Are You Sure It Isn’t Asthma?

If your elderly family member is having more trouble breathing than usual, the problem might be asthma. Lots of older adults are diagnosed with asthma and it could be highly treatable for your elderly family member. Here are some facts that can help you to talk to your senior and to her doctor about what she’s experiencing with her lungs.

Homecare Midland Park NJ – Are You Sure It Isn’t Asthma?

Asthma Is a Common Lung Issue

When breathing passages swell and restrict the flow of air, that’s asthma. Someone with asthma might experience a lot more mucus than usual when their asthmas is flaring up. Some people have asthma only when they exercise, while other people could experience a bout of asthma when they are around environmental triggers or when they exert themselves just a little too much.

Older Adults Are Often Surprised to Find They Have Asthma

Asthma is often diagnosed in children and teenagers, but a surprising number of older adults are also diagnosed with asthma. At first, your senior might think that breathing problems are something different, like emphysema or COPD. All of these are serious lung conditions and need to be properly diagnosed in order to know for sure what your senior is facing.

What Are the Symptoms?

There are some common symptoms for asthma, but many people find that they experience these symptoms on a sliding scale or that they only have a few. Symptoms to watch for include things like shortness of breath after exercising, tightness or pain in the chest, and random coughing episodes. One really common symptom is wheezing when your senior breathes.

Diagnosing Asthma

If you or your senior suspect that she’s dealing with asthma, talk to her doctor. There are several things that her doctor will do, starting with listening to your senior’s lungs as she breathes. Another easy test is spirometry. Your senior breathes into a tube and a computer calculates how much air is moving through her lungs. Peak flow testing also helps to measure air flow in your senior’s lungs. Your senior’s doctor may also prescribe inhaled medication to see how that affects your senior’s breathing.

If daily tasks are more difficult for your senior now that her breathing is an issue, consider bringing in homecare providers to help. Homecare aides can physically lighten the load for your elderly family member so that she can focus on her health and learn how to manage her asthma effectively.

If you or a senior family member are considering hiring Homecare Services in Midland Park NJ, please contact the caring staff at Caring Solutions Home Care LLC. In-home senior care servicing Bergen & Passaic Counties. Call today at (973) 427-3553.