You Might Not Actually Have Asthma After All, New Study Finds

Did your asthma disappear? Or was it never asthma to begin with?

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Doctors and researchers have found some asthma news that you should know.

“Among adults with physician-diagnosed asthma, a current diagnosis of asthma could not be established in 33.1% who were not using daily asthma medications or had medications weaned” a new study by the Journal of American Medical Association has found.

This means that 33 percent of participants in the study were either misdiagnosed with asthma or their asthma was is in remission.

Physicians still don’t know how many periods of remission a person with asthma may have, the study states. However, it’s important to remember that asthma is still a chronic disease.

“We all need to do a better job of asthma management in Canada. Asthma is a fairly common lung disease, yet there are still gaps in knowledge when it comes to both diagnosis and treatment” says Debra Lynkowski, CEO of The Lung Association.

Is It Asthma?

If you think you might have asthma, be sure to ask your doctor about taking a spirometry test, which is an easy and painless breathing test.

Asthma continues to be one of the most prevalent chronic conditions affecting Canadians, according to the Asthma Society of Canada. Currently, there are over 3 million Canadians who are living with asthma.