Asthma

Will My Child Outgrow His Asthma?

Asthma is never outgrown. Asthma is a lifelong diagnosis. Symptoms of asthma, however, can become absent for long periods of time, on the order of years in many cases, and thus lead to the impression...

Do More Boys Than Girls Have Asthma?

Yes, but only as children. As young children, boys are almost twice as likely as girls are to develop asthma. Interestingly, the pattern is reversed when looking at asthma in older age groups. An article...

Can I Catch Asthma From My Child Who Has Asthma?

Absolutely not! Asthma is not an infectious condition. It cannot be transmitted from person to person, nor can it spread between people. Remember that there is an inherited component to the development of asthma and...

Are Asthma Medications Harmful To My Unborn Child?

Studies have been carried out all over the world to help doctors decide which asthma medicines are safest in pregnancy. The single biggest risk to an asthmatic woman’s pregnancy is poor asthma control in the...

Will Pregnancy Make My Asthma Worse?

How will pregnancy modify or affect my asthma? Pregnancy will not necessarily make your asthma worse or more symptomatic. Studies of asthma in pregnancy reveal that about one third of pregnant women with asthma will...

Is Asthma Mostly A Psychological Disease?

No! Asthma is definitely not a psychological disease; it is a physical condition that affects the lungs and its bronchial passages. The concept that asthma is somehow a disease of the mind or an emotional...

Should People With Asthma Encase Their Bedding?

I am a meticulous housekeeper, so why does my house harbor dust mites? Should people with asthma encase their bedding? Is it a good idea to invest in an air purifier? Dust mite is a...

Why Should I Get A Flu Shot (Influenza Vaccination)?

What is influenza? Why should I get a flu shot (influenza vaccination)? Will the flu shot make me ill? Influenza is a serious respiratory disease caused by the influenza virus (Table 49). Influenza viruses are...

I Am Plan To Go Scuba Diving, But I Have Asthma.

I am traveling to the Caribbean on vacation and plan to go scuba diving, but my husband says it’s not safe since I have asthma. What guidance can you give us? In the past, asthma...

What Sports Can Persons With Asthma Participate In?

Is it better to use my inhaled asthma medication before or after I work out? What sports are especially beneficial for asthma? People with asthma can participate in many sports—as long as their asthma is...

Is Caffeine Good For People With Asthma?

Caffeine is a naturally occurring compound. The German analytical chemist Friedrich Ferdinand Runge (1795–1867) discovered caffeine in 1819, apparently at the urging of Gœthe, who had encouraged Runge to study and analyze coffee. We now...

Is Obesity Related To Asthma?

A relationship between obesity and asthma continues to stimulate medical interest (Table 48). Physicians as well as the public have long postulated a link between obesity and asthma. The prevalence of both obesity and asthma...