Bronchial asthma is understood as chronic inflammation that develops in the airways. They become more susceptible to allergens, chemical irritants and other factors.
People are worried about how not to get asthma if there is an asthmatic person nearby. There is a bias on the part of healthy people that asthma is contagious. Fortunately, it is wrong. The disease is not transmitted by airborne droplets, so it is not dangerous to be near someone with asthma.
Asthma is the result of allergies, poor environmental conditions, and diseases of the respiratory system.
Asthma Facts
This disease is very common, especially young children. Many people think that asthma is contagious because there is little information about it. Patients suffering from asthmatic manifestations, respiratory failure cannot live a full life. Therefore, the task of scientists is to get more information about the disease that will help diagnose it, increase the effectiveness of treatment, and develop new preventive measures.
The most important facts about the disease:
- Asthma is a chronic disease characterized by repeated attacks of respiratory distress.
- In each patient, seizures differ in severity and frequency of manifestation. Some are exposed to it a couple of times a day, others once a week or less. There are also periods of complete disappearance of manifestations.
- Bronchial asthma does not depend on a person’s social status. The disease can affect both the child and the adult living on the street.
- The risk of death from this disease is higher in states where the level of medical care and qualified assistance is low.
- Among the reasons that provoke the onset of the disease, environmental, for example, dirty air.
- The disease can be controlled with medication. This will ease the symptoms and positively affect the person’s quality of life.
The treatment and prevention of the disease must be approached comprehensively:
- watch;
- undergo a medical examination;
- take the necessary medications;
- avoid known allergens.
Physicians find it difficult to name the root cause that triggers the disease mechanism, despite the fact that there are many modern methods and diagnostic methods.
According to recent reports, asthma appears more often in those patients who have a genetic predisposition to it. They may also have lung disease. Allergy is a kind of trigger that triggers the mechanism for the development of asthmatic processes.
It should be clearly understood that asthma is not a contagious disease. But it should be remembered that there is an inflammatory process in asthma. And it can be caused by viruses or microorganisms.
The mechanism of development of the disease
Of every 100 people, 10 are asthmatics, as statistics say. But the origin of the disease, the conditions for its occurrence and the causes have not yet been fully understood.
- Scientists have proven the fact that changes in the bronchi are caused by inflammatory processes that are provoked by allergens. In asthma, there are no symptoms of an acute infectious process. Therefore, the question no longer arises whether asthma is contagious or not. It is not transmitted from person to person.
- It should be noted that inflammation in the bronchi becomes chronic. It does not go away even during remission or with a mild form of the disease. Therefore, medical treatment is necessary, even if the symptoms are not pronounced.
- Fungi and mold spores have an extremely negative effect on the course of the disease. Scientists have confirmed the fact that asthma is affected by fungi that develop in the body. In this case, these are candida, they cause thrush. Since the development of asthma and fungal infections are associated, the symptoms of diseases can occur at the same time.
- Studies have been carried out that have proven that yeast provokes an abnormal immune response. This explains the parallel development of thrush and bronchial inflammation. Candidiasis is also provoked by a weakened immune system, taking antibiotics, hormonal agents. Thrush is difficult to defeat, because fungi acquire resistance to the drugs used and multiply too quickly. And you can catch the fungus from another person. Since candidiasis can provoke asthma, caution should be exercised in contact with other people, to engage in prevention.
Factors provoking the development of bronchial asthma
There are four groups of factors that influence the development and course of asthma:
- Genetic predisposition.
- Allergens that aggravate asthma and also affect its occurrence.
- External factors that contribute to the exacerbation of inflammatory processes.
- Triggers are the kind of triggers that start it all.
You need to know how not to get asthma if there are many external factors around that provoke the development of the disease.
How asthma is transmitted has already been mentioned above, so it should be added that it is not contagious.
There are a number of allergens, chemical or mechanical, that aggravate the disease. For example, different types of dust (construction, silicate, wood).
The onset of asthma can be affected by an unfavorable environment, an unsuitable climate in the place of residence. Also, excessive physical exertion aggravates her symptoms. Stressful and depressive conditions negatively affect the physical condition of a person, from which asthma symptoms only intensify.
An attack of illness can be caused by severe stress, which sometimes leads to bronchospasm. If the human immune system does not resist viruses, fungal infections, then the risk of disease increases.
No one can say for sure which of the factors dominates the development of the disease. Sometimes it is enough to change the climate or have a pet to start an asthma attack.
It is worth noting that asthma is not transmitted from person to person; it occurs as a result of constant exposure to the respiratory tract.
There are a number of main factors contributing to its development:
- ingestion of allergens into the body. It can be pollen, dust, wool;
- hypothermia;
- smoking;
- food allergens;
- the smell of paint, perfume, gasoline;
- colds;
- stress;
- physical exercises;
- climate change.
Risk group
Most often, people with certain professions suffer from asthma. They come into contact with allergens day after day, and they have no way to avoid this, except for a radical decision to change their profession.
These people include:
- farmers and people involved in the treatment and care of animals;
- chemical production workers;
- hairdressers;
- jewelers;
- pharmaceutical industry workers;
- locksmiths;
- people working in the production of rubber and rubber products;
- bakers;
- workers in paint shops;
- junior scientific staff of research institutes where experiments on animals are carried out;
- people who work in rosin factories;
- workers in the pulp industry.
Even if a person is completely healthy, constant and close contact with allergens increases the risk of developing bronchial asthma. It is called that – professional. If you look at it, this is the response of the respiratory system to immunoglobulins produced under the influence of various kinds of allergens. The person begins to suffer from bouts of coughing and also have difficulty breathing. The following substances cause asthma:
- heavy metals;
- manganese;
- formalin;
- platinum;
- chemical dyes;
- detergents and cleaners;
- pesticides;
- nitrate compounds;
- plastics.
Biological substances include:
- waste products of animals;
- beekeeping products;
- ash;
- various dust;
- pollen;
- aromatic oils .
Medicines:
- different types of antibiotics;
- vitamin complexes;
- analgesics;
- hormonal drugs;
- enzymes;
- vaccines.
Thus, a person’s profession can affect his health, in particular, cause diseases of the lungs and bronchi. The factors that accompany the profession aggravate the condition.
There is an important difference between normal and professional asthma. In the latter case, the symptoms of the disease will make themselves felt until the person stops contact with the allergens provoking him. Prior to this, the patient’s body will have a constant production of antigens.
Prevention of bronchial asthma
It is important for people at risk to know how not to get asthma. And for asthmatics, it is important to avoid exacerbations, so they should take timely medication courses.
It is worth noting that asthma cannot be completely eliminated, but it can be controlled. The period of remission, when the patient is doing well, can be prolonged if you engage in prevention:
- Drink medicine every day to prevent the development of an attack. The effect of the reception occurs in the case of prolonged use.
- If possible, exclude contact with allergens.
- Always have on hand and use medicines that, in the event of an attack, can quickly relieve the condition.
- Strengthen the body’s immune system.
- Engage in the prevention of infectious diseases.
The physical development of the body plays an important role in the prevention of disease. Doctors advise patients to swim more, engage in physical exercises that are not associated with heavy loads (Pilates, yoga). For asthmatics, the best climate is sea and mountain. Sometimes it is worth moving to a different area and the asthma symptoms may go away on their own.
Asthma is treated with glucocorticosteroids . For ease of use, they are available in the form of a spray. Their task is to stop inflammation in the bronchi.
These medications help even in cases where the disease is very advanced, and the attacks are repeated more and more often. For greater effect, antihistamines can be added to the selected medicines. These are medicines that relieve the manifestations of allergies. If a fungal infection joins asthma, then you need to drink a course of antimycotic drugs.
Conclusion
I would like to reiterate the fact that asthma is not contagious. It is impossible to get it from an asthmatic. The mechanism of occurrence of the disease is so subtle and not fully understood that even experts find it difficult to answer why airway inflammation occurs.
One fact is certain: the occurrence of asthma and genetic predisposition are closely related. External factors provoke the activation of the disease, and nothing more.
In order for the patient to feel good and not be afraid of asthma attacks, asthma must be treated and always have drugs with him that stop asthma attacks. And most importantly, avoid contact with allergens. Therefore, people whose professional activities are associated with them need to think about whether it is worth it. This is especially true for those whose relatives also suffer from asthma or are prone to allergy attacks.
Asthma, although it does not lend itself to complete cure, but its development can be stopped if you consult a doctor in time, drink a set of drugs, and also devote more time to prevention. Sometimes preventive measures work better than medications.