6 Types of Asthma and Their Different Treatments
The term asthma has often been heard before, but what exactly is asthma and how to handle it? Asthma is an allergic disease that is inherited from the elderly and is characterized by respiratory tract disorders such as tightness, cough accompanied by wheezing but without fever (unless there is an infection).
In general, asthma is divided into two types, namely child-onset asthma and adult asthma (adult-onset asthma). However, there are also other types of asthma, which are distinguished based on the situation and triggers, namely:
1. Allergic Asthma
This type of asthma is a type of asthma caused by allergens (allergens), such as animal dander, certain types of food, dust, mold, pollen, and other allergens.
2. Non-Allergic Asthma / Intrinsic Asthma
This type of asthma is triggered by an annoying substance in the air, but is not included as an allergen. Substances such as perfume, dust in the house, cigarette smoke, and air pollution can cause symptoms of difficulty breathing for people with this type of asthma.
3. Occupational Asthma
As the name suggests, this type of asthma is work-related asthma. Many asthma sufferers who experience symptoms or attacks of asthma while in the place of work, this is caused by environmental factors that can trigger asthma, such as air conditions, dust, cigarette smoke, or even stressful situations that often appear at the work site.
4.Exercise-induced asthma (EIA)
Asthma is a type of asthma that is triggered by physical activity or heavy physical activity, after the activity reaches a certain point, an asthma attack will occur and cause wheezing (wheezing when breathing), chest tightness and coughing.
5.Nocturnal asthma
This is the type of asthma that is usually very severe at night, the symptoms of asthma itself can appear at any time, but at night, or even during sleep, the asthma attack will get worse.
6.Cough-variant asthma
This type of asthma is dominated by a very severe dry cough, and usually does not have other asthma symptoms (shortness of breath, wheezing, etc.). That causes this type of asthma to be late detected and treated, because the asthma attack that occurs is only in the form of a cough. The trigger can be due to poor air conditions or due to heavy physical activity.
Asthma is indeed a disease that is very disturbing to sufferers because it is difficult to cure, drugs that are generally only to control the disease so that the daily activities of sufferers are not disturbed. If the patient only experiences wheezing, and shortness of breath only occasionally, he is given enough asthma loosening drugs. But if wheezing and shortness of breath tends to persist, persist and there are times when acute (continuing asthma), the treatment is certainly different.
In order to be responsive to asthma loosening drugs, people with advanced asthma should be treated first with anti-inflammatory drugs such as steroids or chromolin. Steroid drugs such as methylprednisolone (lameson) or prednisone are generally given in a single dose in the morning to avoid side effects or inhaled steroids.
Physiotherapy is sometimes needed to remove excessive phlegm, slat diathermy can also reduce mucus production. In addition to relaxing the breathing muscles, the patient should be diligent in exercising as advised by the doctor, especially those containing aerobic values with a fixed time and intensity. Swimming, walking, baseball, and rowing are highly recommended. The opposite, don't run or play basketball.
