What position should be adopted for bronchial asthma?

Written by Zeng Xiang Bo
Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
Updated on January 24, 2025
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The postures of patients with bronchial asthma vary depending on the severity and extent of the attack. For patients with mild symptoms, they can assume any posture they prefer without any impact; they can sleep however they wish. However, during severe asthma attacks, patients are forced to adopt a semi-sitting or upright sitting position to breathe. This isn't a choice, but a necessity when the disease reaches a severe stage, where such positions might slightly ease breathing. Many asthmatic patients cannot lie down at all during serious attacks, as lying down would intensify their chest tightness and breathing difficulties.

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Can bronchial asthma cure itself?

Bronchial asthma generally cannot heal on its own. Bronchial asthma is a chronic, recurrent disease, which is usually incurable. Even with standard treatment, a complete cure is often unachievable. However, during an acute attack of bronchial asthma, spontaneous remission is possible. Some mild acute attacks of bronchial asthma may simply require removing the allergen and hazardous factors, which can lead to spontaneous alleviation of the asthma symptoms. For bronchial asthma, long-term standard treatment is usually required, such as the inhalation of corticosteroids and the use of bronchodilators. Additionally, it is important to avoid allergens and prevent respiratory infections.

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The causes of bronchial asthma

The causes of bronchial asthma are actually not very clear at present, but current research shows that bronchial asthma is mainly caused by genetic and environmental factors. Genetic factors are relatively easier to understand, meaning if parents have a history of bronchial asthma, then their children, grandchildren, and other blood relatives may have a higher chance of developing bronchial asthma than the general population. Additionally, bronchial asthma is also related to environmental factors, such as air pollution, smoking, dust mites, pollen, etc.

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Is bronchial asthma curable?

Bronchial asthma is treatable, although so far we have not found a cure for bronchial asthma, bronchial asthma can be well controlled in most patients if treated in a standard way at regular hospitals, preventing recurrent asthma attacks. However, if the treatment of bronchial asthma is unstandardized, or if one relies on folk remedies or traditional secret recipes and does not receive standardized treatment at a regular hospital, it may lead to recurrent asthma attacks and extremely poor prognosis.

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Bronchial asthma X-ray manifestations

Bronchial asthma is primarily caused by inflammation in the airways due to various inflammatory cells, leading to the narrowing and spasm of the bronchi. This impedes the effective expulsion of gases from the lungs through the bronchi, resulting in a disease characterized by symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. In patients with bronchial asthma, because of a large amount of gas remaining in the lungs, X-ray manifestations primarily include sparse lung markings, increased translucency, as well as some signs of widened intercostal spaces and lowered diaphragm. Generally, these signs are not specific and cannot be solely relied upon to diagnose or exclude bronchial asthma. It is also necessary to consider the patient's medical history and lung function tests for a comprehensive assessment.

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Can bronchial asthma be cured?

Bronchial asthma, to this day, cannot be completely cured. Many places claim under the guise of traditional Chinese medicine or ancient secret recipes that bronchial asthma can be fully cured, but these are false advertisements. So far, bronchial asthma is a manageable disease. Being manageable means that it can be treated; standardized treatment can make its recurrence quite rare, but it still cannot be completely cured. This means that once someone has bronchial asthma, they must understand that it is a lifelong disease, potentially recurring throughout life, and they need to manage it long-term.