Asthma and Breathing or Respiratory Disorders and Disability Benefits

Asthma & Respiratory Disorders
and Disability Benefits

If you suffer from a disabling Asthma or Lung Disorder and can no longer
work a full time work week, I would be happy to help you obtain your rightful
Disability Benefits. You may be eligible for Social Security Disability
benefits, even if you will eventually recover.

Start by filling out the FREE online Social Security Disability Claim
Evaluation Form (see Tab, on Left Hand Navigation), calling me at
201-317-0610 or emailing sojlaw@ptd.net.

What is
Asthma??

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Ph: 201-317-0610 Email: sojlaw@ptd.net Fax: 570-424-2384

Asthma (AZ-ma) is a chronic (long-term) lung disease that inflames and
narrows the airways. Asthma causes recurring periods of wheezing (a
whistling sound when you breathe), chest tightness, shortness of breath,
and coughing. The coughing often occurs at night or early in the morning.

Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most often starts in childhood. In
the United States, more than 22 million people are known to have asthma.
Nearly 6 million of these people are children.

Overview

The airways are tubes that carry air into and out of your lungs. People
who have asthma have inflamed airways. This makes the airways swollen
and very sensitive. They tend to react strongly to certain substances that
are breathed in.

When the airways react, the muscles around them tighten. This causes
the airways to narrow, and less air flows to your lungs. The swelling also
can worsen, making the airways even narrower. Cells in the airways may
make more mucus than normal. Mucus is a sticky, thick liquid that can
further narrow your airways.

This chain reaction can result in asthma symptoms. Symptoms can
happen each time the airways are irritated.

Sometimes symptoms are mild and go away on their own or after minimal
treatment with an asthma medicine. At other times, symptoms continue to
get worse. When symptoms get more intense and/or additional symptoms
appear, this is an asthma attack. Asthma attacks also are called flareups
or exacerbations.

It's important to treat symptoms when you first notice them. This will help
prevent the symptoms from worsening and causing a severe asthma
attack. Severe asthma attacks may require emergency care, and they can
cause death.

Outlook

Asthma can't be cured. Even when you feel fine, you still have the disease
and it can flare up at any time.

But with today's knowledge and treatments, most people who have
asthma are able to manage the disease. They have few, if any,
symptoms. They can live normal, active lives and sleep through the night
without interruption from asthma.

For successful, comprehensive, and ongoing treatment, take an active
role in managing your disease. Build strong partnerships with your doctor
and other clinicians on your health care team.

What Causes Asthma?

The exact cause of asthma isn't known. Researchers think a combination
of factors (family genes and certain environmental exposures) interact to
cause asthma to develop, most often early in life. These factors include:

An inherited tendency to develop allergies, called atopy (AT-o-pe)
Parents who have asthma
Certain respiratory infections during childhood
Contact with some airborne allergens or exposure to some viral
infections in infancy or in early childhood when the immune system
is developing

If asthma or atopy runs in your family, exposure to airborne allergens (for
example, house dust mites, cockroaches, and possibly cat or dog dander)
and irritants (for example, tobacco smoke) may make your airways more
reactive to substances in the air you breathe.

Different factors may be more likely to cause asthma in some people than
in others. Researchers continue to explore what causes asthma.

The "Hygiene Hypothesis"

One theory researchers have for what causes asthma is the "hygiene
hypothesis." They believe that our Western lifestyle—with its emphasis on
hygiene and sanitation—has resulted in changes in our living conditions
and an overall decline in infections in early childhood.

Many young children no longer experience the same types of
environmental exposures and infections as children did in the past. This
affects the way that the immune systems in today's young children
develop during very early childhood, and it may increase their risk for
atopy and asthma. This is especially true for children who have close
family members with one or both of these conditions.

Who Is At Risk for Asthma?

Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most often starts in childhood. In
the United States, more than 22 million people are known to have asthma.
Nearly 6 million of these people are children.

Young children who have frequent episodes of wheezing with respiratory
infections, as well as certain other risk factors, are at the highest risk of
developing asthma that continues beyond 6 years of age. These risk
factors include having allergies, eczema (an allergic skin condition), or
parents who have asthma.

Among children, more boys have asthma than girls. But among adults,
more women have the disease than men. It's not clear whether or how sex
and sex hormones play a role in causing asthma.

Most, but not all, people who have asthma have allergies.

Some people develop asthma because of exposure to certain chemical
irritants or industrial dusts in the workplace. This is called occupational
asthma.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Asthma?

Common asthma symptoms include:

Coughing. Coughing from asthma is often worse at night or early in
the morning, making it hard to sleep.
Wheezing. Wheezing is a whistling or squeaky sound that occurs
when you breathe.
Chest tightness. This may feel like something is squeezing or sitting
on your chest.
Shortness of breath. Some people who have asthma say they can't
catch their breath or they feel out of breath. You may feel like you
can't get air out of your lungs.

Not all people who have asthma have these symptoms. Likewise, having
these symptoms doesn't always mean that you have asthma. A lung
function test, done along with a medical history (including type and
frequency of your symptoms) and physical exam, is the best way to
diagnose asthma for certain.

The types of asthma symptoms you have, how often they occur, and how
severe they are may vary over time. Sometimes your symptoms may just
annoy you. Other times they may be troublesome enough to limit your
daily routine.

Severe symptoms can threaten your life. It's vital to treat symptoms when
you first notice them so they don't become severe.

With proper treatment, most people who have asthma can expect to have
few, if any, symptoms either during the day or at night.

What Causes Asthma Symptoms To Occur?

A number of things can bring about or worsen asthma symptoms. Your
doctor will help you find out which things (sometimes called triggers) may
cause your asthma to flare up if you come in contact with them. Triggers
may include:

Allergens found in dust, animal fur, cockroaches, mold, and pollens
from trees, grasses, and flowers
Irritants such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, chemicals or dust in
the workplace, compounds in home décor products, and sprays
(such as hairspray)
Certain medicines such as aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs and nonselective beta-blockers
Sulfites in foods and drinks
Viral upper respiratory infections such as colds
Exercise (physical activity)
Other health conditions—such as runny nose, sinus infections,
reflux disease, psychological stress, and sleep apnea—can make
asthma more difficult to manage. These conditions need treatment
as part of an overall asthma care plan.

Asthma is different for each person. Some of the factors listed may not
affect you. Other factors that do affect you may not be on the list. Talk to
your doctor about the things that seem to make your asthma
worse.

WELCOME