The late arrival of spring can mean bad news for those with asthma. Prolonged winters result in plants and flowers blooming all at once, creating a perfect storm of pollen, which triggers the disease.

Recognizing the signs and symptoms and how to manage your asthma is important and MSU HealthTeam physicians want to help.

Asthma affects the lungs, causing the airway to narrow and swell and produce extra mucus. Patients can experience shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, and a whistling or wheezing sound when exhaling and coughing. Wheezing attacks can worsen from allergy triggers, irritants or respiratory viruses that cause colds or flu.

In Michigan, there are approximately 900,000 people with asthma – around 600,000 adults and 300,000 children. The disease can appear later in life and for many adults, symptoms are induced by not only allergies, but exercise and the workplace.

Read more at: Michigan State University

Photo credit: Couleur via Pixabay

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