History

• Asthma and anxiety have been around in medical literature since records began to be kept, but they weren't always called by those names. Nevertheless, the feelings and worries associated with them have really not changed much. The main changes have been in the treatment for these conditions, which are often seen together. Medications are available for asthma, some of which are inhaled and some of which are taken in pill form. Anxiety also has prescription medication as a treatment option, but can be treated with therapy and lifestyle changes, as well as changes in thought patterns. It has been suggested by some that changes in thought patterns can also be beneficial to control the severity of an asthma attack.
  
  

Significance

• Anxiety disorders affect at least 40 million adults in any given year. This includes people who only have one panic attack or anxious episode across the spectrum to people who basically cannot function or who don't have any quality of life because they are so consumed by anxiety. Most people with anxiety problems fall in the middle of this range. Asthma, however, effects 300 million people around the world. In some cases it can lead to death, and it's a condition that's usually very treatable but should not be ignored. Some people with asthma only have a variation of it induced by exercise (called an exercise-induced bronchial spasm), and otherwise show no asthma symptoms, but most are symptomatic even without exercise. Because the inability to breathe properly accompanies asthma, it can cause a lot of fear. Many asthmatic people also struggle with anxiety when they have an asthma attack, and sometimes in anticipation of an asthma attack.
  
  

Identification

• A doctor can identify both asthma and anxiety. Where asthma involves ruling things in, anxiety usually involves ruling things out. In other words, there are specific symptoms and physical presentations that a doctor looks for in patients with asthma in order to make his diagnosis. With anxiety, most doctors test for various medical conditions. If these conditions are not present but the patient has a specific set of symptoms (often both cognitive and physical) anxiety is the diagnosis. When a person who has been diagnosed with asthma expresses her fears and worries to her doctor, she is often treated for both asthma and anxiety.
  
  

Benefits

• Fewer asthma attacks will generally mean fewer anxiety attacks, and less worry overall helps reduce the instance of stress-induced asthma attacks. When handled in combination, a patient can have a much-improved quality of life. He won't have as many asthma attacks, which will help to reduce his likelihood of being anxious or panicking over an asthma attack. Because he's not as anxious, he'll also be more likely to see fewer asthma attacks. In most cases, this dual treatment plan allows an asthmatic, anxious patient to live much more fully.
  
  

Warning

• While most asthma attacks can be controlled and asthma is not a particularly dangerous condition for the majority of people who have it, some people can have severe asthma attacks. When that takes place, they should be attended to by a medical professional right away. Panic attacks often lead people to the ER, too, especially if they are very severe and/or the person doesn't realize what's happening to her. When these two things combine it can be very traumatic for the patient, so treating anxiety and asthma when they are first diagnosed is the best course of action. Ignoring either condition can make the other condition more dangerous.