In observance of National Asthma Awareness Month, we share five facts and five myths about asthma with you.
Fact: Asthma affects about 18 million adults in America, or roughly 8% of the population.
Fact: Nearly 7 million American children have asthma, approximately 9%.
Fact: Asthma can cause wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing and chest tightness.
Fact: Asthma often runs in families.
Fact: Many different exposures can trigger asthma. Some examples:
Dust mites
Tobacco smoke
Air pollution
Cockroach droppings
Pet dander (from dogs, cats, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, etc.)
Mold
Wood smoke
Myth: Smoking does not affect asthma.
We are not sure how many people would really believe such a myth: smoking has a major effect as an asthma trigger and can also contribute to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a breathing condition in which the lungs lose the capacity to exchange oxygen efficiently.
Myth: You only need to take your medicines when you are having an attack.
For most people with asthma, taking preventive medicines daily is the best way to stay out of trouble.
Myth: Kids with asthma shouldn’t play sports.
Many athletes, even Olympic-level athletes, compete despite having asthma. They do have to work hard at keeping their condition under control.
Myth: Asthma is easy to control.
Controlling asthma may require several different types of medicines and careful attention to the treatment regimen.
Myth: Asthma can not be cured.
Although many doctors believe this to be true, evidence suggests that SOME cases of hard-to-control asthma that started following an infection may be cured with appropriate long-term antibiotic treatment. For more information, see A Cure for Asthma? What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You–and Why, by David Hahn, MD.
