Asthma: The soul also needs help

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MunichNot being able to breathe properly anymore, this idea is frightening. For many asthma patients this is the reality of life - with consequences for mental balance. One in four of them struggles with mental health problems. If they are alleviated, the lungs also benefit.

Treating severe asthma is often difficult. This puts a strain on the psyche: 25 to 29 percent of patients develop mental problems. Andrew Tan and his colleagues at University Hospital Southampton investigated whether counseling these patients could have a positive effect on their asthma symptoms. The researchers selected eleven asthmatics who, in addition to lung disease, also showed psychological problems such as fears or depressive moods. This mental condition was diagnosed when the patients were hospitalized for an acute asthma attack.

Hospital stays halved

All test persons received an appointment with a psychologist and then between 6 and 20 therapeutic sessions. The researchers later compared the number of admissions six months before the psychological intervention and the six months after it. It showed that the psychological care reduced hospital stays from 19 to 10. Overall, this small study was able to reduce the number of acute emergencies by almost 50 percent.

"Our study could make a decisive contribution to clarifying how severe asthma should be treated," said Tan. According to him, the psyche is still not given enough consideration in the therapy of these patients. In addition to psychological care, psychological care can not only alleviate physical symptoms and improve the quality of life of those affected, but also save money for the health system, say the researchers.

Hypersensitive bronchi

Asthma sufferers have hypersensitive airways. Your bronchi react to various stimuli with inflammation. The mucous membrane swells, the bronchi constrict, and air is difficult to breathe in and out. The lungs also produce thick mucus. People with asthma especially have difficulty exhaling. The consequences are recurring attacks of shortness of breath, coughing and shortness of breath.

Asthma affects people of all ages and is one of the most common chronic diseases. It affects up to ten percent of children and around five percent of adults in Germany. (lh)

Source: Tan, A. et al .: The impact of input from a psychologist on a cohort of asthmatic frequent fliers; Lecture at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) on September 5th, 2014

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