Myths, facts, and statistics about asthma

about asthma

Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR


Before we present the typical symptoms of asthma, we should dispel some common myths about this condition. This is best achieved by conducting a short true or false quiz.

1. T or F Asthma is "all in the mind."
2. T or F You will "grow out of it."
3. T or F Asthma can be cured, so it is not serious and nobody dies from it.
4. T or F You are likely to develop asthma if someone in your family has it.
5. T or F You can "catch" asthma from someone else who has it.
6. T or F Moving to a different location, such as the desert, can cure asthma.
7. T or F People with asthma should not exercise.
8. T or F Asthma does not require medical treatment.
9. T or F Medications used to treat asthma are habit-forming.
10. T or F Someone with asthma can provoke episodes anytime they want in order to get attention.

Here are the answers:

1. F - Asthma is not a psychological condition. However, emotional triggers can cause flare-ups.
2. F - You cannot outgrow asthma. In about 50% of children with asthma, the condition may become inactive in the teenage years. The symptoms, however, may reoccur at any time in adulthood.
3. F - There is no cure for asthma, but the disease can be controlled in most patients with good medical care. The condition should be taken seriously, since uncontrolled asthma may result in emergency hospitalization and possible death.
4. T - You have a 6% chance of having asthma if neither parent has the condition; a 30% chance if one parent has it; and a 70% chance if both parents have it.
5. F - Asthma is not contagious.
6. F - A new environment may temporarily improve asthma symptoms, but it will not cure asthma. After a few years in the new location, many people become sensitized to the new environment and the asthma symptoms return with the same or even greater intensity than before.
7. F - Swimming is an optimal exercise for those with asthma. On the other hand, exercising in dry, cold air may be a trigger for asthma in some people.
8. F - Asthma is best controlled by having an asthma management plan designed by your doctor that includes the medications used for quick relief and those used as controllers.
9. F - Asthma medications are not addictive.
10. F - Asthma attacks cannot be faked.