The Prevalence of Asthma in the U.S. & How CBD Helps

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 13 people have asthma. With that said, whether it is something that you suffer from or someone you know suffers from, commonly known symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, and more. Those who struggle with asthma or any other respiratory condition are affected doing everyday activities that those who don’t have asthma may not even realize. It’s harder to breathe, but with proper treatment and care, breathing can become easier for many. With that said, the prevalence of asthma in the United States continues to soar. As many seek treatment from inhalers to other steroids, there is one treatment method that is emerging and that is CBD for asthma. 

What is asthma and how common is it?

Asthma is a respiratory condition that causes difficulty in breathing. Asthma causes the airways in the lungs to become inflamed, therefore making it harder for air to pass through and making it harder to breathe. Asthma can be caused in individuals for several reasons. The first is that it simply can be hereditary and run in the family. Others may develop it as a child from illnesses, and others may develop exercise-induced asthma that simply flares up when engaging in physical activity. Asthma can be triggered for several reasons, these can include severe weather, (allergies) and more. Although symptoms can range from mild to severe depending on the individual, many experience similar effects across the board. These include wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing, chest pains, and more. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation (AAFA) presents a wide range of facts and figures concerning the prevalence of asthma in the country. 

According to the AAFA:

• Asthma has been increasing since the early 1980s in all age, sex, and racial groups.
• Asthma is more common in adult women than adult men. 
• Asthma is the leading chronic disease in children.
• More than 25 million Americans have asthma.

Being increasingly aware of these conditions and the prevalence can you help you to better understand your symptoms or those of someone that you know.

The most common form of treatment for many that suffer from asthma is a bronchodilator. Many that suffer from asthma take steroids or inhalers to improve breathing, such as Albuterol for example. However, many people often struggle with the side effects that can come with an inhaler including a sore mouth or throat, oral thrush, nosebleeds, and other factors. CBD is a considered solution to this problem because it does not cause any side effects.

What is CBD?

Do you know your cannabidiol? Let’s fill you in. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid from the cannabis plant that is often used in the health and self-care space. Over the past few years, more and more discoveries have surfaced about how CBD can help many people with conditions such as insomnia to anxiety and even arthritis. CBD works alongside your body’s Endocannabinoid System to keep it balanced and therefore improving your body’s immune system and other functions. Because CBD is non-psychoactive, it does not give the feeling of a “high” and is purely used to help relax or to manage symptoms. CBD can be taken in many ways depending on the consumer’s need which we will talk about a little later on in this ai images .  

CBD and Asthma

We’ve talked about (asthma and CBD), but how do the two match up? Just like other proven benefits of CBD, there is a great deal of research conducted showing the ways that CBD can help to reduce and alleviate the symptoms of this respiratory condition. CBD can help with chest pains that are often common for those who are suffering through an asthma attack. Additionally, CBD is an anti-inflammatory which helps to combat the main issue from asthma, which is the inflammation of the airways in the lungs. By helping with inflammation, the airways expand and it becomes easier to breathe. CBD is also helpful for allergies for the same reason.

Conclusion

Asthma continues to affect a great deal of the population and managing these symptoms is more important than ever as we continue to navigate through COVID-19. It is important to have a full understanding of this condition whether it affects you or someone else that you know. The more that you know about different forms of treatment, the more you’ll be able to understand what is best for you. Be sure to consult with a medical professional and continue to do your research before making any changes to your current treatment plan.