Asthma Treatment Clinic in Fairmont, and Mannington WV

More research needs to be done to determine what causes asthma as it’s still unknown. However, medical studies have shown that certain factors increase your risk of developing asthma. This includes:

• Your family history. If you have a direct relative with asthma, you are three to six times more likely to develop it as well.
• Allergies. If you have allergies, you are more at risk of developing asthma.
• Viral respiratory infections. If you had a respiratory problem during your childhood, or are prone to them as an adult, you are more likely to develop asthma.
• Environmental exposures. Periodic or chronic exposures to environmental irritants, such as air pollutants, can result in acute or chronic asthma symptoms.
• Smoking. Those who smoke, or who have high exposure to second-hand smoke, are more prone to developing asthma.
• Obesity. Those who are clinically overweight or obese are more likely to develop asthma and are also more likely to experience complications when it comes to managing their asthma symptoms.

The signs and symptoms of asthma are very observable, however, they are often misread or misdiagnosed as being related to other respiratory conditions. This is why it’s important to consult with your doctor as soon as you begin experiencing symptoms.

The common symptoms associated with asthma are:
• Breathlessness.
• Chest pain.
• Chest tightness.
• Coughing.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Pressure in the chest.
• Shortness of breath.
• Sneezing.
• Wheezing.

The symptoms of asthma will often vary in severity and duration with each recurrence. If you’ve started noticing an increase in the frequency, duration, and/or severity of your flare-ups, it’s important to talk to your doctor as soon as possible as your treatment plan may need to be adjusted.

There are many different classifications of asthma. However, the most common types are:

• Nocturnal asthma. This type of asthma is characterized by flare-ups that happen primarily at night. Oftentimes, a patient will wake up breathless, coughing, wheezing, or feeling pressure in and around their chest.
• Exercise-induced asthma. In many cases, physical exertion can trigger asthma and its symptoms. Coughing, wheezing, and breathlessness are the most prevalent symptoms of exercise-induced asthma.
• Allergic asthma/seasonal asthma. This is the most common type of asthma which occurs when an allergen is inhaled, causing airways to narrow. Common allergens include dust, pet dander, spores, pollen, grass, and/or mold.

The early warning signs of asthma occur at the very beginning of an asthma attack and are often present before full-blown flare-ups occur. By recognizing these signs, you may be able to prevent an asthma attack or stop it from getting worse. For those who have yet to be diagnosed with asthma, these signs should serve as an indicator to book in with your primary care physician as soon as possible.

Early warning signs of asthma include:

• A frequent cough.
• Coughing that happens at night.
• Shortness of breath.
• Breathlessness, especially when not active.
• Feeling fatigued and/or weak while exercising.
• Coughing after exercise.
• Change in lung function.
• Moodiness, usually due to increased fatigue.
• Allergy-like symptoms (sore throat, coughing, runny nose, etc.).
• Difficulty sleeping.

If you’d like more information about our asthma treatment services, contact us today or book online to schedule an appointment – we would be happy to connect with you at your earliest convenience. We serve patients from Fairmont WV, White Hall WV, Pleasant Valley, WV, Westchester WV, Colfax WV, Monongah WV, and surrounding areas.