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Asthma - Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Benefits

Asthma - Health Insurance Coverage​​

​What Is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs in which the airways swell, narrow, and produce extra mucus. Asthma causes difficulty in breathing and triggers wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.
Several factors come together to cause asthma. For some, asthma may be a minor nuisance. But for others, asthma can be as severe as a heart attack. An asthma attack can be life-threatening. There are several types of asthma such as Childhood asthma, Occupational asthma, Adult-onset asthma, Difficult-to-control, Seasonal asthma, and Severe asthma. 

Symptoms


Children are more likely to have an irregular form of asthma that comes in the form of attacks. Symptoms of Asthma differ from person to person. Signs and symptoms of asthma are as follows: 

  • Chest pain
  • Shortness of breath
  • Coughing attacks that get worse due to respiratory viruses, like a cold or the flu
  • A whistling sound while exhaling
  • Trouble in sleeping caused by coughing
  • Increasing difficulty in breathing 

    • If you are facing any of the symptoms mentioned above, it is advisable to consult your doctor immediately. 

    ​Diagnosis

    To diagnose whether you are suffering from asthma or not, your doctor will ask you about your medical history and perform several physical exams. You may require the need to go through tests such as lung function test, chest, or sinus X-ray. 

  • ​​Physical e​xam:

    • If your doctor thinks you have asthma, they will do a physical examination on you. They will inspect your eyes, ears, nose, skin, throat, chest, and lungs.

  • Lung function tests:

    • Your doctor may ask you to go through lung function tests to be more precise. These tests measure your breathing. Lung function tests used to detect asthma include:

  • FeNO tests (exhaled nitric oxide)
  • Spirometry
  • Provocation tests
  • Peak airflow

    • Treatment


    Based on the diagnosis your doctor will prescribe you some medications and will advise you to make some changes in your lifestyle.

    Other methods to treat asthma:


  • ​Corticosteroid medications that are used as preventers help lessen the body’s reaction to triggers and reduce swelling.
  • A patient can take inhalers that contain properties of both symptom controller and preventer medications.
  • Other inhalers are Leukotriene modifiers, Corticosteroids, Long-acting beta-agonists, Theophylline, and combination inhalers.
  • Bronchial Thermoplasty is for the patients that do not respond to any medication.

    • The cost of 16 grams of fluticasone is around Rs. 1,100, whereas short-acting beta-agonists cost around Rs. 650 – Rs. 4,000 in India. The costs of consultations and check-ups vary from doctor to doctor.

    ​Asthma Plan details​

    Suffering from health issues is not only physically taxing but can also drain you financially. Therefore, it is advised to buy health insurance policy which will provide financial coverage that can take care of medical expenses and hospitalization bills. It takes care of pre and post hospitalization bills. If you buy health insurance, you will not only get the cashless treatment from a network hospital where the bill is directly settled by your insurance provider with the hospital but will also enjoy tax benefits under section 80D of Income Tax Act, 1961. Make sure to know your policy details and covers before purchasing a health insurance policy​.