Asthma

Over the past few years, the air quality in India has degraded to dangerous levels causing severe respiratory diseases in many. Asthma is one of the oldest and most long-term diseases that has been affecting a majority of people around the world. In general terms, asthma is a condition that is related to breathing and similar issues in a person.

As per the medical definitions, Bronchial Asthma is a chronic disease affecting the respiratory tract of the person. Here the airways and passages get narrowed down due to the inflammation caused in the muscles. The narrowing of the passages ultimately causes recurrent wheezing and breathlessness in the person. Bronchial Asthma in severe cases can make you visit the emergency rooms often if not taken care of properly.

The actual causes of Asthma have still not been pinpointed. Moreover, the reason why some people have the severe version of the disease, others minor and the rest don’t at all is a matter of research till now. Having said this, doctors generally say that asthma causes can be due to a combination of factors including environmental and genetic factors.

Doctors believe there are some substances or conditions that can trigger allergies and asthma symptoms in a person. These are called asthma triggers. Different people react differently to these factors. Common asthma triggers include:

• Certain allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, pollen, mould, etc.
• Infection such as colds, flu, or sinusitis.
• Substances that have strong odours like perfumes, cleaning agents, paint, etc
• Tobacco smoke
• Air pollution
• Anxiety, stress, laughter, or trauma
• Excessive exercise
• Medicines like aspirin.

Asthma patients generally have obvious symptoms, however, they may look similar to those of other respiratory diseases.

Some common asthma symptoms are:

• Coughing
• Breathlessness
• Recurrent wheezing
• Chest pain
• Chest tightness or pressure.

Symptoms of Asthma Attack

An asthma attack is a condition when all the muscles around the airway passages are triggered to tighten, narrowing the passage badly. This issue is called bronchospasm.

Common symptoms of an asthma attack:

• Severe wheezing
• Trouble breathing
• Very rapid breathing
• Chest pain or pressure
• Retractions
• Difficulty in talking
• Pale, blue and sweaty face
• Blue lips and fingernails
• Feeling of anxiety or stress.
• Panic attacks

Asthma is a long term disease that can occur to anyone at any age. There are a few preventive measures that can be taken to keep this disease in control.

• Limit outdoor activities when the outside climate is extremely hot, humid or cold
• Avoid extreme temperature change in a short span of time.
• If you are feeling any signs of allergy try removing soft toys and carpets from your rooms.
• Do not allow dust to collect around
• Prevent your exposure to dust, moulds, pollens, or other asthma triggers.
• Quit smoking or tobacco intake
• Avoid passive smoking
• Avoid using items that have a strong odour
• Try including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet
• Eat foods that are rich in Omega -3 Fatty acids like flaxseed oil, fish oil, chia seeds, fatty fish, seafood, soybean, spinach etc.
• Avoid consuming packaged foods or foods that have high amounts of preservatives
• Avoid heavy meals.

Bronchial Asthma is a disease that can lead to an emergency at any time. The lifelong treatments and expensive medications drain out the savings and cause a mental as well as a financial burden. In this situation going for health insurance that can take care of your asthma is the best decision ever.

According to The Lancet Global Health Journal reports, 300 million people have asthma globally, out of which 37.9 million are Indians. It means that every eighth person in India suffers from the lung disease, Asthma. It is a chronic medical condition and can lead to a medical emergency anytime.

Therefore, having health insurance for Asthma can help in the following ways:

1. Cover For Urgent Hospitalization

Inflammation in the respiratory tract can cause sudden attacks of Asthma and the patients may require urgent hospitalization and medical attention. These are very common cases and the probability cannot be overlooked at all. Critical asthma treatment can be costly and hence having health insurance for asthma can help in covering the costs.

2. Coverage For Diagnostic Tests

Several tests starting from chest X-ray to pulmonary function test are conducted during the treatment of asthma, especially if you are hospitalized. All these tests and medication inflate your bills in no time. Hence, having a policy can help you in managing the bills. Always check for the availability of coverage with your health insurance company.

3. Coverage For Expensive Treatment

The treatment of asthma patients comes costly owing to the doctor’s consultation fee, medicine costs, and inhaler/nebulizer costing. The medicines and inhalers come costly which can directly reflect on your pocket if you have not invested in an asthma health insurance plan.

4. Deal with the Unavoidables

Air pollution is constantly on the rise, which is not very good news for asthma patients. It will increase complexities in their life. According to IQAir, 22 out of the 30 most polluted cities in the world are in India. The work-from-home culture has also contributed to the sedentary lifestyle of people.

The coverage of a health insurance plan for asthma depends on the plan that you have opted for. Always check with your insurer for the costs that are covered under the policy. In most cases, the inclusions in health insurance plans for asthma are as follows:

• In case of a sudden asthma attack, your hospital bill will be taken care of by the insurance provider. ICU charges, room rent, doctors’ fees are covered as per the plan features.
• Most plans cover the following treatments:
  • Doctor’s consultation fee
  • Diagnostic tests
  • Cost of medicines
  • Hospitalization
• The health plan will cover the expenses that are incurred before and after the hospitalization due to asthma. The number of days depends on the plan.
• Depending on the plan, you may be eligible for annual health check-ups or wellness programs that are offered.
• Diagnostic tests will be covered by the insurance provider according to the policy..

Under asthma health insurance, the following situations are not covered:

• Injuries/accidents that happen due to participation in adventure activities are not covered.
• Self-inflicted injuries will not be covered.
• Sexually transmitted diseases are not covered.