Asthma: myths and truths about the disease

The The myths They are practically inherent in diseases and doctors struggle every day to banish them and shed light on the diagnoses and treatments of major ailments. The World Day of Asthma This is a good opportunity to badyze one of the most frequent patient questions to their doctors: Is the psychological factor relevant?

The pulmonologist Marcos Hernández (MN 117869) points out that it is undeniable that emotions affect us and, in particular, the behavior of asthma, it is fundamental to ask up & # 39; where.

Coordinator of the Immunology and Obstructive Diseases section of Argentine Association of Respiratory Medicine, Harnandez answers point by point the main myths about asthma:

Asthma is caused by psychological factors or by stress: false. "It is a physical disease that leads to the development of airway hyperresponsiveness (bronchial obstruction) from triggers such as respiratory tract irritants, but in this process, in addition to the respiratory system and the immune system, the endocrine and nervous systems are involved.It is a disease of multifactorial and heterogeneous origin it can not be limited to the psychic, social and environmental environment ".

Stress can cause asthma symptoms in an asthmatic person: that is true. "Psychological stress can cause symptoms in an already asthmatic person, so controlling these situations may help visualize improvement in some patients, but asthmatic patients need specific respiratory therapy to control the disease."

Asthma always generates a feeling of choking: false. "There are fears related to the disease, anxiety and worry raised by the word" asthma ", understood as that pathology that always generates asphyxiating and debilitating symptoms and unaware that it can also manifest itself by mild symptoms, like whistling in the chest in an isolated way, coughing or a feeling of breathlessness that is limited. And most importantly, do not know that with treatment, most people have lives without limitations or symptoms. "

Panic attacks can be confused with asthma: true. "Symptoms of anxiety or panic may sometimes be confused with asthma, and some symptoms of asthma can be confused with emotional disorders such as anxiety or distress. Is why the respiratory course and objective evaluation of these episodes through diagnostic studies are fundamental. fundamentally spirometry, which allows to objectify a bronchial obstruction. There are also mistaken beliefs about the drugs that cause fear of patients, such as inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators are addictive, heart problems or significant weight gain.

These fears may have a negative influence on the emotional state of the patient who has not yet started treatment, but "a large number of studies have shown that at appropriate doses the disease is controlled – that is, to say without symptoms and without any crisis or exacerbation consequent improvement of the state of health in all its directions, "said Hernández.

People with asthma "benefit from inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators when they are correctly indicated by the doctor. In these cases, the benefits always outweigh the possible side effects, the vast majority of which are mild and transient or reversible, "added the expert.

In conclusion, says the pulmonologist, Stress and emotions "They affect and can trigger asthma symptoms in patients who already suffer from it." "Health professionals must strive to make objective badessments of the bronchial obstruction produced by this disease. controls with him lung specialist This will help to understand that this is a chronic disease, but that with proper treatment, we will be able to live without limits, "he finally said.