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Things You Must Know About Asthma

August 30th, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

Asthma is a disease of the lungs; it affects your breathing mechanism. It is triggered by certain irritants, which are known as triggers. You could acquire this disease from your parents too since it is hereditary in nature. Cure for asthma is easily available these days. Unlike few decades ago, the death rate due to this disease was quite high. In fact, chronic breathing problems often caused early deaths among people. The current situation is far better, advancement in medical science has increased longevity.

Earlier, drugs were administered through oral medicines. The medicine would enter the patients blood stream and work on the lungs. However, with the advancement in medical science, medicines are not administered orally. The doses are delivered in the form of sprays and pumps, which are inhaled through the mouth or nostrils. This system enables the medicine to work directly on the affected area, i.e. lungs. The medicine does not enter your blood stream and offers quick relief. There are different types of asthma and in this article, we shall discuss some of the common types.

Types

Allergic asthma: This condition occurs when you come in contact with an allergen or trigger. The trigger could be a food item, stress, environmental pollution and so on. For instance, you may get an attack if you inhale smoke, chemicals, vapors, dust etc. Similarly, certain foods like ice cream, cake, junk food too may have an allergic reaction. Stress too causes this condition.

Nocturnal asthma: In this type of breathing problem, the patient does not experience any breathing difficulty during the day. An attack is triggered only in the night. Typically, the patient may feel uneasy between 12 pm to 8 am. Medical attention is required for curing this condition.

Cough induced asthma: This occurs when there is congestion in the lungs. When lungs are blocked with cough, they cannot function properly. Chronic bronchitis or sinus condition can also cause this condition.

Exercise induced: Some of the symptoms of exercise-induced breathing problem may be wheezing, coughing and panting. However, minor breathlessness is natural during and after exercise. If you experience severe breathlessness and choking then you must consult a doctor to check if you are asthmatic.

The treatment or cure for asthma should not be delayed. It requires medical attention since it can aggravate if left untreated. There are some other types of breathing problem too like occupational, child onset, adult onset and steroid resistant asthma.

Carpet Versus Tile

August 14th, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

The carpet versus tile debate, as old as travertine itself it seems, continues to confound and confuse people, especially those suffering from asthma and other lung-related diseases.

Carpet provides a soft place to fall, especially for roughhousing youngsters and toddlers learning to walk. For adults, it cushions joints and is easier to stand on for long periods of time. On the flip side, the comfort provided by a carpeting system is also a catch-all for dust, dirt, mildew, mold, microscopic pests, and waste material from family pets.

There is the argument that glues, backing, and padding used to lay carpeting–as well as the carpet itself–can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may cause headaches and worsen respiratory problems such as asthma. VOCs can evaporate or off gas into the air; and since they are heavier than air, they settle on the floor, the area where small children are prone to spend the majority of their time playing and sitting.. In colder weather the indoor air quality can become worse due to the build up of the indoor pollutants, exacerbating respiratory symptoms.

Additionally, unwanted pests can thrive in this environment that provides them plenty to eat and a safe haven to prosper and multiply. Dust mites like to live in dark, damp environments like carpet and can be found at its base. In one square meter of carpet up to 100,000 dust mites may be found. The prolific waste produced by these microscopic critters is considered to be a top allergy and asthma trigger. Vacuuming and steam cleaning carpeting help to reduce the dust mite population; however, it does not eliminate it. In fact, if too much moisture is left on the carpeting, mold and mildew may develop; and the dust mites may proliferate.

If pets are thrown into the mix, the carpet is a veritable sinkhole for pet dander, hair, and animal waste particles, as well as the dirt and grime tracked in from the outside. The older the carpet gets, the more debris and dust mite waste collects in the carpeting.

For the aforementioned reasons, many people with health concerns decide to rip up the carpeting and install tile. Travertine is one such popular type of tile in use today as it has a stellar appearance and enhances the beauty and value of a home.

Although dirt in the carpet is no longer a problem once tile has been installed, there is a new challenge to consider: the dust, dirt and debris, once trapped by the carpet, becomes free-floating in the air. For that reason, frequent cleaning of tile is required. It is also suggested that runners, area rugs, and small throw rugs made from natural fibers be used. These can easily be washed, and the floor beneath them can be cleaned.

Making the decision as to whether tile or carpet is the right choice is a very personal one and based on many factors. Even though the carpet versus tile debate will continue, what really matters is one’s personal decision as to what will best abate the allergy and asthma symptoms. It does not have to be carpet versus tile. It can be a decision to use carpet and tile in different configurations to achieve the most comfort and minimize the amount of allergens in your oasis that you call home.

Control Your Asthma Naturally

August 4th, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

Your asthma is starting to dictate your life. You are wheezing and coughing so much that your work colleagues always know where you are. That attack you had last year where you ended up in hospital for a few days has left you fearful and frustrated for your future. The amount of medication you are taking is scary and you cannot even get through the night without waking up and needing a few shots from your puffer. You have become tired and exhausted all the time, your allergies, hay fever and colds have all become worse and now you are finding it a struggle to take your dog for a walk each evening.

You also notice that your children are developing breathing problems and this is your worst nightmare. You do not wish your children to go through the terrifying experience of a severe asthma attack but what can you do about it. You know that despite all the asthma medications that you take, your asthma is not really under control and in fact is getting worse.

As if that is not enough, the cost of all this medication is killing you and you suspect that someone else is making a killing off you.

Then you get told that you are allergic to your pets – to your much loved dog and cat and that you should get rid of them. “Should what?” you say. But they are treasured members of the family and you would no more get rid of them than you would get rid of your child. But if they are triggering asthma attacks, what are you to do.

And do you know what? Despite all the literature you have read on asthma, none of it actually makes sense. Breathing is so integral to life how can it all go so wrong? So get this. Asthma is not a disease; asthma is your body’s natural defence against chronic over-breathing. We all understand that just the right amount of food is good for us and more is not better. And so it is with breathing. Just the right amount of breathing is good for us and more is not better. Both too much food and too much breathing can rapidly lead you down the path of chronic and debilitating illness.

Do not wait another day. Learn here what asthma really is and the cause and physiology of it. Learn how to stop an asthma attack without medication and how to stay asthma-free. For a one time very modest sum compared to doctor’s visits and prescription charges I learnt how to breathe the biologically correct way. The scary and daunting problems, the fatigue and the massive cost of breathing problems have all gone. My lovely dog and cat however, have stayed.

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Inhalers For Asthma

July 26th, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

This article is regarding the inhalers for asthma that are widely utilized by several people all over the world. Asthma is a chronic disease that requires mostly a DMARD (chronic treatment) associated with regular monitoring, even if the patient does not feel any symptoms. Asthma can be compared to diabetes or hypertension, chronic diseases requiring long-term treatment short.

Some of the characteristics and solutions of the asthma are listed below:

  • The short-acting bronchodilator medications and fast is prescribed to relieve asthma attacks or episodes of coughing, juvenile equivalent of asthma.
  • They act against the narrowing of the airways and allow them to expand.
  • The patient feels in most cases an improvement after a few minutes helping him breathe better.
  • The duration of action is four to six hours.
  • The bronchodilator medications are also used before exercise to prevent the occurrence of discomfort among people with asthma caused by exercise.

The inhalers may cause tachycardia, rapid heartbeat, which usually diminish quickly. The opinion of a cardiologist may be necessary if these events are worse or if cardiac abnormalities occur. Many people are afraid to take this type of product, because “they are bad for the heart,” that in any case, they are useless. Doctors are sometimes forced to expend great energy to persuading patients to use this type of product. However, they are known to bring about an instant relief.

Some of the common instructions which need to be followed before using the inhalers are to check that the product is not empty, check the expiry date, keep several inhalers at hand, at home or at work for example, when the onset of a crisis that can occur in any circumstance, the dose of bronchodilator medication technique used depends on each person and the severity of asthma and this drug needs to be used for short periods.

Taking more than four puffs per week of rapid-acting inhalers of asthma (1 vial of 200 doses per year) indicates that asthma is not balanced and it is necessary to consult. The need to increase doses of the product, sometimes up to 12 or 15 puffs per day, due to the ineffectiveness of inhaled doses, indicates a worsening of asthma for which he is required to consult urgently. These bronchodilator medications for long duration of action are more often prescribed every day unlike fast-acting bronchodilators that are used in cases of hardship.

Asthma – Do You Find it Hard to Breathe?

July 26th, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

What is asthma?

Asthma comes from the Greek meaning “painting”. The person who has an asthma attack usually pants or feels breathless.

It is an allergic disorder characterized by:

- Resistance to the airflow in the airways, which varies in severity over a short period of time.
- Inflammation of the airways, that is, the bronchial tubes are swollen and red.
- Increased responsiveness to a variety of stimuli.

At any other times, when the person does not suffer from an asthma attack, his breathing is normal.

Signs and Symptoms

Cough, which may be either dry or productive

The mucus glands lining the bronchial tubes start to produce mucus which then blocks the airways. The nerves in walls of the airways are stimulated causing the mucus to be coughed up as sputum. This is called productive cough.

A dry cough which is unaccompanied by moisture is caused by spasm, which is involuntary, violent contraction of the bronchial muscles.

Shortness of breath

The sufferer will have a feel that he is being choked. He feels that he is not getting enough air into the lungs. He will also find it difficult to breathe out. The stale air builds up in the lungs, causing them to become overinflated. As a result, he will breathe too heavily and quickly.

Wheezing

A wheeze is a whistling sound caused by air being forced through narrowed airways. The wheezing may come unexpectedly and may turn worse early in the morning or at night.

Painless feeling of tightness in the chest

Sufferer often feel the tightness of someone standing on their chest.

Other signs of asthma are:

Early Warning Signs

- Symptoms persisting or getting worse even with enough medication
- Inhalations bringing relief that last for hours
- More medication needed than usual
- Coughing more often than before
- Sleep interrupted by wheezing, coughing or even breathlessness

Dangerous Signs

- Feeling exhausted and fatigue
- Sleep being greatly disturbed
- Difficulty in breathing is clearly noticeable, especially during resting
- Feeling very confused, frightened, anxious and drowsy
- Inability to talk (saying a few words only)
- Cyanosis (lips and face turning bluish or bluish purple)
- Asthma worsening quickly rather than slowly, despite the use of medication
- Serious chest pain
- Sweating
- Rapid pulse

It may be noted that sometimes symptoms of asthma may persist for years even though the sufferers are no longer coming into close contact with the offending agents. Hence, a severe asthma attack can still start suddenly, catching everyone by surprise.

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Symptoms of Childhood Asthma

July 24th, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

Asthma symptoms can be quite hard to detect because they are quite similar to allergy and cold symptoms. This is also the reason why asthma in children is usually misdiagnosed. In this article you will be thought how to identify the symptoms of childhood asthma and also the treatment used for asthma today.

What is Asthma?

Asthma is an inflammation of the airways. Airway in the lungs become over sensitive due to asthma. It results in wheezing, coughing and difficulty breathing. Childhood asthma is now the most common chronic childhood illness.

Asthma Symptoms

As mentioned above asthma results in wheezing when exhaling, coughing and difficulty breathing. It also results in chest tightness and chest congestion. Reasons why it can be hard to diagnose is because children who are suffering from asthma are usually always short of breath during and after playing, but so are asthma free children. Asthmatic children never really recover fully after a respiratory infection or a cold. They have trouble sleeping due to their inability to breathe properly.

If you are in doubt of any symptom particularly if you feel it is more than just a cold your child is suffering from then go to your doctor and get his/her advice. Treatment is more effective if caught early.

What the Doctor Will Do

The doctor will ask for a history of respiratory problems in the family and a detailed description of the child’s symptoms. If the child is old enough the doctor will test how much air the child can exhale and inhale and with how much force. These test can measure both, breathing at rest and then after some physical activity. However these tests cannot really be carried out in younger children. In younger children the doctor will rely on exactly what you tell him about the child’s symptoms in order for him to make a diagnosis.

The Effect and Triggers of Asthma

Children who suffer from asthma have over sensitive immune systems. This means that these children are more sensitive to allergens and smoke which causes the airway to become inflamed and swollen resulting in a thick mucus occurring in the lungs. Other trigger of childhood asthma can be childhood illnesses such as colds, viruses, allergen, dust, mould and pollution etc.

How to Prevent Asthma and the Solution

To prevent a child from developing asthma, do not smoke during pregnancy, do not smoke in the same house as a child and keep your house as dust free as possible.

When a child is diagnosed with asthma they are usually given two different inhalers to use; one to prevent attacks from occurring and one to help clear the child’s airways when they are having an asthma attack. When the prevention inhaler is used every day your child should have very few symptoms.

Home Care for Asthma

July 22nd, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

Asthma can be defined as a chronic respiratory problem that makes it very difficult for the patients to maintain a normal respiratory process. An asthma patient has to face these breathing problems because of the malfunctioning of many vital organs of the body. The tissue through which the air passes to the lungs is choked, hence, making it extremely uncomfortable for the afflicted to inhale air. Pollutants are present in the air that, when inhaled, cause more damage than any other substance to our lungs. Prolonged exposure to these harmful pollutants causes asthma.

treatment for astma

Home care is a growing area of medicine that is very applicable to asthma. In addition to teaching about asthma in the comfort of a child’s usual setting, home care staff can check asthma equipment, such as nebulizers, and assess the condition of the home.

Eliminating allergens and improving the air quality of a home can dramatically improve asthma symptoms for some children. Some health insurers recognize the value of home visits and may provide these services in selected cases. If you feel that a home visit would be helpful for your child, discuss this possibility with your primary care provider. An asthma nebulizer, also known as a breathing machine, changes asthma medication from a liquid to a mist, so that it can be more easily inhaled into the lungs. Home nebulizer therapy is particularly effective in delivering asthma medications to infants and small children and to anyone who is unable to use asthma inhalers with spacers.
Types Of Medication:

Depending upon your body type, you can go in for several types of treatments that are available with experts. There are allopathic medicines as well, but these medicines are strong and can cause further irritation to the patient’s body it they don’t suit his body. In such a case, the patient, who is already panicking, may have to go for even harder treatments that can go on for a long period of time. It is therefore advisable that you consult naturopathic doctors who follow the traditional forms of treatment.

Herbal remedies can also prove helpful for asthma. Herbal asthma drugs available in the market contain natural herbs that kill the bacteria, yeasts, and also the fungus that eat up the lungs like wild animals and damage the respiratory system. These herbs have the potential to even kill the root cause of this disease. Such herbal medicines can be ordered online too. If all the countries in the world come together to fight against this dreaded disease, then asthma can definitely be sent to its grave forever.

home remedies for asthma

Respite care is becoming more and more accepted, especially as our population ages. Many times, especially with the elderly, the primary caregiver is a middle-aged woman who is working full time and has children. All of this pressure is difficult to bear.

Home care is really essential, especially when elder people is suffering from asthmatic disorders, as when you yourself cannot take care of your elders or its is not possible for you to be with them always, than hiring a home help carer is the best option, and it also helps elderly people to be comfortable in absence of their loved ones.

Get Rid of Asthma For Good

July 15th, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

Asthma can be very uncomfortable to those who have it. This can be very dangerous because it deals with your breathing pattern. The most important element that a person needs is oxygen. When you have asthma, it’s like you are being deprived of oxygen supply. Asthma can be fatal that it can even cause your life in severe cases. But hey, there’s nothing to worry because asthma attack can be controlled and avoided. The good news is that we can get rid of asthma for good. Here is how.

The first things that an asthma sufferer needs to determine are the causes and their triggers. After determining these causes and triggers, stay away from it as much as possible. If you happen to have a pet like cats, dogs or anything that has feather, hair, and fur, and it so happens that these can trigger your asthma, get rid of them if you can, if not, then at least make your home free from hair, fur, dust pollen, and feathers, etc.

Stay away from extreme temperature and humidity. This can trigger asthma symptoms and attacks. Stay as much as possible in cool places. It’s recommended that people who have asthma, if possible and if they can afford, to have an air conditioner in their room to maintain the cool temperature.

Exercise is also an important factor in managing asthma. Exercise allows your respiratory system to function well; it strengthens your lungs so you can breathe easily. Just do the gentle exercises first, then gradually work you way up to more difficult exercise as your lungs get stronger. It’s always better to have an inhaler beside you all the time for quick relief.
Indian medications
See your doctor as often as possible for further update about your asthma condition. Through that you can discuss further what else to do to get rid of asthma for good. You can make a diary regarding your triggers and attacks then let your doctor read it for him to asses the severity of each that you had. By knowing this information, your doctor can provide with much effective intervention regarding your asthma. And also the right medication regarding your asthma, don’t ever miss or skip your medication. Inhaler is the best remedy for quick relief; always carry an inhaler with you.

These are the best ways to manage your asthma, please be responsible enough to follow your doctor’s instructions. It may not be that easy but you need to realize that you’re also the one who’s going to benefit from it.

The Causes of Asthma

June 27th, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

You may not have asthma, and you may not know much about it, but if you have a friend or loved one that has been diagnoses with it, you need to make sure that you know the causes of asthma. There are not many outside causes of asthma, most of the time it is genetic, but we will look at what can bring on asthma in the outside world.

If you are afraid that you children could get asthma, you have to know that most of the cases recorded of asthma today are brought on genetically. That means that if you will have to look at your family tree, or at least your family history when it comes to asthma. If you find that there are a few people in your family’s history that had asthma, chances are that your kids could get it too, but it does not need to be that way.

There are ways for you to keep asthma away from your family, and most of the time that involves keeping a clean home. This then brings us to the other causes of asthma, one of them being allergy in the case of allergy induced asthma.

If one of your family members, or kids, has allergies, you will find that that person could get asthmatic symptoms. The shortness of breath is a very famous symptom and can be connected to two other conditions that also affect the upper and lower respiratory system. One of those conditions is emphysema, so you will not want to waste time if you think that you child may have asthma, because it could be emphysema, which is a really deadly disease.

In the case of emphysema you will find that it is very similar to asthma and bronchitis, the only difference is that it cannot be reverses and cannot be lived with. This is the condition that eats away at the lung tissue and will make the patient very uncomfortable. Bronchitis on the other hand is the sort of under achiever of the three.

Bronchitis is like the common cold or flu and can be treated with some medication and time. After a while you will find that bronchitis will go away, but you have to be careful, because it can come back if not treated properly and it could turn into something much worse.

Asthma is something that you can live with, but you will find that you need to change your lifestyle. You need to stay healthy and you need to know that you cannot overexert yourself. This is because a shortness of breath an cause you to have an asthma attack and that is not ideal.

You will also find that you need to carry your medication around with you at all times. If you do not want this for your children, you need to learn more about the causes of asthma in all situations. There are many different types of asthma, so you will have to be well versed in all of them if you are going to prevent it in your home.

Tips on Exercising For Asthma

June 8th, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

People who suffer from asthma are usually afraid to do some tiring exercise. Usually, they are worrying that the disease might attack in the middle of the exercise activity. However, many experts believe that doing exercise regularly will bring significant advantages physical and mental health of the asthma sufferers. Surely, they have to do it in the right and proper way. If you belong to asthma sufferers, this information will be very helpful for you.

The most common symptoms of asthma that usually occur when you do exercise is coughing, tightness, pain in the chest, as well as shortness of breath. When these symptoms occur, you should stop their physical activity immediately. To prevent these disease attacks during exercising activity, you can do these following useful tips.

First, you have to choose a certain kind of exercise that they really can handle well. Some exercise that might be great choice for asthma sufferers are walking, swimming, riding a bike, as well as hiking. These kinds of exercise needs less physical move than tennis, hockey, gymnastics, long distance running, and many other else. You could also consult their doctors to choose the most appropriate type of exercise for you.

Second, you can take advantage of your inhaler. You can use your inhaler about 15 minutes before you start to exercise. Besides, makes sure that your inhaler is always close enough to you. You will never know when the attack might hit you. Therefore, providing inhaler as first aid near you is very important.

Third, breathing through your nose during the exercise is also important. Mouth breathing tends to trigger asthma attack since it causes you to inhale cold air right into the bronchial tube. In contrary, the air that you heal will be filtered well when you are breathing through your nose. Besides, nose breathing also allows the air to be warmer before reaching the lungs.

The fourth thing you need to do is looking for a certain area that free from pollutions and allergens. However you should also avoid area with too many trees or grass. Then, you should also be aware of the symptoms of asthma that occur during the exercise. If you feel very tired and your chest begins to be tightening, you should be notice that those are the initial symptoms of asthma. Usually, those symptoms will be followed by wheezing. Stop doing any physical activity when these symptoms occur.

By following those tips, asthma sufferers could still have exercise with less risk of asthma attack. Do not let asthma attack prevent you to have regular exercise activity.