Asthma is a prevalent respiratory disease commonly associated with childhood. However, many adults tend to develop it later in life, often after the age of twenty.
In the medical field, this condition is known as adult-onset asthma. Unlike childhood asthma, which may improve or resolve over time, this type tends to be more persistent and often requires lifelong management.
The blog explores what adult-onset asthma actually is, its causes, symptoms, and current available treatments.
What Is Adult-Onset Asthma?
As previously mentioned, adult-onset asthma is a chronic condition that affects the lungs. It is characterised by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, leading to coughing and other breathing difficulties.
The main difference between adult-onset asthma and asthma presented in childhood is that it typically comes with more severe and persistent symptoms that do not resolve easily.
While this condition may fade out as a child grows up, the same doesn’t seem to happen in adults.
The Key characteristics of adult-onset asthma
Here is what distinguishes it from the children’s version:
- It is typically diagnosed after the age of 20.
- Adult patients do not have a prior history of asthma or allergies.
- It may often be misdiagnosed as chronic bronchitis or other similar respiratory issues. That may lead to improper treatment or no treatment at all, which deteriorates the condition.
If adult-onset asthma is left unmanaged, it can have a significantly negative impact on someone’s life.
What Causes Adult-Onset Asthma?
The truth is that the causes of adult-onset asthma may stem from several factors. Recognising and defining those factors can help you eliminate what may trigger it and assist you better in its treatment.
Curious about what causes adult-onset asthma? Here are the most common reasons behind it:
1. Respiratory Infections
The first and most important cause is a severe viral or recurring bacterial respiratory infection. These infections cause inflammation in the lungs and can potentially lead to adult-onset asthma.
2. Allergens and Environmental Factors
Many people suffer from this condition due to exposure to allergens such as dust mites, mould, or pet dander. Adult lungs become irritated by these, and if someone is prone to allergies, asthma may develop.
3. Hormonal Changes
Another common cause relates to hormonal shifts, especially in women who find themselves carrying a baby or going through their menopause phase. Research has shown that hormonal disruption in females may lead to adult-onset asthma.
4. Obesity
Yes, excessive weight can make you asthmatic in adulthood. The extra weight you carry can strain the lungs and increase inflammation, raising the risk of developing asthma.
Extra Tip: Learn How to Choose a Weighing Scale – The Ultimate Guide
5. Smoking
Smokers, even passive ones who are forced to live and breathe around habitual tobacco smokers, have a higher possibility of suffering from adult-onset asthma at some point in their lives.
6. Stress or Other Psychological Issues
People who experience prolonged periods of stress, anxiety, or deep sorrow may have their lungs affected by asthma. Research has even concluded that unresolved trauma and suppressed emotions that occurred in childhood may be reflected in the body in the form of adult-onset asthma. You can find it here.
7. Occupational Exposure
Finally, sometimes your work may negatively affect your lungs to the point that they develop asthma. Think of long-term exposure to irritants in the workplace, such as construction dust, flour, fumes, or cleaning agents. The longer someone is exposed to conditions like these, the higher the chances of adult-onset asthma developing.
What Are the Main Adult-Onset Asthma Symptoms?
Here we break down the disease’s most common symptoms.
However, keep in mind that most of them may be subtle at first and thus mistaken for other health issues.
- Shortness of breath, especially during physical activity or simply by climbing stairs.
- Persistent dry coughing that often gets worse at night or when you lie down.
- Wheezing or whistling sound while breathing.
- Chest tightness or pressure.
- Fatigue due to disturbed sleep.
Also, signs that relate to frequent respiratory infections or persistent coughs that don’t respond to antibiotics. Both of them may signal an underlying adult-onset asthma.
How is Adult-Onset Asthma Diagnosed and Treated?
Diagnosis
To diagnose this respiratory disease, a doctor will often suggest one or a combination of more than one of the following tests:
- Simple stethoscope test: A specialised physician can detect adult-onset asthma by listening to your lungs and respiration.
- Spirometry: This is performed using a spirometer, which evaluates the lungs’ function.
- Allergy testing: Typically, it involves blood testing to determine whether someone is prone to allergies and to specific allergens.
- Chest X-rays or CT scans: These are performed to either rule out other respiratory issues or determine the extent of damage that adult-onset asthma may have caused.
Treatment
As far as treatment options are concerned, managing adult-onset asthma effectively requires, most of the time, a combination of medication intake and lifestyle changes.
In more detail, if you’ve been diagnosed with such a condition, your doctor will probably prescribe you the types of medicine listed below and suggest that you change (bad) habits.
1. Inhaled Corticosteroids
They may come in the form of powder or a nebuliser, and their purpose is to reduce airway inflammation and help open the lungs’ airways.
Extra Tip: Learn How to Choose the Best Nebuliser to Improve Your Breathing
2. Bronchodilators
These are used to relax the airway muscles, allowing one to breathe more easily, especially during an asthma attack.
3. Allergy Medications
This type of medication aims to relieve symptoms caused by allergens, in case they are the trigger of adult-onset asthma. Consider antihistamines or allergy shots, which help alleviate the allergic reaction and thus relieve the asthmatic cough.
4. Lifestyle Changes
Depending on the severity of your condition, the doctor may also recommend avoiding habits such as smoking, adopting a healthier diet, losing weight, and using air purifiers. If occupational exposure is the main culprit of your asthma, changing your job may be the answer to better asthma control.
So, Does Adult-Onset Asthma Go Away?
People who suffer from this respiratory condition often wonder: Does adult-onset asthma go away? Unfortunately, unlike some childhood cases, adult-onset asthma usually does not go into remission.
Surely, you can effectively manage it with proper treatment, but more often than not, it typically persists throughout your life once it is diagnosed. It may even get worse and co-exist with another serious lung condition called COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
Regular check-ups and visits to the doctor for follow-up evaluation and adherence to prescribed medication are essential for maintaining a good quality of life and eliminating asthma attacks or other symptoms of this health issue.
FAQ
1. What Is Adult-Onset Asthma, And How Does It Differ From Childhood Asthma?
2. What Causes Adult-Onset Asthma?
3. What Are The Most Common Adult-Onset Asthma Symptoms?
4. Does Adult-Onset Asthma Go Away On Its Own?
