Asthma and Its Symptoms

In his book, Essential Allergy, Niels Mygind defines asthma as,

"A lung disease characterised by: 1, variable and reversible airway obstruction; 2, airway inflammation; and 3, bronchial hyper-responsiveness."

Asthma is a disease where bronchial tubes are sensitive to irritants, which cause them to inflame and produce difficult breathing. The inflammation can cause,

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* contraction of muscles around the air passages,
* swelling of the airway lining due to airway inflammation, and,
* excessive mucus in the airways.

Asthma occurs in most western countries and is the leading chronic illness of children.

Asthma, in some cases, cannot be cured, but for most patients it can be controlled so that they have only minimal and infrequent symptoms and they can live an active life.

If you have asthma, managing it is an important part of your life. Controlling your asthma means staying away from things that bother your airways and taking medicines or natural remedies as directed by your doctor.

When a person experiences a worsening of their asthma symptoms, it is called an asthma episode or, in severe cases, an asthma attack. During an asthma attack, smooth muscles around the bronchial tubes contract, making the airway openings narrower so less air can flow through. Inflammation increases and the airways become more swollen and narrow. Cells in the airways also make more mucus than usual, which narrows the airways further. The changes to the airways cause the symptoms of asthma.

Asthma attacks are not all the same-some are worse than others. In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close so much that not enough oxygen gets to vital organs. This condition is a medical emergency. People can die from severe asthma attacks. A person suffering from an asthma attack has a sensation similar to drowning.

Learning the warning signs or asthma symptoms can often alert a sufferer in time to take preventive action, such as medication or natural remedies.

Asthma attacks can occur over a long period of time. Although there are times when acute episodes strike asthmatics, most asthma sufferers say that there are long periods during which they suffer few, if any, asthma symptoms.

Here are some asthma symptoms:

* Coughing. Coughing in people with asthma is often worse at night or early in the morning, making it hard for them to sleep. This may be the only symptom a child with asthma has.
* Wheezing. Wheezing is a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe.
* A tight feeling in the chest. This can feel like someone is squeezing or sitting on your chest.
* Shortness of breath. Asthma sufferers often say they can't catch their breath, or they feel breathless or out of breath.
* Narrowing of the air passages in the lungs and hence increased resistance to airflow.
* Significant reversibility with steroid drugs
* Symptom-free periods
* Frequent occurrence of allergy
* Inflammation of the air passages
* Bronchial hyper-responsiveness to non-specific stimuli such as cold air, air pollution, pollen, dust, or other irritants
* Asthma symptoms brought on by exercises
* Coughing or wheezing brought on by prolonged crying or laughing

Not all people have these symptoms, and symptoms may vary from one asthma attack to another. Some symptoms are mild and some are life threatening.

Symptoms also differ in how often they occur. Some people with asthma only have symptoms once every few months, others have symptoms every week, and still other people have symptoms every day.

Learn how to use natural remedies to reduce asthma attacks and to eliminate many of the asthma symptoms

My name is IN Salam. I'm a blogger that write about asthma and it's medication. Feel free to read my article at http://pediatricasthma.co.cc/

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Asthma Treatment -Home Remedies for Mild Asthma

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Effects of Asthma Medicine on Pregnancy!

Women suffering with asthma always have doubts that will asthma medicine harm my child? As five percent of pregnant women are asthmatic, this is a common problem. The important news is that asthma medicine is known to be very safe during pregnancy. So, pregnant women can enjoy asthma free pregnancy with asthma medicine.

Your asthma symptoms may get worse or may be better or does not change at all during pregnancy. If your asthma is severe, chances are it can become worse during pregnancy.
If you want a healthy baby, you should be healthy. It is very important to treat asthma in pregnancy because the risks of uncontrolled asthma in pregnancy are greater than the risks of asthma medicine.

There is no information about the safety of new asthma drugs in pregnancy because a woman who is pregnant and who might become pregnant does not take part in the safety tests during the testing of drugs, because of the fear of harming the baby.

Even the drug manufacturers do not take risk with unborn babies. New asthma drug should be avoided during pregnancy if possible.

But the old asthma medicine has been used from years. These old asthma medicines have been used for years during pregnancy and are known to be safe in pregnancy and the drugs which are not safe are not used as long before they are declared as unsafe.

Pregnant women have doubt about the use of inhalers. The doctors believe that the amount of medicine you get from an inhaler is small and goes directly to the lungs and it is not likely to harm your baby. 

Effects of asthma in pregnancy:

Especially in the third trimester, asthma improves with pregnancy. Due to the increasing size of uterus, sensation of breathlessness occurs and this is mistaken as worsening of asthma.

Many women experience worsening asthma symptoms as they stop using asthma medicine due to the fear of side effects on the unborn child. Women who stop their asthma medicine have worsened asthma symptoms and are more at risk of early labor and poor growth of baby. 

Asthma medicine and pregnancy:

Visit your doctor soon after realizing that you are pregnant to discuss about the best way to manage the symptoms of asthma with asthma medicine. The doctor will prescribe effective asthma medicine during pregnancy and continue to workout throughout your pregnancy to ensure the treatment is effective without side effects.

Taking asthma medicine during pregnancy:

• Follow the directions according to your doctor about when to take asthma medicine and how much dosage to take.
• Talk to your doctor before taking any new asthma medicine.
• Don't stop taking asthma medicine unless and until your doctor tells you to.
• Controlling your asthma in pregnancy:
• You have to take the asthma medicine as prescribed during pregnancy.
• Monitor your asthma using a peak flow meter and observe your breathing symptoms.
• Call your doctor if your asthma medicine is not working well.
• Avoid things that trigger your asthma attack.

You can take a flu shot if you are pregnant during flu season. Visit Asthma Treatment
Allergy Asthma blog helps you learn everything you need to know about allergy relief. Know more about asthma control & protect yourself to improve your quality of life. Visit http://www.allergyasthmazone.com

You may also like to Read:

Asthma Treatment -Home Remedies for Mild Asthma

Effective AsthmaTreatment Methods

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Effective Asthma Treatment Methods

For the asthma patient, there is no hope for a cure. The symptoms and onset of asthma attacks can be very uncomfortable and overwhelming for the victim. There is hope for treatment of the symptoms and attacks that are associated with asthma. If you or someone you know suffers from this non curable disease, please read on as we will be covering some effective methods of asthma treatment.

Asthma Treatment Today

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There is a wide variety of asthma treatment methods on the market today; the first one we will examine is called the Asthma Control Test. The Asthma Control Test a method that determines the severity of your asthmatic condition. Once the evaluation is performed, the results will allow you and your physician to work towards a resolution on a proper asthma treatment.

Another form of asthma treatment, though quite basic, is simply to avoid triggers such as irritants and allergens. These triggers often lead the asthmatic individual to experience symptoms and an attack. The following outlines some steps that you can take to avoid triggers:
Talk to your Doctor about the medicines you are taking, as some of them induce asthma to act up. Some examples that may cause symptoms are Aspirin, Ibuprofen and Eye Drops.

Get your annual Flu Shot.

Keep a food journal and if you start to experience asthma symptoms, avoid the foods that are causing the issues.

During Allergy Season, avoid outdoor exposure when pollen counts are high. This usually occurs midday and afternoon hours.

Close doors and windows to reduce the amount of airborne pollens and molds you come in contact with.

Remove any mold that may be inside the home. If you see mold on items in your home, like shower curtains, etc, clean them with bleach. If bleach induces an asthma attack, ask someone for help. Ensure that you promptly fix any leaky faucets and pipes as moisture encourages mold to breed.

Avoid items like cigarette smoke, pipes, perfumes, sprays, paint, and powders.
Using an air conditioner can help in relieving asthma symptoms.

If you start to experience asthma symptoms, take a break. Do not force yourself or over-exert yourself.

Try to limit and/or avoid exposure to pets.

Keep your home as clean and dust free as possible. Take special care to clean thoroughly in the bathrooms, kitchens and basements.

While one person may gain relief from asthma symptoms by ensuring they follow each of the above listed precautions, other people may not be as successful. The main idea is to experiment and decide what works best for you and your situation. For sufferers of asthma, finding an effective asthma treatment may be a long process. You may have to experience different methods and treatments. It could take time and a variety of asthma treatment methods, but the asthma can be controlled by utilizing appropriate treatments.

Remember, before starting any asthma treatment program, or making changes to your daily routine, it is important to contact your physician.

There is hope!

Resources of asthma treatments can be found at: http://www.asthmatreatments.us and here

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AsthmaTreatment - Home Remedies for Mild Asthma

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Asthma Treatment - Home Remedies for Mild Asthma

What is Asthma?

Asthma statistics show this disease now affects 17 million people in the United States. The tendency to develop asthma is inherited, and it is more common among people who have allergies. There are two forms of asthma, allergic asthma and nonallergic asthma. Allergic asthma is very common and it develops in people who have allergies.

Asthma is a common lung disease affecting millions of people worldwide. It is caused by narrowing of the airways (breathing tubes) in the lungs. This narrowing is partially or completely reversible. Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most often starts during childhood.

People who have asthma have inflamed airways (breathing tubes) and these swollen airways are very sensitive also. They tend to react strongly to certain inhaled substances. When the airways react, the muscles around them tighten. This narrows the airways, causing less air to flow into the lungs and can result in asthma symptoms.

Causes for Asthma

Common asthma triggers generally fall into several categories:

• Respiratory infections
• Dust, pollen, and furred animals
• Tobacco smoke or chemicals
• Physical activity
• Emotional stress
• Menstrual cycle in some women
• Certain medicines

A small number of patients will develop asthmatic symptoms after exposure to aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, like ibuprofen or naproxen.

In the case of nonallergic asthma, the triggers that irritate the lungs and bring on asthma symptoms have nothing to do with allergies or the immune system. This type of asthma can be initiated by dry air, cold weather, exercise, smoke, strong perfume, stressful situations, intense emotions etc.

Symptoms for Asthma

The typical symptoms of allergic and nonallergic asthma are similar. Symptoms of asthma include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. The symptoms may occur immediately following contact with a trigger or may be delayed.

Asthma Remedies

Normally there is no cure for asthma, but asthma, whether they are mild, moderate, or severe, allergic or nonallergic, can be managed. Doctors who specialize in treating asthma can be very helpful. In addition to the use of medicines, you can use home remedies to control your asthma. Smoking should be completely avoided; all the medicine in the world won't help an asthma sufferer if he or she smokes.

Watch a video below by Yocheved Bat-Imedt  describing the First Aid for mild Asthma Attack:

Immediate helpful remedies for asthma attack:

·         Seek for fresh air.

·         Drink warm water.

·         Keep yourself in sited position.

·         Don’t get angry or stressed.

Patients with infrequent and mild symptoms of asthma should be treated intermittently with the goal of quick symptom relief. The principles of treatment for a mild attack of asthma are mostly the same for adults and children, except in the use of inhaled corticosteroids.

• BRONCHODILATOR THERAPY: Use a short-acting beta2 agonist via a pressurized metered dose inhaler.
• CORTICOSTEROIDS: In adults, inhaled corticosteroids should be continued until review.
• FOR CHILDREN: A short course of montelukast (7 days) may be beneficial if started at the first signs of a cold or asthma symptoms. 

        FOLLOW UP: For a patient presenting with features of a mild acute attack arrangements should be made for review of the situation 1 to 24 hours depending on the context. If there has not been significant symptomatic response to this treatment with bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids, the patient should be reassessed clinically and considered for hospital admission.

Children should be observed for at least 1 hour after the attack subsides.

Some Home Remedies for Mild Asthma

• USE SALINE SOLUTION: Irrigating the nose with saline solution (salt water) may help to soothe upper respiratory allergies. Saline solution may even wash away some of the inflammatory cells themselves.
• DRINK PEPPERMINT TEA: Peppermint acts as a decongestant, and substances in peppermint contain anti-inflammatory and mild antibacterial constituents.
• STEAM YOUR FACE: It helps rid the nasal passages of mucus. Breathe gently for 5 to 10 minutes. When you're finished breathing steam, rinse a cloth with this water and hold the cloth on your sinuses (to the sides of your nose, below the eyes, and above the eyebrows).

Asthma is not a killing disease, but it can make your life worse if you don’t take appropriate treatment and necessary precautions.  Treatment should be taken systematically for a long duration to fight against this disease.  Follow the tips given below as a preventive measure:

•          Keep away from dust.
•          Avoid chemicals includes, paint, acids etc,
•         Control your overweight and avoid over eating.
•          Should not eat too much oily food.
•          Avoid over exercise.

Since asthma has practically no cure through medicines, it can be cured through life style changes.  Click Here to learn more about Natural Treatment Method for the Permanent Cure of Asthma.

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