Managing Asthma Challenges in the Philippines

Living with asthma in the Philippines casts a significant impact on the lives of thousands of Filipinos. Having a hard time breathing is difficult as it is, but it’s especially hard to do so in congested and highly polluted areas like Metro Manila.

This is why understanding asthma’s nuances from symptoms to management is crucial for both those affected and those supporting them. By knowing how to manage asthma, you can mitigate the issue and lessen attacks.

What is Asthma?

Asthma or hika is the same chronic inflammatory disease of the air passages, characterized by recurrent attacks of breathlessness and wheezing. This condition causes the narrowing of airways, reducing the flow of air in and out of the lungs. Oftentimes, asthma and allergic rhinitis are confused together because of the similarities in their symptoms. And while both conditions are caused by inflammation in the airways, allergic rhinitis mainly affects your nose and asthma affects your lungs. When your nose gets desensitized to the common allergens of allergic rhinitis, it can affect your lungs instead—causing asthma attacks. This is mainly the reason people with asthma also have allergies.

The Symptoms of Asthma

If you’re wondering if you or someone you know has asthma, these are the typical signs to look out for:

• Wheezing: If you notice a high-pitched whistling sound as you breathe, you potentially have asthma.
• Coughing: Asthma attacks often involve coughing and it’s typically worse at night or early morning.
• Shortness of Breath: Having difficulty breathing, especially during physical activities, can be a sign of asthma.
• Chest Tightness: A feeling of pressure or discomfort in the chest due to the lack of air is one of the common asthma symptoms.

Given the usual signs of asthma, it has to be stressed that not all asthmatics experience wheezing, and not all patients who wheeze automatically have asthma. Plus, you also have to be aware of the “cough variant” asthma since there are times that cough is the only manifestation of an asthmatic attack. If you have a prolonged cough lasting more than 3 weeks, asthma is a primary consideration for your ailment.

What are the Causes Triggers of Asthma?

To have a deeper understanding of why you have asthma and how to prevent it involves knowing its web of causes and triggers.

A few causes of asthma are:

• Genetic Predisposition: A family history of asthma increases the risk of getting this condition.
• Environmental Factors: Exposure to allergens, irritants, and respiratory infections contribute to asthma development.
• History of Allergies: If you suffer from conditions like hay fever or eczema, your likelihood of getting asthma increases.

If you’re wondering if you can develop asthma, the answer is yes. Anyone can get asthma at any age. Some can experience its initial symptoms in childhood, while others develop asthma later in life. Regardless, everyone can have asthma so it’s best to know what sets it off.

The Triggers of Asthma

The triggers of asthma are substances or conditions that cause inflammation and swelling of the airways in your lungs. These triggers include:

• Allergens: Pollen, dust mites, mold, pet dander.
• Irritants: Tobacco smoke, air pollution, strong odors.
• Respiratory Infections: Colds, flu, or other respiratory infections.
• Physical Activity: Exercise-induced asthma.
• Weather Conditions: Cold air, humid or hot weather.

To definitively know if you have asthma and which factors trigger it, there are a few ways allergologists in the Philippines conduct the diagnostic tests:

• Spirometry: This test is used to measure the amount of air you can breathe in and out of your lungs, and how fast you can exhale it out.
• Allergen-specific IgE Antibody (Immunocap): This blood test is used to measure the levels of specific IgE antibodies in the blood in response to various allergens. It focuses on specific allergens that are suspected to be causing your allergic symptoms.
• Allergy Skin Testing: This test aims to determine your allergic sensitivity by exposing your skin to small amounts of various allergens and observing the skin's reaction.

With these tests, you can check which type of allergens or irritants can trigger your asthma and effectively create prevention plans that you can follow.

Available Asthma Treatment and Prevention Plans

As mentioned earlier, asthma is a chronic disease that cannot be cured. However, there are a few healthcare regimens available to help you manage this condition.

Medications

Using medicines can help alleviate the symptoms of asthma and four common types are used for the condition:

• Bronchodilators are used to relieve the symptoms of asthma by relaxing the muscles in the airways and widening the bronchi and bronchioles. These medications provide quick relief from acute symptoms like wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.
• Anti-inflammatory controller medications are used to reduce inflammation in the airways, helping to prevent asthma symptoms and control the disease over the long term.
• Combination inhaler medications mix more than one asthma medication in one device. These medications are designed to address both the inflammation of the airways and the bronchoconstriction associated with asthma.
• Biologics are medications used to target the specific cells and pathways that cause inflammation. These medications are typically prescribed if you have severe asthma that is not well-controlled with traditional asthma treatments.

The goal of asthma control is not just to relieve asthma symptoms but to prevent them before they start. Daily controller medicines can help reduce airway swelling and block triggers, “rescuing” you when you need to quickly relieve symptoms and help stop episodes. Be sure to consult your doctors on which medications are best for you.

Lifestyle and Behavioral Strategies

Aside from medications, you can manage your asthma through lifestyle changes:

• Asthma Action Plan: Create a personalized home control plan for allergies and asthma to manage your symptoms.
• Identifying and Avoiding Triggers: Once you’ve undergone the diagnostic tests and know your allergens and irritants, you can actively minimize your exposure to them.
• Immunotherapy: This is an option given for all since it can alter the natural course of the disease. However, it can only be done under the supervision of an allergist.

To effectively manage asthma, it’s important to have a complete understanding of the behavior of the condition concerning your physical attributes. By partnering with your doctors and being vigilant in asthma prevention through routine adjustments, you can build resilience and confidence in controlling the disease—ensuring a healthier you.

Myths About Asthma

In the Philippines, there are several misconceptions about asthma. So, here are some of the myths about the condition and the facts that debunk them.

Myth 1: People with asthma shouldn’t exercise.

Fact: As an asthmatic, you can benefit from regular exercise just like everyone else. Exercise can lead to better cardiopulmonary fitness, which means you can take in more oxygen and transfer more air in and out of your lungs.

Myth 2: You’ll outgrow asthma.

Fact: The statement is both true and false. About half of the people who had asthma when they were between the ages of two and ten seem to “outgrow” the disease and notice a marked decrease in asthma symptoms.
But in many cases, symptoms recur when they hit their 30s or when they start smoking, get a respiratory virus, or experience a large inhalant exposure. It’s also common to develop asthma as an adult even if you did not have it as a child.

Myth 3: One cannot die of asthma.

Fact: Unfortunately, yes, one can die from asthma. According to the World Health Organization update, the worldwide deaths from asthma have been estimated at 455,000 in 2019 alone.
Death can occur if asthma was not diagnosed in the first place and an acute or severe attack was not prevented.