Asthma is a long-term condition in which the airways become swollen and narrow, causing wheezing, cough, chest tightness and breathlessness that come and go. It cannot be wished away, but with the right inhalers and a clear plan most people with asthma lead normal, active lives. In Chittoor, pulmonologist Dr A. Ashok Kumar diagnoses asthma with a lung function test and builds a personal treatment plan at AK's Amma Hospital.
Common symptoms of asthma
- Wheezing or a whistling sound while breathing
- Cough, often worse at night or early morning
- Tight chest or breathlessness
- Symptoms after dust, smoke, cold air, exercise or a cold
- Children: repeated 'chest cold' or cough with play
Get urgent care if you have
- Too breathless to speak a full sentence
- Lips or nails turning blue
- Reliever inhaler not helping or needed every few hours
- Drowsiness or confusion during an attack
Emergency? Call 093448 53689 or 108, or go to the nearest hospital.
Causes and risk factors
Asthma runs in families and is linked with allergies. Common triggers in our area include dust and house mites, smoke from cooking fires, mosquito coils and incense, crop burning, pollen, pets, cold air, strong smells and viral infections.
Tests that help
Pulmonary function test (PFT) / spirometry
You blow hard into a tube while a machine measures how much air your lungs hold and how fast you can push it out. It confirms asthma or COPD, shows how severe it is and tracks whether treatment is working. Where needed, lung volumes and DLCO (how well oxygen passes into the blood) are also measured.
Oxygen level (SpO₂) and blood gas checks
A small clip on the finger reads oxygen level at rest and while walking. In the ICU an arterial blood gas test measures oxygen and carbon dioxide directly to guide oxygen and ventilator support.
Chest X-ray and HRCT chest
Pictures of the lungs. A high-resolution CT (HRCT) shows fine detail and is important for ILD, bronchiectasis, unexplained cough and lung spots. Dr Ashok arranges the right scan and explains the report with you.
How Dr Ashok manages it
- Confirming the diagnosis with spirometry (not just a stethoscope)
- Choosing the right controller and reliever inhalers, at the lowest dose that works
- Hands-on inhaler and spacer technique training: most 'inhaler failures' are technique problems
- A written asthma action plan: what to do on good days, bad days and in an attack
- Finding and reducing your personal triggers
- Regular reviews to step treatment up or down
Living well
- Use your controller inhaler every day, even when you feel well
- Rinse your mouth after steroid inhalers
- Keep the reliever with you
- Get the yearly flu vaccine if advised
- Keep bedrooms free of dust and smoke
Questions patients ask
Are inhalers addictive or harmful?
No. Inhalers deliver a very small dose straight to the lungs, so they act faster and with far fewer side effects than tablets or syrups. They are the safest way to treat asthma, including in children and pregnancy, when used as advised.
Can asthma go away completely?
Asthma can become very quiet for long periods, especially in children, but the tendency usually stays. The goal is good control: no night symptoms, normal activity and no attacks.
Is asthma the same as allergy?
They are linked but not the same. Many people with asthma also have allergies such as sneezing or itchy eyes, and treating both together gives better results.
Can I exercise with asthma?
Yes. With good control, exercise is encouraged. Your doctor may suggest using your reliever before exercise.