With the increasing rate of pollution, the number of obstructive airway diseases is increasing significantly in India. For example, we have 30 million asthma patients in India. 3% population in India suffers from asthma and due to pollution, this number is increasing. Asthma, COPD and bronchiectasis are painful, however, these diseases are curable (in some cases) and manageable too. In this blog, we will inform you everything about asthma, COPD and bronchiectasis so that, you can take the right step if you or your loved one suffers from this. For more medical support, connect with Neotia Getwel Multispecialty Hospital at any time.

1. What is obstructive airway disease or common obstructive airway disease (COPD)?

Obstructive airway disease or Common Obstructive Airway Disease is typically the same disease. It is a common lung problem which causes restricted airflow and breathing problems. It is sometimes called emphysema or chronic bronchitis.

In patients with COPD, the lungs can get damaged or clogged with phlegm. Smoking & air pollution are the most common reasons for COPD. Patients with COPD tend to develop many other diseases easily. Although it is not curable many times, however, it can be controlled if the patient follows the instructions strictly. COPD also co-exist with asthma & results in bronchiectasis.

1.1. What are the symptoms of COPD?

There are many symptoms of COPD such as

• Cough
• Phlegm
• Difficulty breathing
• Wheezing
• Tiredness

Although these symptoms remain light at the beginning. However, with time it gets worse and patients find difficulty in doing daily chores even.

1.2. What are the effects of COPD?

COPD can increase the risk of many other health issues such as

• lung infections, like the flu or pneumonia
• lung cancer
• heart problems
• weak muscles and brittle bones
• depression and anxiety

1.3. What are the causes of COPD?

There are many causes of COPD such as

• If a patient is prone to infection there chance that mucus will develop in the lungs and then block the airways which causes inflammation and swelling of the airway lining.
• Smoking, be it active or passive, is a leading cause of COPD.
• Occupational exposure to dust, fumes or chemicals leads to COPD easily.
• Indoor air pollution: biomass fuel (wood, animal dung, crop residue) or coal is frequently used for cooking and heating in low- and middle-income countries with high levels of smoke exposure for a long time can cause COPD.
• Early life events such as poor growth in utero, prematurity, and frequent or severe respiratory infections in childhood prevent maximum lung growth;
• Asthma in childhood; and
• A rare genetic condition called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency can cause COPD at a young age

1.4. Treatment for COPD:

It is not curable. However, it can be controlled through medication and maintained life. The patient would ask to avoid the causes of COPD to reduce the pain. You can connect with Neotia Getwel Multispecialty Hospital for expert advice. They have experienced experts in Asthma, COPD, TB, Pneumonia, Allergy & other lung diseases, Obstructive Airway Disease, Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) & Endo-Bronchial Ultrasound (EBUS). At the same time, they have set up such as Bronchoscopy, Thoracoscopy & Lung Ultrasound, Thoracoscopy- Medical Pleuroscopy for detecting the underlying issues. In Intervention Pulmonology Neotia Getwel Multispecialty Hospital has Medical Fluoroscopy, Endobronchial blockage, Endobronchial Hot Therapy, Paediatric Thoracoscopy, Tumor debulking & Airways clearance to provide the best treatment to the patients.

2. What is asthma?

The airways are tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs and in the case of asthma, the airways the airways get inflamed and narrowed at times and fail to blow in air to the lungs. So, the patients feel a shortage of enough oxygen.

2.1. What are the symptoms of asthma?

Symptoms of asthma vary from person to person. However, some symptoms are common such as

• Shortness of breath
• Chest tightness or pain
• Wheezing when exhaling, which is a common sign of asthma in children
• Trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing
• Coughing or wheezing attacks that are worsened by a respiratory virus, such as a cold or the flu

Many times patients start facing asthma attacks at intervals or during some activities only such as exercise and with time it increases only. So, it is important to consult with an expert at the beginning.

2.3. Types of asthma attack:

Based on symptoms asthma can be divided into two types and the types are- intermittent and persistent.

a. Intermittent: This type of asthma comes and goes so you can feel normal in between asthma flares.

b. Persistent: Persistent asthma means you have symptoms frequently. However, symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe. Healthcare providers base asthma severity on how often you have symptoms. They also consider how well you can do things during an attack.

2.4. Causes of asthma:

There are several causes of asthma such as

a. Allergic: Allergy is one of the leading causes of asthma. This allergy can happen due to various sources such as moulds, pollens and pet dander.

b. Non-allergic: Outside-driven forces such as exercise, stress, illness and weather can also cause asthma.

c. Adult onset: If a patient develops asthma after 18, it is called the adult onset.

d. Paediatric asthma: Paediatric asthma also known as childhood asthma can begin from or after the age of 5. It also can occur in infants and toddlers. So, you need to keep an eye on them. Connect with your paediatrician in need and ask them about the necessity of an inhaler.

e. Asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS): COPD is one of the most common causes of asthma in adults. This type happens when you have both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Both diseases make it difficult to breathe.

f. Asthma due to occupation: This type of asthma happens primarily to people who work around irritating substances.

g. Exercise-induced asthma: This type is triggered by exercise and is also called exercise-induced bronchospasm.

h. Heredity: Genetics cause asthma. If your family has a history of asthma or allergic diseases, you have a higher risk of developing the disease.

i. Environmental reasons: pollution is one of the leading causes of asthma. Allergens, toxins, fumes and second or third-hand smoke cause asthma in adults and children too.

2.5. Treamt for asthma:

The only asthma treatment is using an inhaler. There are some tablets and other medicines too, to control asthma. However, you should not go for self-medication. Consult with a doctor now.

3. What is bronchiectasis?

Bronchiectasis is a condition where the airways of a patient get damaged and widen. Damaged airways can’t clear mucus like they’re supposed to. Bacteria then grow in the mucus which causes more inflammation and damage to the lungs. This makes a patient cough a lot as the body tries to remove the infected mucus.

13.1. What are the symptoms of bronchiectasis?

There are several symptoms of bronchiectasis such as

• Cough with lots of mucus and pus.
• Repeated colds.
• Bad-smelling mucus.
• Shortness of breath (dyspnea).
• Wheezing.
• Coughing up blood (hemoptysis).
• Swollen fingertips with curved nails (nail clubbing).

If it is left untreated for a long time, it gets worse and shows some additional symptoms such as

• Extreme tiredness (fatigue).
• Fever, chills.
• Increased shortness of breath.
• Night sweats.

3.2. What are the causes of bronchiectasis?

Bronchiectasis can occur due to infection, or inflammation in the airways or it can occur due to any disease. However, it is important to mention that due to infection or inflammation, bronchiectasis happens only 40% time. The rest of the time it happens due to various diseases such as severe pneumonia, whooping cough, tuberculosis (TB), measles etc.

3.3. Treatment for bronchiectasis:

Antibiotics are the most common & effective way of treating bronchiectasis. However, sometimes doctors also use methods like oxygen therapy, physiotherapy etc. In this case, again we want to mention that do not go for self-medication. Connect with a doctor.

Final words: We hope that the causes and other factors related to COPD, asthma and bronchiectasis are clear for all of you. Connect with a doctor directly or Neotia Getwel Multispecialty Hospital for the best treatment.

Disclaimer

Though all attempts are made to provide correct information on the subject, inadvertent & typographical errors arising out of manual intervention cannot be ruled out. It is requested to bring any such discrepancies to the notice of the blogger for correction.