The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is home to the only dedicated asthma center in central Ohio.
We provide a full spectrum of services and treatments designed to meet the specific needs of each patient. Our physicians and specialists are focused specifically on asthma care and offer the most advanced asthma management options currently available.
Our team partners with specialists in the fields of otolaryngology, sleep medicine, gastroenterology, endocrinology, pulmonary rehabilitation and psychiatry to provide comprehensive, personalized care. We understand that living with asthma presents challenges, but those challenges can be overcome, and Ohio State can help.
The only dedicated asthma center in central Ohio
Your gender can affect your asthma symptoms
Helping you manage the treatment of severe asthma
A treatment plan especially designed to treat your unique symptoms
Asthma is chronic lung disease that causes symptoms like chest tightness, wheezing, cough and nighttime awakening. Some asthma is mild, requiring just occasional use of a rescue inhaler. Some asthma is very severe, resulting in emergency room visits, intensive care admissions or even death. The goal of asthma treatment is to give each asthma patient the greatest number of symptom-free days of normal activity on the least amount of medication possible. Many people with asthma don't realize they have it. Sometimes the symptoms creep up so gradually that the person isn't aware of the changes in how they feel, or how they restrict their activity to avoid asthma symptoms – they just accept it as the state of normal for themselves.
The exact cause of asthma is not known but some people are more at risk than others. Asthma risk factors include:
Many conditions can mimic asthma, so it shouldn’t be diagnosed based on symptoms alone. Your physician will ask you about your asthma symptoms, triggers and other medical conditions. Your physician will also perform a physical exam and breathing tests to help confirm the diagnosis. If you experience allergies, sinus problems, acid reflux or other problems that aggravate your breathing, other tests and treatments may be needed.
Asthma can suddenly get worse. Exposure to triggers can cause sudden swelling inside the air tubes and muscle tightness around the breathing tubes, known as bronchoconstriction, or an asthma attack. Death can occur during an asthma attack if not treated quickly. Prevention of asthma attacks is very important. This can be done by controlling the swelling and inflammation in the air tubes and avoiding known triggers.
Certain factors cause asthma to get worse. These include:
