The number of children and adults being diagnosed with asthma is on the rise. While experts don’t know exactly why so many new cases are being diagnosed over previous years, we do know that one in 10 children and one in 12 adults in the U.S. suffer from asthma today.
Asthma is a condition that affects the airways that carry air in and out of the lungs. In a healthy person, the body has ways of dealing with foreign substances, such as smoke, pollen or other irritants that may enter the airways. In patients with asthma, the triggers irritate the airways, causing the muscles around the walls of the airways to tighten. This tightening can cause the airways to narrow, the lining of the airways to swell and sticky mucus to build up. As it becomes difficult for air to pass through the airways, wheezing, shortness of breath or coughing commences, and the patient suffers from what is known as an asthma attack.
If you think you might have asthma, it is important to call Atlanta ENT to schedule testing and a consultation right away. While most cases of asthma are manageable through prevention and medication, undiagnosed asthma can be fatal. Testing is simple and non-invasive, and is done in the comfort of our office.
Ramie Tritt, M.D., President, Atlanta ENT
