Top Facts About Bronchial Thermoplasty Treatment for Asthma

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that affects the airways in and around the lung. Millions of people suffer with asthma and use various methods to control the symptoms and onsets of asthma attacks. The symptoms vary per patients and include shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing and lowered oxygen levels. Symptoms occur when patients are exposed to a trigger, and are usually controlled by use of medications. When an attack occurs, the airways become narrow and more sensitive, making breathing difficult. In the airways of an asthmatic, there is an area of thickened muscles surrounding the airways. The narrowing of these airways is mainly caused by swelling and secretions.

There are many medications used to control asthma symptoms and attacks. They may be taken regularly or as needed, depending on the severity of the asthma in the patient. Generally, these medications are divided into two classes, relievers and controllers. Relievers are short acting and provide relief for anywhere between four and twelve hours. Controllers, commonly referred to as corticosteroids, are used to control the inflammation over long periods of time. A newly developed treatment, bronchial thermoplasty, provides the relief similar to that of reliever medications. It is a procedure performed in a hospital that has been designed to prevent airways from narrowing. This is done by preventing the muscles in the airway from contracting.