You’ve probably heard of asthma. Chances are that either you or someone you know has this long-term respiratory condition. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 13 people in the United States have asthma. As of 2021, asthma affected about 25 million people, including 4.6 million children under the age of 18.1,2
If you’re a Black person living in the United States, your chances of developing asthma are greater than if you’re a white person in the US. Black people are 40% more likely to have asthma than white people, and 1.5 times more likely than all other races and ethnicities to have asthma in their lifetime.2,3
Asthma is a serious disease that causes symptoms like coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing.4 If you have been diagnosed with asthma, there are common myths and misunderstandings surrounding asthma that can greatly impact the quality of your life. It’s important that you have the correct information about your condition. In this article, we will cover 6 common myths and facts about asthma.
Myth #1: People with asthma should not exercise, or play sports
Fact: People with asthma are encouraged to lead an active lifestyle. A fully active life keeps you and your lungs healthy. If you have asthma, your doctor may recommend exercise training as part of your treatment plan.5,6
Benefits of exercise if you have asthma include:
- Improved lung function including building your stamina
- Weight loss which can reduce the risk of asthma flares
- Stress reduction
- Improved sense of well-being and quality of life
- Improved immune system which may reduce your risk of getting respiratory infections
- Improved muscle strength which can increase blood flow to your lungs and heart
Some people do have asthma that is triggered by exercise, called exercise-induced asthma. If you have exercise-induced asthma you may have coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, and fatigue during or shortly after physical activity. You may notice these symptoms within 5-10 minutes after exercise starts or ends.
If you think you may have exercise-induced asthma, talk with your doctor. They will help you to determine what type of exercise activities will be best for you. Your doctor should also be able to talk to you about actions you should take if you have an asthma attack while exercising.
Myth #2: Asthma is only a childhood disease and is usually outgrown
- Premature birth which means underdeveloped lungs
- Family history of asthma, allergies, or eczema
- A mother who smokes during pregnancy
- A viral infection, especially at less than 6 months old
Myth #3: Asthma is not a big deal and it’s easily controlled
Fact: Asthma is a chronic airway disease that kills roughly 10 people each day.8,10 In 2022, 44.2 million Americans were diagnosed with asthma by a health professional.
Asthma symptoms and severity vary from person to person. It is important that you talk with your doctor to get the proper diagnosis, and to stay consistent with your medication and treatment plan.
Asthma can be controlled with the correct medications and education; however, some people experience severe asthma which is serious and potentially life-threatening.
If you have continuous symptoms, your doctor can help you to determine if you have severe asthma or just uncontrolled asthma. Severe asthma can lead to11:
- Shortness of breath, chest tightness, cough, and other daytime asthma symptoms more than twice a week even with medications
- Needing quick relief medicine more than twice a month
- Difficulty sleeping and waking up at night with asthma symptoms more than twice a week
- Limited activity because of asthma
Myth #4: If you aren’t wheezing, it isn’t asthma
Myth #5: There is no significant difference in asthma based on race or ethnicity
Fact: The burden of asthma in the United States falls disproportionately on Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native people as well as senior adults and those with low income. These are some of the ways that communities of color are affected by asthma more than white communities:
- Black and American Indian or Alaska Native adults have the highest asthma rates in the United States.10
- Non-Hispanic Black children are nearly twice more likely to have asthma compared to non-Hispanic white children.10
According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2021 asthma death rates were highest among Black individuals, and greater among females than males.8
Myth #6: You need a family history of asthma to have asthma
Fact: According to the American Lung Association, if you have parents who have asthma, you are three to six times more likely to develop asthma than someone without a family history of the disease.13 There are multiple factors other than family history that can contribute to your development of asthma. Other risk factors include14,15:
- Allergies such as hay fever and allergic conditions like atopic dermatitis (eczema) are linked to people who get asthma.
- Occupational exposures to certain elements at your workplace can cause asthma symptoms. These elements may be chemical fumes, dusts, or molds.
- Smoking increases your risk of developing asthma. Cigarette smoke irritates your airways.
- Air pollution increases your risk for asthma. If you live or grew up in an urban area, you have a higher risk of developing asthma.
- Obesity and being overweight can increase your risks for asthma. Researchers are unsure why weight increases the risk. Possibly inflammation that happens when you carry excess weight. If you have asthma and also have obesity, you are also more likely to use more medications, suffer worse symptoms, and have less control of your asthma than if you were in a healthy weight range.
References:
- Centers for Disease Control (2022) Asthma Surveillance in the United States, 2001-2021 https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/Asthma-Prevalence-US-2023-508.pdf
- American Lung Association (2024) The Unequal Burden of Asthmas on the Black Community https://www.lung.org/blog/asthma-burden-on-black-community
- National Institutes of Health (2023) Asthma in the Black/African American Community https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sites/default/files/publications/asthma_in_black_community_fact_sheet.pdf
- National Heart, Lung, Blood, Institute (2024) Asthma Symptoms https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/asthma/symptoms
- Allergy Asthma Network (2024) 5 Myths about Asthma https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/news/myths-about-asthma/
- Allergy Asthma Network (2024) Asthma and Exercise https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/what-is-asthma/asthma-exercise/
- Allergy Asthma Network (2024) Asthma in Babies and Children https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/what-is-asthma/asthma-in-babies-and-children/
- American Lung Association (2024) Asthma Trends Brief https://www.lung.org/research/trends-in-lung-disease/asthma-trends-brief
- Asthma.com (2020) Asthma Myth or Fact https://www.asthma.com/understanding-asthma/what-is-asthma/myth-or-fact/
- Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (2024) Asthma Facts and Figures https://aafa.org/asthma/asthma-facts/
- American Lung Association (2024) Severe Asthma https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/learn-about-asthma/types/severe-asthma
- American Lung Association (2024) Asthma symptoms and diagnosis https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/symptoms-diagnosis
- American Lung Association (2024) Managing asthma https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/managing-asthma
- American Lung Association (2024) Asthma Causes and Risk Factors https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/learn-about-asthma/what-causes-asthma
- American Lung Association (2024) The Link between asthma and weight https://www.lung.org/blog/the-link-between-asthma-weight
You Might Also Like:
Spotting the Differences Between Common Lung Conditions
Is it asthma, COPD, or lung cancer? Understanding the differences between common lung conditions can help you explain your symptoms better and get the right treatment.
6 Asthma-Friendly Exercises for Your Next Workout
With asthma, staying in shape while caring for your lung health can be a challenge – but it doesn’t have to be. Learn more.
