Asthma Diagnosis and Treatment

Asthma is a well known inflammatory disorder affecting the airways. It causes shortness of breath, tightening of the chest and usually coughing. Like any other disease diagnosis is a key factor before treatment takes place. The easiest way to diagnose asthma is through ones medical and family history, a physical exam may be taken on the asthma patient and test results shall be awaited before proceeding with medication (Mani, 2007).  

Some diseases are generic and asthma is one of them, like any other allergies they may occur often or not, during specific times of the year and in specific environment. The doctor has to find out the factors which tend to trigger or worsen ones symptoms. Conditions like sinus infections, psychological stress, reflux disease and runny nose can interfere with asthma management.

Physical Exam and Diagnostic Tests: When a patient is asthmatic he or she produces a wheezing sound, signs like swollen nasal passage and allergic skin conditions usually symbolizes that the patient has asthma or allergies. At the same time one can be asthmatic without these signs showing in the physical exam. Lung Function Test will be performed in order to measure how your lungs are performing. This test measures the amount of air you can inhale, exhale and the speed at which you blow the air out. To sum up, in case your medical history shows a consistent pattern of these symptoms, you're likely to be diagnosed with asthma (Massoud, 2007).  

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatments: CAM treatments are considered to be more of traditional medicines since they are not established medical treatment. Ginkgo Biloba is a CAM used in treating memory loss but due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties it has potential benefits of treating asthma (Massoud, 2007).