Mrs ishbel Kirkland
The stories here are so similar to my experience. Why is asthma so neglected and misunderstood by the health service?
Who wouldn't be anxious if they are choking to death with no understanding by NHS doctors.
Hello Ms Kirkland - thanks for posting this question. First, I am glad that you can relate to the varying stories in our community of living with asthma. Our community's inclusivity stems from our ability to connect and share our personal experiences with those searching for answers and/or questioning their disease process or treatment plan.
I think there may be a couple of reasons asthma can seem neglected and misunderstood in our medical societies (NHS and US Health Insurance), one being the variability of symptoms. Asthma can manifest in different ways in different individuals, making it complex to diagnose and manage. Some people may have milder symptoms, while others have severe attacks, which can lead to misunderstandings.
Another topic to touch base on is the stigma, stereotypes, and misconceptions surrounding asthma, which can lead to healthcare providers not taking it as seriously as they should. Some may mistakenly view it as a minor or manageable condition.
Another reason asthma may be neglected or misunderstood may be due to the total lack of awareness or information - In certain instances, healthcare professionals may not have the most up-to-date information on asthma management or may not fully understand the latest treatment options.
I think being proactive in your treatment plan as well as raising awareness within medical communities we associate with can contribute to improved understanding and care for those with the condition. Hope you are doing well and are having easy breathing through these Fall months. Rebecca (community moderator)My Asthma is hugely misunderstood by my Doctors. I suffer choking mucous, chest tightness. Debilitating cough. I don't generally wheeze so this confuses them.
I take a few steps into consulting room and five minutes there they say I can't see the problem.
Thank you for the update. Sorry that you are experiencing asthma symptoms and that your healthcare team is not taking you seriously, as you deserve. Most doctors today should be ware that not all asthmatics wheeze, as you can see by this post (https://asthma.net/living/silent-asthma-what-you-need-to-know). If you are presenting with symptoms, and your doctors are not sure if you have asthma, there are tests they can order -- such as a PFT (https://asthma.net/living/pulmonary-function-testing-to-diagnose-asthma)-- that can confirm that you have asthma -- or help your doctors determine if something else is causing your symptoms. Have any of your doctors ordered such testing for you? Wishing you all the best. John. community moderator.
I also suffer shortness of breath.
Why do asthmatics suffer so much? I developed asthma at age 2 and it is surely high time more serious research is taken for asthma. I am not 7
5 and still suffering.
