Birmingham, AL – The University of Alabama at Birmingham is the first hospital in the state to use a new type of treatment for asthma.
The procedure is called bronchial thermoplasty. It involves sending heat into the airways delivered by thin wires going down a person's airway. This causes the smooth muscle tissue in the airways to expand, allowing for better airflow for asthma sufferers.
Researchers say the procedure works better for asthma sufferers than common inhalers or breathing treatments.
The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine reports that the procedure reduced asthma attacks 32 percent, and emergency room visits for respiratory symptoms were reduced by 84 percent.
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