Asthma myths and facts

Although asthma is a fairly common condition, many myths still persist! As such, we’re here to clear things up! Read on for 10 asthma myths and facts! Alternatively, you can try this quiz instead!

Asthma Myths and Facts:

  1. Asthma only affects children.
  2. Kids can outgrow asthma.
  3. Asthmatics can be athletes.
  4. Athletes use asthma medicines to perform better.
  5. Corticosteroids will stunt a child’s growth.
  6. The severity of asthma varies from person to person.
  7. Emotions do not affect asthma.
  8. Daily medication is needed to treat asthma.
  9. Asthma medicine should be taken even if symptoms subside.
  10. Smoking doesn’t affect asthma.

1. Asthma only affects children.

This is a Myth! Asthma can affect anyone! While asthma is common in boys, this trend reverses with age. In adolescence and adulthood, more females tend to have asthma.

Interestingly, if you get asthma as an adult, it is more likely to stick around.

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2. Kids can outgrow asthma.

This is a Myth! Kids don’t always outgrow asthma. For example, children with more severe asthma, are less likely to outgrow asthma. Also, persistent wheezing and allergies could make it harder for asthma to go away.

Sometimes, kids who outgrow asthma may experience recurrent symptoms. For instance, studies have shown that about half of the kids whose asthma disappeared in teenagehood, mentioned returning symptoms in their 30s or 40s.

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3. Asthmatics can be athletes.

This is a Fact! Contrary to popular belief, asthmatics can be athletes! In fact, several famous athletes like David Beckham, Paula Radcliffe, and Greg Louganis, all have asthma. As such, having asthma shouldn’t hold you back from being great at sports!

Besides, many athletes with asthma often admit that all it takes is proper training paired with the right asthma action plan!

Indeed, according to Olympic swimmer, Peter Vanderkaay, who has exercise-induced asthma, “a lot of athletes have asthma”. According to him, “it’s something they deal with on a day-to-day basis.” “It’s not something that has held me back, at all.”

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4. Athletes use asthma medicines to perform better.

This is a Myth! Unlike illegal drugs, asthma medicines, relieve asthma symptoms and inflammation. As such, they do not enhance performance the way illegal drugs do. In any case, athletes will need to declare the medications they’re on.

Furthermore, the Global Drug Reference Online (Global DRO) offers information about medications that are prohibited from sporting competitions. Therefore, any asthma medication taken during competitions will be approved beforehand.

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5. Corticosteroids will stunt a child’s growth.

This is a Myth! Generally, asthmatic kids are given corticosteroids to reduce wheezing and coughing. In the past, studies found that long-term use of these medicines could reduce a child’s height by half an inch in the first year.

However, today, research shows this effect to be temporary.

In fact, based on studies in the United States and Denmark, this effect should fade by the time kids reach adulthood. Furthermore, children are likely to reach normal heights.

Currently, this effect is yet to be studied in depth. Nonetheless, Claude Lenfant, a former director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, agrees that the benefits of corticosteroids far outweigh the small initial impact on height.

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6. The severity of asthma varies from person to person.

This is a Fact! Asthma can affect people in different ways. Essentially, asthma can be grouped into four categories:

1) Mild intermittent asthma

For this case, asthma symptoms appear at most twice a week. Meanwhile, at night, symptoms occur up to twice every month.

Typically, daily medication isn’t required and one can solely rely on rescue inhalers.

2) Mild persistent asthma

As for this category, symptoms occur more than twice a week, but no more than once a day. In such cases, inhalers might be prescribed for daily use.

3) Moderate persistent asthma

With regards to this group, symptoms appear once a day and more than one night a week. Understandably, higher dosages of inhalers and additional medication may be required. For kids over 5 years old, oral medicines may be prescribed as well.

4) Severe persistent asthma

Lastly, for this group, symptoms occur throughout most days and nights. Often a combination of different treatments and dosages might be needed to see what works best.

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7. Emotions do not affect asthma.

This is a Myth! On the contrary, asthma can be triggered by emotions ranging from, love to anger. Such emotions could cause rapid breathing or breathing through the mouth.

In turn, this may introduce cold air into the airways and trigger asthma symptoms.

For instance, laughing and crying may trigger asthma at times.

Therefore, children who get easily excited or have strong emotions are more likely to face asthma attacks.

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8. Daily medication is needed to treat asthma.

This is a Myth! Not all asthmatics need daily medication. For instance, those with mild intermittent asthma only need rescue inhalers from time to time.

Every asthmatic has different treatment plans suited to their needs.

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9. Asthma medicine should be taken even if symptoms subside.

This is a Fact! Even if asthma symptoms reduce, asthmatics need to continue following their asthma action plan. This plan includes all medicines that are needed to keep asthma under control. Ultimately, an asthma action plan aims to reduce immediate asthma symptoms, as well as future attacks.

Therefore, asthmatics might still need to take preventive medication even after asthma symptoms subside.

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10. Smoking doesn’t affect asthma.

This is a Myth! Smoking can trigger asthma attacks as cigarette smoke contains many irritants.

Indeed smoke from nearby smokers (second-hand smoke) and smoke residue from surfaces (third-hand smoke) are also harmful.

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We hope you enjoyed our quiz and found this illuminating. Many are often confused about asthma. Hence, we hope you can share our quiz and this article with friends and family so that everyone can be better informed!

References:

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Avoiding Tobacco Smoke Is a Key Part of Asthma Prevention. (2017). Electronic. https://community.aafa.org/blog/avoiding-tobacco-secondhand-thirdhand-smoke-is-a-key-part-of-asthma-prevention

Asthma UK. Emotions. (2016). Electronic. https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/triggers/emotions/

Holland, Kimberly, Santoro, Elizabeth. Accomplished Athletes Who Have Asthma. (2017). Electronic. https://www.healthline.com/health/famous-athletes-with-asthma#1

Li, James T. C. Do some children outgrow asthma? (8 February 2017). Electronic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/childhood-asthma/expert-answers/outgrow-asthma/faq-20058116

MacKay, Kerri. Asthma and Exercise: Elite Athletes with Asthma: Anti-Doping and Fair Play. (14 April 2016). Electronic. https://asthma.net/living/exercise-elite-athletes-anti-doping-and-fair-play/

MacMillan, Amanda. Olympic Swimmer Discusses Life With Exercise-Induced Asthma. (23 April 2013). Electronic. https://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20411290,00.html

NHS Inform. Asthma. (2018). Electronic. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/lungs-and-airways/asthma

Robinson, Kara Mayer. Can Kids Outgrow Asthma? (2013). Electronic.  https://www.webmd.com/asthma/features/can-kids-outgrow-asthma

Schorr, Melissa. Study: Asthma Drugs Do Not Stunt Growth. (11 October 2000). Electronic. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=117903&page=1

ScienceDirect. Asthma Prevalence. Electronic. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/asthma-prevalence

Wells, Diana K. Asthma Classification. (2017). Electronic. https://www.healthline.com/health/asthma/asthma-classification