Asthma is a condition that severely affects the airways. It can make the airways narrow, swell up, and can even force them to produce extra mucus. This can result in difficulty in breathing, sneezing and can trigger a cough. One must know that this illness cannot be cured, but its symptoms can be controlled through the right measures. Below mentioned are some of the causes, signs, diagnosis, remedies and treatment options of asthma:

Causes
The exact causes of asthma are still unknown; however, it gets triggered by various environmental factors. Although these factors vary from one person to another, one aspect is consistent – inflammation of the airways. In addition, when exposed to a trigger, the airways get filled with mucus, making it harder for the patient to breathe properly. If you are asthmatic, here are some of the common triggers that you must look out for:

• Pollution
• Dust
• Medication
• Smoking
• Pollen
• Pet dander
• Respiratory infections
• Allergies

Symptoms
Just like its causes, the symptoms of asthma can also vary from one individual to another. A person can infrequently experience attacks and symptoms associated with them, such as when exercising or running. Whereas some suffer from various minor to major symptoms all the time. Few widely experienced asthma signs and symptoms are:

• Shortness of breath
• Tightness or pain in the chest
• Trouble sleeping
• Wheezing when sleeping
• Coughing getting worsened by common cold or flu

Diagnosis
Diagnosing a patient with asthma is not at all difficult. There are several tests that are available to check the symptoms which trigger an asthma attack. The most commonly used tests are:

• Spirometry
  This is a lung test that assesses how hard a person can blow the air out of the lungs. Additionally, the test can determine the presence of an obstruction in the airway. It is performed with the help of a machine called a spirometer.
• Exhaled nitric oxide
  In this test, the person is asked to breathe into a hand-held machine, which checks the presence of nitric oxide inside the lungs. The accumulation of nitric oxide inside your lungs is an indication of inflammation.
• Challenge test
  If other tests are not able to detect asthma, the doctor uses a challenge test. There are basically two types of challenge tests – mannitol and methacholine. These agents, when inhaled, cause the airways to narrow, only if the patient has asthma.

Treatment
As mentioned earlier, asthma is a long-term condition that has no cure until today; however, various medications can help control the condition and prevent the attacks. Here are few treatment options for asthma that you must know about.

• Inhalers
  Inhalers are devices that allow you to breathe in the medicines. There are three different types of inhalers – reliever inhalers, preventer inhalers, and combination inhalers. Reliever inhalers treat symptoms when they occur, preventer inhalers are used every day to reduce inflammation in your airways, and combination inhalers are those that perform both jobs.
• Medicines
  If using an inhaler is not helping control your symptoms, you may also be advised to use certain tablets.
• Other treatments
  If nothing is improving your condition, then the doctors may suggest injections and surgery.

Natural remedies
Along with the above-mentioned treatment options, you can try some natural remedies to control as well as prevent the attacks of asthma. These may include the Buteyko breathing technique, yoga, mindfulness, acupuncture, and hypnotherapy. In addition, asthmatics must make a few dietary changes and include avocado, broccoli, spinach, buckwheat, flaxseeds, and bananas in their diet to reduce inflammation. Most importantly, a few preventive measures can also be used, such as quitting smoking, avoiding mental stress, and recognizing the triggers so that they can be avoided.

Asthma is a long-term ailment; hence, a timely diagnosis, proper medications, and various natural remedies can help stabilize your condition and prevent it from worsening.