Asthma and COPD

Asthma

In asthma, the airways are hypersensitive to certain stimuli: the muscles contract, the mucous membranes swell and produce more mucus. As a result, the airways become narrower, less air can pass through and shortness of breath occurs.

Often, asthma goes hand in hand with allergy. Allergic stimuli that can trigger a respiratory response include house dust mites, pet dander, mould and pollen. In addition, the airways can react to smoke, chlorine smell, baking smell, temperature changes, steam and fog, as well as physical exertion and colds or flu. You usually get symptoms immediately, sometimes only after hours. In one family, there are often several people with asthma.

Treatment of asthma

The purpose of medications for asthma is to control and keep the disease under control. You take these medicines through an inhaler, also called a puffer, so that they go directly into your lungs. The type of medicine in the puffer depends on the severity and type of asthma you have.

There are different types of puffers used in asthma. Anti-inflammatories help reduce the small inflammations in the lungs, making your lungs react less violently to stimuli. They are used daily, even if you have no symptoms, and take about a week to work properly. Airway dilators cause the muscles around your airways to relax, widening the airways and making it easier to breathe. They work quickly for shortness of breath or an asthma attack, but do not cure inflammation in the lungs. Sometimes these two types are combined in one combination puffer, which both protects the lungs and dilates the airways, helping you in the long term as well as for acute symptoms.

COPD

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is a chronic lung disease in which symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing and coughing up phlegm are common. If you have COPD, you often find yourself short of breath. Normal things like climbing stairs, shopping or getting dressed can be difficult. Inflammations in your lungs cause your alveoli to slowly break down. With COPD, you may suffer from:

• Tightness
• Coughing
• Coughing up mucus
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Little muscle strength
• Weight loss

It is often difficult to recognise the symptoms of COPD because they get worse slowly and unnoticed. As a result, people do not notice the symptoms properly, underestimate the severity and do not visit a GP. This is problematic because early recognition of symptoms can ensure earlier detection and treatment of COPD.

Treatment of COPD

Medications play an important role in the treatment of COPD because they improve lung function. Most people with COPD therefore take medications. Although there are no medications that can completely cure COPD, they can make you feel less stuffy and cough less. They reduce your symptoms, slow down the progression of the disease and reduce the chance of sudden worsening of symptoms.

Most people with COPD use airway dilators and anti-inflammatories. These are medicines that you inhale through an inhaler, a puffer. Airway dilators cause the muscles around your airways to relax, causing your airways to dilate. This makes you breathe easier. Anti-inflammatories take several weeks to work properly, so it is important to use them exactly as the doctor prescribes. Anti-inflammatories are maintenance medications and should be used for a longer period of time and in the right way, even if your symptoms temporarily subside. In addition, it is important to have your GP, pulmonologist or lung nurse check at least once a year that you are still inhaling correctly and that your medication still suits you.

Tips for asthma and COPD

Your medicines work best when you take good care of your lungs. Quitting smoking and regular exercise helps your lungs get stronger and makes your medicines work better. With these adjustments, you often notice that you feel fitter and suffer less from your symptoms.