Asthma

Could you have asthma?

• Have you ever spoken to your doctor about having difficulty breathing?
• Does the change in weather affect your breathing?

Asthma is a lung condition that can affect all ages. It creates a problem within the lungs causing the airways to become very narrow and inflamed.

Common symptoms of asthma include:

• Coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Difficulty getting air out
• Feeling of tightness in the chest

Although there is no cure for asthma the services provided by St. Elizabeth can assist you in keeping your asthma under control and maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle. Our highly qualified physicians will work with you to develop an individualized plan by:

• Helping distinguish what triggers your asthma
• Prescribing medications to help control and treat your asthma attacks
• Keeping track of your breathing measurements by using a peak flow meter

To learn more about the causes, symptoms, and treatment plans for asthma, please refer to our online health encyclopedia.

The best way to diagnose asthma is by completing a simple breathing test. This test is called Spirometry and is done at St. Elizabeth in the Pulmonary Function Labs. The St. Elizabeth Pulmonologists will be able to treat your asthma based on the results of this test.

In very severe cases of asthma, St. Elizabeth has specially trained pulmonologists who can perform Bronchial Thermoplasty. To learn more about this procedure, please click here.

St. Elizabeth also offers an outpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation program to help those living with asthma. For more information about enrollment and the program please click here.

Resources:

American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAA)
American Lung Association (ALA)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)