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Asthma Specialist

Amanuel Sima, M.D., F.A.A.S.M.

Internist & Pulmonologist located in Beverly Hills, CA & Inglewood, CA

Asthma affects nearly 8% of all adults, who may have had asthma since childhood or had their first asthma attack later in life. Dr. Amanuel Sima, MD, specializes in pulmonary medicine, helping patients with asthma prevent future flare-ups with medications and a lifestyle plan to avoid triggers. To schedule an appointment, call one of the offices in Beverly Hills and Inglewood, California, or use the online booking feature.

Asthma Q & A

What causes asthma?

Asthma is a lung disorder that begins when your airways become inflamed. In response to the inflammation, the airways become swollen, muscles lining the tubes tighten, and the lungs produce extra mucus. As a result, your airways narrow, and you develop the symptoms of asthma. Once asthma develops, your airways remain inflamed, making it easy for triggers to cause a quick flare-up.

What triggers asthma?

Triggers are anything that aggravates your lungs and causes an asthma attack. If you have allergies to airborne substances such as pollen, dust mites, and mold, there’s a good chance your allergies will trigger an asthma flare-up.

Other common triggers include:

  • Stress
  • Cold air
  • Acid reflux
  • Tobacco smoke
  • Chemical fumes
  • Strong odors
  • Respiratory infections

Many patients with asthma have a flare-up when they exercise, a problem that develops when you inhale cool air through your mouth instead of your nose. Your nose is designed to warm and moisturize the air before it reaches your lungs. Breathing through your mouth allows cool and dry air to reach your airways and trigger your asthma.

What symptoms develop due to asthma?

Asthma causes one or more of these symptoms:

  • Chest pain or tightness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Dry cough
  • Wheezing

Everyone with asthma may cough, especially at night or when they exercise. However, there is a type of asthma — cough variant asthma — that causes only one symptom: a chronic cough.

How is asthma treated?

After a thorough examination and reviewing your medical history, Dr. Sima performs on-site pulmonary function testing, such as spirometry, to determine the severity of your asthma. While your treatment is customized to meet your health needs, the key components include:

Identifying triggers

Dr. Sima helps you identify your potential asthma triggers, then develops a workable plan to avoid those triggers. When allergies are suspected, he recommends allergy testing and possibly immunotherapy to reduce your allergic response. Treating your allergies also helps prevent asthma attacks.

Quick-relief medication

Quick-relief medications, also called rescue inhalers, are designed to quickly open your airways during an asthma attack. You can also use a nebulizer machine, which turns the medication into a mist that rapidly penetrates your lungs to restore breathing.

Long-term medications

Dr. Sima may prescribe a medication that you take every day, even when your airways are clear. Long-term asthma medications help prevent future asthma attacks by relieving chronic inflammation.

When you develop signs of asthma, call Dr. Amanuel Sima, MD, or schedule an appointment online.