You have asthma symptoms two to four times per week
during the day, and two to four times per month during the night. What is happening in your
lungs? - You probably have chronic inflammation in the inner
lining of the bronchioli, and this inflamed mucous membrane is swollen and red,
decreasing the diameter of the lumen of the bronchioli. The inflammation is
chronic. Using only a bonchodilator is not enough. The bronchodilator cannot
reduce the inflammation. You need treatment to reduce the chronic inflammation,
probably due to an allergen or allergens. The only way to reduce chronic
inflammation is to treat it daily with an anti-inflammatory drug. I
n the case of
inflammation of the bronchioli, the best and most effective treatment is
corticosteroid (an anti-inflammary) administered directly to the lungs by inhaling
it in aerosol form. In summary: You need to take your inhaled corticosteroid
every day (probably twice a day, as prescribed by the doctor).
- The circular muscles around the bronchioli constrict quite often in
your case, probably triggered by some or other allergen or event. This
constriction can narrow the inner, already swollen lumen of the airways even
more. This further narrowing will lead to asthma symptoms: your chest can feel
tight, you will feel as if it is difficult to breath, and you may have a dry,
chesty cough. Whenever you feel these symptoms, you need to use your
short-acting bronchodilator inhaler. This medication will relax the constricted
circular muscle very soon and the whole muscle wall will relax, opening the
lumen again.
Your treatment You may also need a
long-acting bronchodilator to keep the muscles relaxed. This can be
either a long-acting beta2-agonist (preferred) or in some cases theophylline or
just an increased dose of the inhaled corticosteroids. Nowadays, the
corticosteroid and long-acting beta2-blocker are combined in one inhaler. So you
still need to carry two inhalers: one for daily use (the corticosteroid plus
long-acting beta2-blocker, and one when needed (the short-acting
bronchodilator). Helpful tips for an action
plan |
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