Asthma: the Past Present and Future

More than 23 million Americans and an estimated 6 million children are currently suffering from a respiratory disease known as Asthma. Though this disease has no cure, having it under control through medical care and avoiding environmental triggers is possible. I will talk about what asthma is, give a history of asthma, and discuss the current treatments available for asthma sufferers.

Asthma is a respiratory disease that affects the lungs. This disease usually starts in early childhood, but it can affect anyone. One part of asthma is inflammation to the airway. There are triggers for asthma sufferers, like pollen or pet dander, that contribute to the airway becoming inflamed. When the airway does become inflamed, this causes swelling in the airways. The other is constriction of the airway. This goes hand in hand with airway inflammation by way of swelling. When wheezing, the muscles around the airway are constricting, causing an even greater difficulty when breathing. Signs that can be seen during an asthma flare up would include wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest.

Asthma can be hereditary among a parent who has asthma. It has also been diagnosed in individuals who had certain respiratory infections in early childhood. There is no cure for asthma, but with the proper medicine and avoiding triggers is the best way to keep it under control. There are rescue medications, like an inhaler, that are fast acting when asthma symptoms flare up. Another type of inhaler is a maintenance inhaler. This inhaler is used up to twice a day to help keep symptoms at bay. If an asthma attack occurs, the use of a nebulizer with liquid medication, such as albuterol, can help alleviate that attack.

Asthma is not a recent discovery. The discovery of asthma goes back in centuries. The earliest evidence dates back to 4th Century B.C... This was done by the Greeks. There have been findings throughout history of different civilizations experiencing breathing troubles like seen in asthma. This may be an ancient disease, but the very first treatment to actually stop an asthma attack was not until 1903. At this time, it was found that Epinephrine and Isoproterenol became available as an injection to instantly stop an asthma attack. In 1955 these 2 medications became available in inhaler form. Nowadays we have available maintenance inhalers to that controls asthma from flaring up. Inhalers and nebulizers, or breathing treatment machines, have improved tremendously throughout time. There are many variations of asthma. It can be from allergies, non-allergies, or even exercise induced, but there is only one way to treat any form of asthma and that is with the use of an inhaler/ inhalers, or a nebulizer.

There are many corporations in the rally for finding a cure for asthma. Science has continued studying asthma throughout its entire history. Though there is no cure, scientists are working hard on attempting to find it. In 1903 the first asthma attack relief medicines become available, as an injection. It wasn't until 1955 that those two same medicines, Epinephrine and Isoproterenol, became available in inhaler form, as a rescue medication. Nowadays there are, available to asthma sufferers, maintenance inhalers that controls asthma from flaring up, on top of improved rescue inhalers. Inhalers and nebulizers, or breathing treatment machines, have improved tremendously throughout time. A lot is still needing to be study and learned when it comes to the future, in regards to asthma. There have been many breakthroughs already with the advancement of medications, so it is a hopeful future.

To conclude, asthma is a respiratory disease that affects more than 23 million Americans, and over 6 million children. It is not a fairly recent discovery, and though there is no cure, there have been many breakthroughs and improvements to what is already available for asthma sufferers. In the future with all that is still needing to be learned, there is hope to eradicate the disease.

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