antihistamines, or allergy immunotherapy.
Type 2 asthma
Type 2 asthma is characterized by a strong inflammatory response involving immune cells like eosinophils and mast cells and the release of inflammatory mediators such as IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13. This type of inflammation is a key driver of moderate to severe asthma in a significant portion of patients, often leading to persistent symptoms and a poor response to conventional treatments.
What are the symptoms of asthma?
Symptoms of asthma typically include:
- Cough
- Chest tightness
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
These symptoms affect you during an asthma attack, which happens when you encounter a trigger. Some of the most common asthma triggers include:
- Allergens
- Smoke
- Strong odors
- Weather changes
- Viral or sinus infections
- Exercise
- Acid reflux
- Medications
- Food
- Emotional anxiety
The most common form of asthma is allergic asthma, where the trigger is allergens like pollen, mold, dust mites, and pet dander.
How is asthma diagnosed?
Southwest Pulmonary Associates uses several forms of testing to diagnose asthma.
Spirometry
One standard lung function test is spirometry, which measures how much air you breathe in, how much you breathe out, and how quickly you breathe out.
Nitric oxide test
Another test measures exhaled nitric oxide. This test calculates how much nitric oxide gas you have in your lungs. High levels in your breath indicate that you have inflammation in your airways, which is a sign of asthma.
The doctors are also experts in exercise-induced asthma (EIA) and vocal cord dysfunction (VCD). They offer treadmill exercise testing to diagnose EIA and VCD.
How is asthma treated?
Your provider at Southwest Pulmonary Associates can identify your allergic triggers, and develop a personalized treatment program to help you avoid those triggers as much as possible.
It isn’t always possible to completely avoid allergens, so they also provide the most effective treatments available, including state-of-the-art biologic medications for moderate to severe asthma. Your provider can evaluate you to determine if you’re a candidate for these biologic therapies that target specific components of type 2 inflammation, such as anti-IL-4, anti-IL-5, or anti-IL-13 antibodies. These therapies are currently being developed to address the underlying inflammatory process.
One way to control allergic asthma is by taking a medication that binds with the IgE antibody. The IgE antibody plays a key role in causing the inflammation in your airways that affects your breathing. Binding the antibody stops it from setting off the inflammatory response, preventing asthma attacks.
Another treatment for allergic asthma is allergy immunotherapy, which involves having regular allergy shots. If you have severe asthma, you might have to inhale steroid medication or take oral steroids during a flare-up.
Everyone who has asthma should carry an inhaler with them wherever they go in case of an emergency.
If you need help managing your asthma or want to know what’s causing it, call Southwest Pulmonary Associates or request an appointment online today.