Patient: I suffered from this disease in October 2008 and never had it before. I have difficulty breathing (especially when sleeping), dry cough (sometimes with clear phlegm), and shortness of breath when climbing stairs and exercising a little, and I have attacks once or twice a month. I have been suffering from allergic rhinitis for 7 years, is it caused by this disease? In December 2008, I went to the hospital and had a CT lung examination, but the doctor was not sure if it was bronchitis or asthma, and none of my close relatives have this disease. What kind of disease is it? Can it be cured? Zhang Jianchu, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Wuhan Union Medical College Hospital
Zhang Jianchu, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Wuhan Union Medical College Hospital: From the above history, it is likely to be bronchial asthma. About 40% of patients with allergic rhinitis will develop asthma. During the wheezing and coughing period, you can go to the hospital for bronchodilator test examination; if there are no attack symptoms at present, you can go to the hospital for airway reactivity measurement to help the diagnosis. After the diagnosis is clear, there are still good drugs for asthma treatment that can control it, and after regular treatment, it can be done for a long time without attacks and normal life and work.
Patient: Dr. Zhang: I heard that asthma is very difficult to be cured, can the current treatment be cured? Thank you!
Zhang Jianchu, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Wuhan Union Medical College Hospital: This is the same question that many asthma patients would ask. Just like hypertension and other diseases, with long-term regular treatment, you can live a wonderful life like a normal person. At present, whoever says that there is a medicine that can cure asthma at the root of the problem is certainly blowing smoke.