Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways, specifically the bronchi and bronchioles, where the inner lining swells, the surrounding smooth muscle tightens, and excessive mucus accumulates. The result: a pipe that should be roughly 3–4 mm in diameter gets squeezed down to a fraction of that during an attack. What makes asthma particularly tricky is that it is reversible, at least in most cases. Between episodes, many patients feel perfectly normal. That 'normal feeling' is also why people often stop treatment too soon. Big mistake.
Allergic asthma is by far the most common type we see. It is triggered by allergens - dust mites from old mattresses, cockroach droppings in kitchens, pollen during seasonal changes, and pet dander. Then there is non-allergic asthma, which can be triggered by cold air, exercise, respiratory infections, or even strong emotional stress. Some patients have what we call occupational asthma, worsening symptoms tied to their work environment. We see this occasionally in painters, construction workers, and those in the chemical industries around the Navi Mumbai belt.
Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction is another category worth mentioning, particularly relevant to younger, active patients who notice chest tightness specifically during or right after physical exertion. And then there is cough-variant asthma, where the only symptom is a persistent, dry, often nocturnal cough. Many of these patients spend months on antibiotics before someone thinks to check their peak flow.
Asthma often runs in families. If one parent has it, the child's risk is roughly 25%. If both parents have it, that risk can climb to 50% or more. But genetics alone does not tell the full story. Some common triggers we consistently hear about in consultations:
Stress and anxiety can also worsen asthma.
You should seek specialist consultation if your symptoms are occurring more than twice a week, if nighttime symptoms are waking you up regularly, if you are using your reliever inhaler more than twice a week, or if your activity is being restricted by breathlessness.
In children, asthma may not always look like classic breathlessness. A child who frequently complains of stomach pain before school, who avoids physical games, or who has a chronic cough that gets worse at night, these are presentations we see regularly. Parents often assume it is just a 'weak chest' or frequent colds. Recurrent wheezing in a child below 5 years, particularly with a family history of atopy, should be evaluated properly.
Spirometry can be done in children above the age of 5 to 6 years quite reliably. For younger children, we often make a clinical diagnosis and assess response to a trial of bronchodilator therapy. Early diagnosis matters; uncontrolled asthma in children affects sleep, school attendance, and overall development.
Adult-onset asthma does occur, even in patients in their 50s and 60s. The challenge in older patients is that asthma often coexists with other conditions, such as heart disease, GERD, and sinusitis, and these can mimic or worsen asthmatic symptoms. We frequently see patients who have been treated for cardiac failure or GERD for months, with asthma being an underlying or concurrent diagnosis.
Elderly patients may also have reduced perception of breathlessness; they simply feel less and therefore present later, with more severe disease. Medication interactions are another concern: beta-blockers commonly prescribed for hypertension or coronary artery disease can significantly worsen asthma.
A detailed history is still the cornerstone. We ask about symptom timing, duration, triggers, family history, and any response to previous inhalers. The physical examination, listening to the chest with a stethoscope, looking at accessory muscle use, and checking oxygen saturation, all of this guides doctors. We then do a simple breathing test called spirometry, where you blow into a device that measures how freely air moves through your lungs. Sometimes a chest X-ray or allergy test is added.
Inhalers are the most effective treatment; they deliver medication directly to the airways with fewer side effects than tablets or syrups. Treatment involves two types:
For severe asthma, biologic injections given every 2–4 weeks may be recommended.
About 5–10% of asthma patients have severe disease that does not respond adequately to standard step-up therapy. These patients may require repeated hospitalizations, systemic steroids, or specialist review for biologic eligibility. Severe asthma needs a different, more structured approach, a detailed phenotyping process to understand whether the patient has eosinophilic asthma, allergic asthma, or another subtype, so the right biologic agent can be selected. Asthma specialist doctors in Navi Mumbai at UMC Hospitals guide you with advanced care.
Our Department of Pulmonology brings together experienced specialists with dedicated infrastructure for respiratory care. We offer in-house spirometry, bronchodilator reversibility testing, FeNO measurement, allergy skin prick testing, and sleep study facilities. Our team follows globally approved guidelines to diagnose and treat asthma. UMC Hospitals, the best asthma treatment hospital in Navi Mumbai, is committed to helping asthmatics with the best possible asthma care.
Group Member of 
