Bronchial asthma is a rather insidious disease, which is not so simple to determine. However, it is timely diagnosis of this disease that directly affects the success of its treatment and the ease of further development. Asthma is chronic in nature and is expressed in inflammation of the airways, which may be accompanied by spasms of the bronchi and their edema.
Only a specialist can diagnose bronchial asthma, therefore, at the slightest suspicion, it is urgent to consult a doctor. Symptoms of bronchial asthma are easy to identify. During the development of this disease, a dry lingering cough is observed, which over time causes excessive dryness and sore throat, heavy breathing, especially on exhalation, constant wheezing in the bronchi, as well as pronounced shortness of breath and asthma attacks.
Differences of bronchitis from bronchial asthma
Bronchitis is one of the most common diseases, which symptomatically can be mistaken for bronchial asthma. As with asthma, with bronchitis, inflammation of the airways is observed, accompanied by coughing and shortness of breath. However, the main difference between bronchial asthma and bronchitis is that asthma develops against the background of an allergy, and bronchitis is an infectious disease. Among other differences, it is worth highlighting:
- asthma is a disease that develops mainly against the background of an allergy, and bronchitis can be a consequence of an acute respiratory infection or flu;
- with asthma, sputum production during cough is minimal, and with bronchitis, sputum is released abundantly;
- bronchitis can periodically manifest its symptoms, and then “subside” for a while, asthma is accompanied by a constant dry cough.
Whatever symptoms you may have, you should not diagnose yourself on your own, because successful treatment of bronchial asthma is possible only with timely and correct determination of it.
Recommendations for the timely determination of asthma
Unambiguously determine what the patient is sick with, bronchitis, asthma, tuberculosis, lung cancer, or if he has the usual flu, only a doctor can. If you are tormented by a cough, an unconditioned shortness of breath appears, wheezing and whistling are constantly felt in the bronchi, then it is urgent to run to a specialist. A qualified doctor will carefully study the observed symptoms, prescribe a series of the most informative tests and, if you suspect bronchial asthma, will send you for additional examinations. If you have pharyngitis, bronchitis or flu, timely treatment will also play a key role in your speedy recovery.
Even if the diagnosis of bronchial asthma is confirmed, do not despair, because people with a responsible approach to treatment live with him calmly.