Advanced Asthma Care in New Jersey
Asthma is a disease that affects the lungs. It causes repeated episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing. While asthma is a lifelong condition and does not go away, it is very manageable with education and the right care.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about 1 in 13 people in the United States has asthma. Asthma occurs in both adults and children; of approximately 25 million people with asthma, about 5 million are children. It is important to get treatment as asthma can be life-threatening.
Asthma can be controlled by taking medicine and avoiding the triggers that can cause an asthma attack. At RWJBarnabas Health we offer numerous programs throughout New Jersey, giving our patients convenient access to the care, education and resources they need to manage their disease. Our expert pulmonologists are dedicated to easing the burden of asthma for children and adults, helping people suffering from asthma achieve better health and an improved quality of life.
What Is Asthma?
Asthma is a long-term (chronic) condition that affects the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma these tubes, or airways, swell and become narrowed at times, making it harder to breathe and resulting in coughing, a whistling sound (wheezing) and shortness of breath.
Asthma affects people of all ages but often starts in childhood. closely associated. There may be certain triggers that set off or worsen asthma such as pollen, smoke, strong odors, dust mites, exercise, weather, pets, mold, colds and stress. Asthma and allergies are closely associated.
For some people asthma is mild, while for others it can interfere with daily activities. When symptoms get worse, it is called an asthma attack. Attacks can come on fast or develop slowly, and they may be life-threatening.
We Treat Children and Adults with Asthma
Our asthma care throughout New Jersey focuses on education and management, which are key for patients who have been diagnosed with asthma. RWJBarnabas Health offers comprehensive care and assessment for children and adults with asthma to ensure healthy lung function. We diagnose asthma and help you learn the basics of asthma management, including instructions on how to use inhalers and learning the warning signs of an asthma attack.
Pediatric asthma, sometimes called childhood asthma, is the most common chronic disease among children according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. As in adults, asthma causes the airways to become inflamed and the muscles around them to tighten, making it difficult to get air to the lungs and to breathe.
Pediatric asthma often begins before the age of five but can also occur in infants and toddlers. If not controlled, asthma can set off a variety of complications and can cause your child to miss school and even end up in the hospital. It is important to see your health care provider and develop an action plan to help manage your child’s condition. RWJBarnabas Health’s pediatric pulmonologists access to the latest in diagnostic equipment and technology to treat children with lung conditions such as asthma.
Comprehensive care and assessment, including special lung function testing that is designed for our youngest patients, is available and can help to control pediatric asthma.
Causes of Asthma
Researchers are not clear why some people get asthma and others do not, but it is likely due to some combination of environmental and inherited (genetic) factors.
People with asthma have inflamed airways which are sensitive to things that may not bother other people. These “triggers” cause the airways to constrict, or narrow.
Asthma triggers vary from person to person, but some of the common triggers include:
- Allergens such as dust mites, pollen, mold and pet dander, airborne irritants such as smoke, air pollution and workplace irritants
- Health conditions and respiratory infections
- Exercise or physical activity, especially in cold and dry air
- Weather and air temperature
- Some medications
If you or your child has asthma it is important to keep track of the causes or triggers that you know make asthma worse.
Asthma Symptoms
Asthma is characterized by inflamed airways that make it more difficult for air to flow through easily, resulting in symptoms that make breathing more difficult and stressful. Mild symptoms may last only a few minutes while more severe symptoms can last hours and days.
Common signs and symptoms of asthma include:
- Frequent coughing that has gone on longer than three weeks
- Shortness of breath without much effort
- Wheezing after exercising
- Tight, painful feeling in chest
- Difficulty sleeping
- Sneezing, swollen glands and other cold-like symptoms
With normal breathing the muscles around your airways are relaxed, letting air move easily. During an asthma attack, or flare-up, there is a sudden worsening of asthma symptoms that can cause three things to happen:
- Bronchospasm. the muscles around the airways tighten, making airways narrow so air cannot flow freely.
- Inflammation. The lining of the airways becomes swollen, limiting the air in and out of your lungs
- Mucus production. During an attack your body creates more mucus which can clog the airways
An asthma attack requires medication and sometimes emergency care. At RWJBarnabas Health, our physicians can evaluate your symptoms and help you learn the basics of asthma management. Talk with your health care provider about asthma symptoms and steps to manage them.
Diagnosing Asthma
If you believe you or a loved one has asthma it is important to seek medical help right away. The earlier you start developing habits to keep the condition in check, the easier it will be to live without complications. Failing to diagnose asthma could result in more serious health conditions.
Our specialists will review your medical history, family history, ask about symptoms and allergies, and perform a physical exam. You may need tests to measure how well your lungs are working to confirm a diagnosis. Several tests are available including:
- A pulse oximetry test, in which a device goes on your finger and measures the level of oxygen in your blood.
- Pulmonary lung function tests to detect how well you breathe in and breathe out air from your lungs.
- Other medical tests that help assess inflammation in the airways.
- Trigger tests to measure sensitivity to irritants or triggers.
Diagnosing asthma in children under the age of 5 involves a careful process of assessment, medical history, physical exam and age-appropriate diagnostic tests. Doctors look for signs and symptoms including coughing, wheezing, disruption of school activities and exercise, and nighttime symptoms.
RWJBarnabas Health offers special lung function testing for our youngest patients that does not require effort on the part of a child but instead uses sound waves in the airways to measure lung function.
Treatment for Asthma
If you or your child are having breathing problems on a regular basis it is important to see a health care provider immediately. While asthma cannot be cured, its symptoms can be controlled.
A treatment plan and education can help you manage asthma for you or your child. Asthma often changes over time, and some children will even outgrow it, but it is important to have regular follow up to discuss symptoms and make any necessary treatment adjustments.
At RWJBarnabas Health we can diagnose asthma and help you learn the basics of asthma management, develop an action plan and provide careful monitoring. We help you understand:
- Triggers and irritants
- Medications to help you manage asthma
- Your customized action plan in the event of an asthma attack
There are several medications used to help open up the airways, control symptoms and make it easier to breathe with asthma. Asthma medicines can be taken in several different ways. Some of the common treatments include:
- Bronchodilators (inhalers) to deliver medicine through your mouth directly to your lungs, helping to relax the muscles around your airways and relieve symptoms.
- Anti-inflammatory medicines that help reduce swelling and mucus production in your airways, making it easier for air to enter and exit the lungs.
- Biologic therapies that are used for severe asthma when symptoms persist despite inhaler therapy.
Asthma attacks can become serious if not treated quickly. Medications should provide relief and reduce symptoms, helping to avoid a trip to the emergency room. However, you should seek medical care immediately if any of the following occurs during or after an asthma attack:
- Your inhaler doesn’t seem to be working
- Your lips have turned a blueish color
- You are experiencing attacks more often than you used to
- You have coughed up blood or dark-colored mucus
- You have a fever
The goal of asthma treatment is to control symptoms so that you can do the things you want to do at work and at home, have no (or minimal) asthma symptoms, rarely need to use your inhaler, and sleep without asthma interrupting your rest.
Learning the warning signs of an asthma attack and how to use inhalers are keys to controlling asthma in adults and children.
Asthma Education and Support Services
With proper education and support, parents of children with asthma and adult asthma patients can learn the best ways to manage their disease.
RWJBarnabas Health has a well-rounded team of pulmonologists, respiratory therapists, nurses and social workers who work in partnership with your healthcare provider and other specialists to treat and control asthma.
Education and support are essential components of effective asthma treatment, providing patients with the knowledge and confidence to live well with asthma.
If you have been diagnosed with asthma we offer:
- Continuous asthma education, treatment and management
- Education and support by trained medical professionals for adults and pediatric patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings
- Resources to help you understand more about asthma, asthma triggers and how to successfully manage the condition and prevent complications
Our specialized team works with patients, families, primary care physicians and school personnel to educate all involved with a patient’s care.
Controlling Your Asthma
While there is no way to prevent asthma, there is a way to live with your condition and prevent asthma attacks. Figuring out what triggers asthma and developing an action plan along with your doctor is the best way to prevent symptoms. The goal is to help you control asthma instead of asthma controlling you:
- Know your triggers and minimize contact with them.
- Have your medicines and know how and when to take them.
- Monitor your breathing which can be done with a simple device (peak flow meter) that can help detect narrowing in the airways before you feel symptoms.
- Take your medicationas prescribed by your doctor.
- Know what to do if your asthma gets worse.
While we don’t know why some people have asthma and others do not, there are certain factors that put some people at higher risk including:
- Allergies
- Environmental factors that irritate the airways
- A family history of asthma or allergic diseases
- Respiratory infections that can damage developing lungs
Although asthma is a life-long condition, people with asthma enjoy active and productive lives, including engaging in exercise and sports. With help from the medical professionals at RWJBarnabas Health we can help children and adults control asthma so they can continue to enjoy the activities they love most and live life to the fullest.