Coping with asthma during monsoons

While monsoons might be a period of great relief for most people with the showers bringing about the much-needed respite from the intense heat of the summers, for those suffering from asthma, it is an ordeal as it worsens their condition. Monsoons mean more frequent asthmatic attacks.

Dr Sudarshan Reddy, pediatrician, Krishna Children Hospital says, “Wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath are all symptoms of asthma, which is a chronic respiratory disease, arising due to inflammation of the air passages in the lungs. A person suffering from asthma experiences constriction in the airway passages, resulting in a restricted flow of oxygen to the lungs.

During monsoons, the high humidity levels act as a trigger, leading to tightening of the airways muscles and difficulty in breathing.” Experts say that despite increasing prevalence, asthma remains one of the poorly-controlled diseases. Inhalation therapy has emerged as the effective treatment to manage asthma, compared to oral pills and tablets. .

When asthma drugs are inhaled, they reach the lungs directly instead of going through the blood and other organs of the body. Thus, there are fewer side effects and lesser drug dosage.When inhaled corticosteroids are used consistently, asthma symptoms are relieved more effectively than through the use of any other single long-term control medication in both children and adults.

In a review study by the Medical Journal of Australia, it was stated that inhaled corticosteroids are indicated in children who have more than mild persistent asthma, or are unresponsive to non-steroid medications after 2-4 weeks.