Why do we still have bronchial Asthma related morbidity and mortality?

Bronchial Asthma is an age old disease being treated by all systems of medicines . There is tremendous progress in diagnosis as well as treatment modalities which are easy and affordable yet Bronchial Asthma remains a major challenge especially in our country . Diagnosis is very obvious when patients present . However in childhood all that wheezes is not Asthma but at the same time Cough variant Asthma is not diagnosed early and children are put on frquent unnecessary antibiotics cough syrups etc whereas what they need is simple and specific treatment for asthma by inhaled stetoids . Eye irritation , itchy throat and nose , recurrant Coryza sore throat runny nose etc are symptons for allergic rhinitis which often progresses to Asthma if left untreated as it is the one airway disease . Especially in children extrinsic asthma is more common therfore Allergy tests particulrly for the food allergens like milk egg fish etc if diagnosed early can help in better control . The allergy tests are simple and very useful provided performed by an expert by Skin tests which is a gold standard . Yet inhaler therapy is the conrnerstone of treatment . There are state of art molecules of steroids inhalers which are preventive inhalers and are meant for regular long term use to take care of inflammation which is the main pathology of Asthma . They are safe and essential , are the surest method for drug delivery into the inflamed airways which are causing reversible obstruction resulting into asthma . The second group of inhalers are bronchodialators which are necessary in emergency and for long term management too but are temporarily helpful without steroid inhalers . Inspite of affordable inhalers people often worry a lot and reject the inhaler use due to many myths associated with the word stetoid . People are not willing to accept the diagnosis of Asthma as though its a tabboo ! inspite of very good tests to test food allergy people often stop mamy food like rice curd banana etc nutritious food just due to myths of not giving white food ! Due to myths children are nutrionaly deprived and also life becomes complex . Why stop food on presumptions when allergy tests are easy .Just a word of caution that allergy tests must not be done simply by sending blood sample to lab without consukting the allergy specialist . Labs have to be guided by the allergy specialist about what to test in the particular patient . Each patient is an individual general rules of testing every thing is a disaster . The Allergy tests are best performed by the doctor after detailed history and examination of patient to decide what to test . Thus in Bronchial Asthma Health education at every step is most important for acceptance of diagnosis , for acceptance of inhalers , for not getting scared with name steroid inhaler , for understanding the technique , for recognising allergy diagnosis early rather than indiscriminate use of antibiotics ,not stopping food based on myths , if test is needed not to fall pray to remote testing by labs without allergy specialist deciding what to test . Patients must follow the treatment diligently rather than stopping it as soon as there is relief in that particular attack . Lets attack Asthma by all means and let everyone breath lung full !