What is Severe Asthma?

Asthma is a breathing condition that affects millions worldwide. While asthma cannot be cured, it is possible to control asthma by avoiding triggers and following the recommended treatment option to manage the symptoms. But in a small percentage of people diagnosed with asthma, it cannot be controlled with the usual treatment and begins to affect their everyday life. This is known as severe asthma.

Whether or not you have severe asthma can be because of a number of possible causes. Genetics, your environment, how asthma has affected your body, and how your body reacts to the disease can also play a part. Control of asthma symptoms depends on many factors and having poor control could also be because of factors that can be corrected such as ensuring the medication is taken as prescribed, ensuring the inhaler devices are used properly, reducing exposure to allergens, and quitting smoking.

Symptoms of Severe Asthma

The severity of asthma can change over time. You might have received your asthma diagnosis and have mild symptoms but it can become severe if your symptoms get worse. You might have severe asthma if you:

• Have asthma symptoms that occur throughout the day

• Wake up because of the symptoms, 7 nights per week for ages 5 and older or more than 1 night per week for children 4 and younger 

• Have asthma symptoms that affect your daily activities

Types of Severe Asthma 

Severe asthma can fall under three groups:

1. Untreated severe asthma 

When severe asthma occurs without being on any asthma treatment plan, it is considered to be untreated severe asthma. If proper treatment is provided and followed, it is possible to improve their condition, reduce the symptoms, and no longer have severe asthma

2. Difficult-to-treat severe asthma

When there is poor control of asthma because of factors that are not asthma itself, it is considered to be difficult-to-treat severe asthma. This can be because of not following the prescribed medication, using inhalers without the proper technique, being exposed to triggers like smoking, or even some other medical issue.

3. Treatment-resistant severe asthma

This includes people diagnosed with asthma whose symptoms can only be controlled despite receiving the highest level of the recommended asthma treatment or not be controlled even if they do get this treatment. If it cannot be controlled, it might indicate that their body is insensitive to medication and any medicine given does not have the effect it is supposed to. The ones whose asthma can be controlled with a high level of treatment can be resistant to the medication, which means they need a higher dose to have the same effect. People who fall under this group are also at a high risk of symptoms getting worse if treatment is reduced or becomes unavailable.

If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned, you should consult your doctor who will work with you to modify your asthma treatment to reduce the symptoms and bring your asthma under control. Your doctor will also be able to determine which type of severe asthma you have.

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