Asthma

WHAT IS ASTHMA?

Asthma is a treatable lung disease characterized by the following:

  • oversensitivity to various triggers
  • airway inflammation
  • excess mucus production
  • airway obstruction which improves after albuterol

Asthma frequency is increasing. Over 10 million Americans are affected and it causes about 4000 deaths per year. Patients with allergies are at much higher risk.

WHAT ARE SYMPTOMS OF ASTHMA?

  • wheezing (whistling noise when breathing)
  • coughing
  • shortness of breath
  • difficulty breathing
  • chest pain or tightness
  • easily fatigued on exertion

WHAT CAN TRIGGER THESE SYMPTOMS?

  • allergens: pollens, pets, dust mites, molds
  • viral infections like the common cold
  • bacterial sinus infections
  • cigarette smoke
  • weather changes or cold, heat or high humidity
  • exercise: usually coughing occurs after exercise ends
  • acid reflux
  • medications: aspirin, Motrin or Aleve (NSAIDs), beta blockers
  • irritants like perfume, aerosols

HOW DO YOU DIAGNOSE ASTHMA?

After taking a thorough history, we examine you. Several types of tests are performed.

Spirometry: After a deep breath, you blow out as hard as possible into a sensor, then inhale forcefully. This measures several helpful lung measurements in diagnosing and treating asthma. Measuring improvement after inhaling albuterol helps confirm asthma diagnosis.

Exhaled nitric oxide: Also called FENO, this test measures the amount of allergic swelling in your lungs. It helps determine how well inhaled steroids are controlling this inflammation, and guide medical therapy.

Allergy skin tests: As asthma is often caused by allergies, diagnosing triggers can prevent asthma attacks. For more information see:

HOW DO YOU TREAT ASTHMA?

1. We identify triggers to help you avoid them.

2. We can prescribe medicines such as:

  • Relievers/rescue medicines quickly open narrowed airways during an attack. These include:
    • Ventolin, Proventil, Proair (albuterol)
    • Xopenex (levalbuterol)

These are ONLY for intermittent use. DO NOT use daily. Requiring these more than twice weekly suggests asthma is not well controlled.

  • Controllers/preventative medicines prevent asthma attacks. These include inhaled steroids such as:
    • Flovent, Arnuity (fluticasone)
    • Asmanex (mometasone)
    • Pulmicort (budesonide)
    • Alvesco (ciclesonide)
    • Qvar (beclomethasone)

These are taken daily and take days to start working.

  • Combination inhalers contain a controller AND a long-acting bronchodilator. These include:
    • Advair (fluticasone and salmeterol)
    • Breo (fluticasone and vilanterol)
    • Dulera (momentasone and formoterol)
    • Symbicort (budesonide and formoterol)
  • Anticholinergics open airways differently than relievers. They are usually added to controllers or combinations. One example is Trelegy which is a combination of Breo and an “anticholinergic”.
  • Leukotriene modifiers such Singular (montelukast) can occasionally help.
  • Oral steroids like prednisone, or liquid prednisolone are used for asthma attacks.

3. Allergy shots (subcutaneous immunotherapy). Since asthma is often an allergic disease, allergy shots will often reduce the severity and sometimes cure asthma completely. Typically this requires a 4 year commitment.

Our goal at The Family Allergy Clinic is to provide you with tools to manage asthma so you can lead a normal life without visits to the Emergency Room!

 

CONTACT US

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Hours of Operation

Our Regular Schedule

GARLAND- Clinic Hours

Monday:

9:15 am - 1:00 pm

2:15 pm - 6:15 pm

Tuesday, Thursday - Sunday:

Closed

Wednesday:

7:15 am - 1:00 pm

2:15 pm - 6:15 pm

GARLAND- Shot Hours

Monday:

9:30 am - 12:45 pm

2:30 pm - 5:45 pm

Tuesday, Thursday - Sunday:

Closed

Wednesday:

7:15 am - 12:45 pm

2:30 pm - 5:45 pm

MCKINNEY - Clinic Hours

Monday, Wednesday, Friday - Sunday:

Closed

Tuesday:

8:15 am - 1:00 pm

2:15 pm - 6:15 pm

Thursday:

9:15 am - 12:00 pm

1:15 pm - 5:30 pm

MCKINNEY - Shot Hours

Monday, Wednesday, Friday - Sunday:

Closed

Tuesday:

8:30 am - 12:45 pm

2:30 pm - 5:45 pm

Thursday:

9:30 am - 11:30 am

1:30 pm - 5:00 pm