The Asthma Society

The Asthma Society is an organization that is generally affiliated with various countries. If you are someone that is looking for information about asthma, working with any of these societies that are geared towards providing relevant information that you need is a great place to start. For many people that visit these society pages, the goal is to learn about what asthma is and how in the world you will learn to deal with and even live with it. Many of those that visit the society are looking for more information about asthma because they have just been told by their doctors that they have asthma or that they may have it.

What is important to take note of when visiting any society’s website to learn more about asthma is that your condition is not alone. Today, there are many millions of people that have asthma and live with it day in and day out. Asthma does become a condition that you need to manage but when you do so carefully, following the recommendations that the society for asthma as well as your doctor tell you, you can lead a normal life without worrying about asthma every day of it.

Another benefit of any of the asthma societies that you will find throughout the web is the wide range of new treatment options available. There are always tests and clinical studies being done to help aid those that are suffering from asthma to get relief. New medications, new treatments, and even new diagnosing tools are something that can offer a bit of help to those that are looking for a solution to their asthma condition. Best of all, when you visit the society’s website, you will also learn that you are not the only person that is struggling with asthma and therefore you can get through it.

By: Roger Thompson

Asthma Inhalers- Do You Need It?

Asthma inhalers allow a person that is facing asthma to experience what is happening to them with a bit of protection along the way. Asthma is not a condition that can be predicted. There are going to be times when something that you did not know was there causes a trigger in the person that causes the reaction of blocked airways. Although there are many various methods to treating asthma, having an inhaler is almost a must for those that face this type of condition with any severity. Even those that have mild asthma that does not often trigger with an episode should have access to an inhaler.

An inhaler that is used for asthma is quite important. This tool allows a person to get the almost immediate relief that they need from an asthma reaction. If you are outdoors, enjoying the day and then all of a sudden find yourself facing a reaction to the mist that you are breathing in, you need to be able to have an inhaler to help you. These inhalers work by allowing you to simply breathe in the medication quickly. This allows it to get right into your airways causing the muscles there to open up and allow you to breath normally again. Other medications that are taken in the form of a pill or even those that are injections will take more time to actual get into your system and provide help.

Not everyone that has asthma will have the same medications within their inhaler. The severity of your specific asthma reaction is what will trigger the type of medication that your doctor prescribes. You should always keep your medications up to date and keep them with you to provide the help that only your inhaler can. Of course, no one wants to use the inhalers that they have but when a time comes that you need one, can there be anything else that is more important?

By: Roger Thompson

Asthma Medication

There are several types of asthma medication that can be used to help a patient that is struggling with asthma. Usually, a doctor will prescribe medications from the start of the episodes that seem to be that of asthma. If the medication helps to relive symptoms, the patient is considered to have asthma. In other cases, medications can be given after the diagnosis has been made that the patient has asthma.

The most common medications for the treatment of asthma are called bronchodilators. These medications are well known as simply inhalers. They are small sized inhaler units that offer a measured dose of the correct medication to the patient, allowing him to receive almost instant help from asthma symptoms. The medications within the asthma inhalers can range. Short acting medications such as salbutamol, terbutaline and bitolterol are some options here. There are older medications that some asthma suffers take. These are adrenergic agonists such as ephedrine tablets and epinephrine in an inhaled form. Ipratropium bromide is another medication that is provided to asthma suffers. This medication, unlike others, does not have as many potentially drastic health risks.

All of these medications have some type of side effect or can cause potentially life threatening conditions if the medications are used in the wrong way or over used for asthma treatment. Some will cause heart reactions such as high blood pressure and should be monitored closely.

To help a child or an adult to get relief from the asthma that they suffer from, a wide range of medications are available. Usually, these medications will be administered through an inhaler that will allow the medications to instantly enter the airways, opening them up and allowing the asthma symptoms of restriction to vanish. The right medication is something that can take a bit of working out to find the right one for the specific asthma reaction the individual has.

By: Roger Thompson

The Emotional Cause Of Asthma

There is still some resistance to believe that early childhood trauma can cause disease in the medical field and by individuals. But believe that most alternative practitioners and many doctors have seen what influence early childhood traumas have on the diseases of their patients. Read on to find out more about this critical aspect and how it influences asthma.

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Asthma is also influenced by certain emotions such as laughing, crying, anger, panic, etc. But many in the medical community believe there is no proof people with asthma are any more psychologically disturbed than their non-asthmatic peers. However, it is not possible to have an illness without it having an emotional or trauma component associated with it. Our brain and body is not a split organism where our brain and body work independently of each other.

Having asthma is most likely related to birth traumas where the newborn is being suffocated by the birth process or has a difficulty coming out thus weakening the lungs and the bronchioles. Or, possibly where the parents were over protective or dominating, or demanding to the point of, in a sense, suffocating the child.

And, there are many other asthmatic scenarios that could weaken a persons lungs and bronchioles during childhood. You might know what yours is.

In his book, How to Get Well, 1974, Paavo Airola, Ph.D., says,

“Extensive studies show that there are two basic causes of asthma: one, the typical allergic reaction to one or more allergens; two, psychic factors. Doctors agree that many young asthmatics (according to studies, about 25%) have in common a ‘deep-seated emotional insecurity and an intense need for parental love and protection’. When emotional causes are suspected, these must be dealt with before biological and nutritional treatments can be effective.”

Emotions and feelings, such as apprehension, concern, anxiety, and panic can cause muscular tension and contraction around the bronchioles. Over a long time, these tensions can cause muscle spasms and weakening of the bronchioles, which can then lead to asthma as an adult.

In his book, Cleanse & Purify Thyself, 1998, Richard Anderson, N.D., N.M.D., says,

“Our own research indicates that Love is the great key. When we understand that Love is the natural state of our beings and when Love is not flowing through our beings every moment, than some other emotion or concept is interfering. These interferences are usually emotions of great intensity or some quirk in our point of view, such as the habit of judging conditions, things, or people in negative ways, and most of the time they are unconscious. One of the activities we all need to initiate is to remove these conscious and unconscious negative emotions so that Love may flow through us. Here in lies one of the most important point in this book.”

For many healers of the past it was clear that childhood trauma and the lack of love provided an atmosphere where illness could develop. Asthma sufferers need to look for and heal that emotional component that prevents them from healing so that they can start the asthma healing.

By: Rudy Silva

Asthma Cure? Is It There?

Is there an asthma cure? While we know that there are millions of people around the world that are suffering from asthma, the cure for this condition may or may not be in the works. If you suffer from asthma, though, there are many things that you can do to just about cure your asthma attacks. The chronic condition of asthma is something that many suffer from on a daily basis. But, with the help of the right medications, possibly even all natural treatments for asthma, and the right type of lifestyle, those that have asthma may be able to avoid and even cure the symptoms that they face.

The cure for asthma may happen one day but until then there are some things that the asthma sufferer can do to feel better. First off, the asthma sufferer should determine what their trigger is. About 60 percent of all of those that face asthma have an allergic reaction to something that brings on an asthma attack. Removing that trigger from their lifestyles can work as the first step in the cure to asthma for them. Improving their health and well being by getting exercise, staying fit and keeping in good spirits can also improve and even help take a step closer to curing their asthma.

In addition to these things, those that want to find a cure for their asthma symptoms should work on insuring they have the best medications in store for the asthma attack should it come on and they should have the best possible natural remedies on hand to help in warding off possible asthma attacks as well. Natural products always work in a natural way to help the individual to rid themselves of the occurrence of asthma attacks. While there is no for sure cure just yet, there are many possible ways to improve the lifestyle and cure symptoms of asthma that you face.

By: Roger Thompson

Identification Of Asthma

Asthma (pronounced AZ-muh) is defined in the book "Essential Allergy", by Mygind, Dahl, Pedersen, and Thestrup-Pedersen as "A lung disease characterised by: 1. variable and reversible airway obstruction; 2. airway inflammation; and 3. bronchial hyper-responsiveness. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that makes bronchial passages that make up one's airways particularly sensitive to irritants. It is primarily characterized by breathing difficulties. Asthma is a highly-ranked chronic health condition for adults in a majority of western countries. It is also the leading chronic illness afflicting children. Asthma cannot be cured. However, most patients can control it so that they suffer only minimal and infrequent symptoms and they can live an active life.

If you suffer from asthma, managing it is an important part of your life. Controlling your asthma entails avoiding things that bother your airways and taking medicines under your doctor's direction. With daily asthma control, serious symptoms can be prevented and it is possible to participate in all normal activities. When asthma is not well-controlled, your symptoms may cause you to miss school or work and may keep you from enjoying other activities.

Asthma sufferers have hyper-responsive or very sensitive airways. An asthma episode, or, in severe cases, an asthma attack occurs when a person experiences a worsening of their asthma symptoms. During an asthma attack, the smooth muscles around the bronchial tubes contract, narrowing airway openings thereby restricting air flow. As inflammation increases, the airways become more swollen and increasingly narrow. Cells in the airways also overproduce mucus, which further narrows the airways. These airway changes cause the asthma symptoms. It becomes difficult for air to pass in and out of the lungs and blood-oxygen levels decrease.

This narrowing of the air passages is due to different combinations of:

* swelling of the airway lining caused by airway inflammation
* excessive mucus in airways
* contraction of muscles around the air passages

Not all asthma attacks are created equally. Some are more severe than others. In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close to the extent that vital organs do not receive enough oxygen. This condition constitutes a medical emergency. It is possible die from a severe asthma attack. Suffering from an asthma attack has been compared to the sensation of drowning. Sufferers of an asthma attack describe symptoms such as a tightness in the chest, wheezing or whistling noises in the chest, coughing, breathlessness, and breathing difficulties that occur as the airways become narrowed, inflamed, and blocked by mucus. An asthma attack can flare up suddenly. However, asthma sufferers learn to recognize those warning signs that signal an attack. These indicators include an itchy nose or skin, dizziness or light-headedness, or an irritating cough. Learning the warning signs is essential to alert a sufferer to take preventive action, such as medication in time to avoid an attack. Because of this asthma sufferers should have regular contact with their physician. They need to educate themselves as to what things cause a worsening of their asthma symptoms methods to use to avoid them. Additionally, your doctor will prescribe medicines to manage your asthma.

In the Western world, about one in thirteen adults and one in eight children have asthma and rates are on the rise. It can affect anyone, any place, at any age. In the developed world asthma is becoming increasingly common and is presently the most common chronic condition in the west. Major contributing factors are thought to be aspects of our modern environment such as air pollution, processed foods, and centrally heated, double-glazed houses which are an ideal breeding grounds for house dust mites. Because it is considered a chronic condition, that means that attacks can occur over a long period of time. Although there are times when asthmatics suffer acute episodes, the majority asthma sufferers report that there are long periods during which they suffer few, if any,symptoms. Asthma can change progressively during the lifetime of the asthma sufferer. For example, children may grow out of asthma, but of these, some redevelop asthma at a later age.

Medications, such as those resembling two naturally-occurring hormones, help asthma. These two hormones are adrenaline or, in the United States, epinephrine and the steroid hydrocortisone. There are additional drugs which help treat asthma. Though drugs can remove all of the symptoms for a mild asthma sufferer, more severe or long-standing cases of asthma generally do not get such good results. To combat this, alternate medications have been developed. Over time, lifelong asthma sufferers see a decrease in the effectiveness of medications in removing the obstruction of the airways. One of the current treatment goals is to minimize the inflammation in the lung passages as this is thought to precipitate this long-term decline.

By: Barbara Brown

Asthma Attacks - What To Do

When a person with asthma experiences a sudden worsening of his or her asthma symptoms it is called an asthma attack. During an asthma attack, the smooth muscles around the bronchial tubes in the lungs contract, making the airway openings more narrow. Less air can flow through these openings and inflammation of the lungs is a result. This inflammation quickly increases and the airways become more swollen. Mucus production by the cells in the airways increases more than usual and this narrows the airways even further. These changes to the airways cause the symptoms of asthma, notably wheezing and difficulty in breathing.

When you are with someone who is having an asthma attack there are things you can do to help them. First of all you should remove the victim from the cause of the attack. This will be a certain allergen such as pollen in the air or on the skin, smoke, or other strong odors. Keep the victim calm, comfortable, and sitting upright.

If the asthma attack victim has not already used a rescue inhaler, ask the person if he or she has an inhaler and assist the victim with the inhaler, if necessary. A rescue inhaler is the best first aid for asthma attacks. It is important that you use the rescue inhaler prescribed to the asthma attack victim and not use someone else's inhaler.

In the event that there is no rescue inhaler to use or if the asthma symptoms do not improve after administering the inhaler, you can also use steam to help the victim. Run very hot water from a faucet and have the person inhale the steam being careful not to touch the scalding water. Help the victim focus on their breathing and pucker their lips when he or she exhales.

If an asthma attack is severe then it may be possible that all of the preceding steps will not decrease the asthma symptoms. In this event, or when a rescue inhaler is not present, you may need to call for emergency medical help. The information given here is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. If someone you know or love has asthma it is important to learn all you can about this condition so that you can help the person in the event of an asthma attack.

By: Daniel Lanicek

Symptoms Of Asthma

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that makes bronchial tubes particularly sensitive to irritants. This is characterized by breathing difficulties.

The symptoms of asthma include:

* Shortness of breath. Asthma sufferers often say they feel as though they can't catch their breath, they feel breathless or out of breath. They feel like you can't get enough air into or out of their lungs.

* A feeling of tightness in the chest. This can feel like someone is sitting on or squeezing your chest.

* Coughing. Coughing in people with asthma is often worse at night or early in the morning, making sleeping difficult.

* Wheezing. Wheezing is a whistling or squeaky sound when you inhale or exhale.

* Faster or noisy breathing

* Inflammation of the air passages, characterised by eosinophils in the airway wall

* Episodes of wheezy difficulty in breathing

* Rapid and considerable changes in airway obstruction (peak flow variation >= 20%)

* Narrowing of the air passages in the lungs and resulting increased resistance to airflow

* Symptom-free periods

* Frequent allergy occurrence

* Bronchial hyper-responsiveness to non-specific stimuli such as cold air or histamine

* Frequent nocturnal episodes and low morning peak flow values

* Significant reversibility with new steroid drugs

* Significant reversibility with drugs that resemble adrenaline, the beta2 agonists

People with asthma may have:

* Coughing or wheezing when they are near an allergen or irritant

* Asthma symptoms brought on by exercises such as running, biking, or other brisk activity, especially during cold weather

* Frequent coughing, especially at night (this is occasionally the only sign of asthma in a child)

* Wheezing when they have a cold or another illness

* Coughing or wheezing precipitated by prolonged crying or laughing

Not all people suffer all of these symptoms. Additionally, symptoms may vary from one asthma attack to another. Symptoms can also differ in severity. For example, symptoms may be mildly annoying at times and at other times they can be serious enough to demand your immediate attention. Sometimes symptoms can be so serious to the point of being life threatening and require medical attention. Symptoms also differ in frequency. Some asthma sufferers only have symptoms once every few months, others have symptoms weekly, and while other people have daily symptoms. With proper treatment and management, however, most asthma sufferers can expect to endure minimal or no symptoms, and are able to lead normal, active lives.

By: William Brown

Asthma Inhalers

Asthma medication comes in many different forms. One of these forms is the Asthma Inhaler. When someone suffers from asthma they could go into an asthma attack. This is caused when their bronchial tubes start to close, making it hard for the person to breath. Asthma Inhalers such as bronchodilators and corticosteroids can help reopen the tubes and help the person breath properly again.

First is the bronchodilators, this type of asthma inhaler includes metered-dosed brands such as albuterol, pirbuterol, and advair. A bronchodilator relaxes the bronchial muscles so they will open back up. An albuterol or pirbuterol inhaler is used for fast action relief. Doctors recommend using this before and during physical activity to prevent an attack, as well as before bed and when you wake up.

As a dry powder form the Corticosteroid can be inhaled more quickly then the Bronchodilator and will help with the bronchial tubes from constricting again. The corticosteroid is a longer acting asthma inhaler then the bronchodilator. Typically this asthma inhaler is used once in the morning and the evening along with the bronchodilator. The use of the corticosteroid will help you breath easier thoughout the day. It is always best to consult a doctor to see what asthma inhalers fits you needs.

It is very important to use an asthma inhaler properly also. The recommended technique for the meter dosed asthma inhaler (which is also known as Aerosol) is as follows:

1. Shake well. Be sure to shake the inhaler several times before each use

2. Do not lie down; stand with your head up straight

3. Exhale as much as possible until you feel you have no more air inside your lungs then insert the asthma inhalers mouthpiece into your mouth sealing it with your lips

4. After you have sealed the mouthpiece start to breathe in and simultaneously press down one time and only one time on the canister to release a single dose

5. Pull the device out of your mouth and continue to try and breathe through your open mouth for four to five seconds until your lungs are full of air

6. After your lungs are full of air hold your breath for at least ten seconds

7. Exhale

If after step seven you still are not breathing properly repeat steps one-seven.

Incorrect asthma inhalers technique can cause poor delivery of your medication to the lungs. This most likely will occur if your delivery is late when inhaling and pressing once on the canister, a released puff half way through the process will be lost. It is important that you know how to use the asthma inhaler before leaving the doctor office to help with asthma control when an asthma attack comes on.

Asthma is a serious condition especially if not properly cared for. But with the help of good ashtma control, asthma medicine, and asthma inhalers a person can lead a normal, full, happy long life.

By: Sarah De Young

Does Diet Causes Asthma?

Asthma is a disease of the respiratory system, where the airways get obstructed due to muscle spasm and swelling within the airways which may be with or without secretions. Ayurvedic texts have it that wrong and unsuitable diet and subsequent digestive impurities are a potent cause for respiratory allergy leading to asthma. A combination of other allergic or non-allergic factors, including air pollution, vagaries of the weather, emotional stress and heredity predispositions, can also be responsible for the genesis of asthma in susceptible persons.

In recent years a number of scientific studies have come to the conclusion that certain foods and nutrients exacerbate asthmatic inflammation and bronchial hyperactivity while others reduce such pathology and promote easier breathing. Due to the advanced and effective emergency management of asthma available these days its reasons are often overlooked. But it is a fact that an asthmatic attack in the case of young patients is mostly precipitated by wrong food.

According to ayurveda, asthmatic reactions to food can vary widely as both the whole and the processed foods are known to precipitate such attack. Diet, the chemicals added to food items these days and individual susceptibility supported by seasonal discrepancies and other environmental factors are found to set off allergic reactions in the body. It is widely documented that several commonly used food items like milk, yoghurt, ice-cream and other dairy products cause coughing and wheezing in many asthmatics.

Any unsuitable food can lead to a respiratory spasm, or cause irritation or inflammation that will then overreact with environmental triggers like virus, pollens, smoke and dust. Apart from any ordinary fruit and vegetable, this may include even common foods like cereals such as wheat, rice and maize, poultry products and bakery items or eatables made of yeast.

Many modern foods consumed occasionally or as part of our daily diet have preservatives, flavors and colors which are considered as potential prompters of respiratory or other allergies.

It is seen that in some patients even an attack of hyperacidity sets into motion an episode of asthma. This factor highlights the ayurvedic dictum of maintenance of post- digestive purity also. Asthmatics are advised to choose a food that suits their digestion in perfect order. It is better to scan one’s diet and evolve a food plan carefully as many times the reactions occur hours after a particular food has been eaten.

By: Lucy Nicholas

Asthma Diagnosis

The asthma diagnosis comes from a series of tests. In many cases, a doctor will be able to determine if a patient has asthma and diagnose them right on the spot. In these cases, the diagnosis will be determined by the patient’s pre history. The doctor will look at the patient’s history of illness as well as his family history to determine if the symptoms and signs there are likely to be that of asthma. In addition, most doctors will use a simple examination to confirm their diagnosis of the asthma condition.

When an adult is to be diagnosed with asthma, the doctor may take some measurements of his airways. In asthma, the airways will constrict tightly, not allowing enough air to pass through them. This is a test that offers diagnosis of the condition, but can not be done on children. The doctor will use what is called a peak flow meter to help test and then diagnosis the adult asthma patient. In addition to it using an inhaler to test the benefits it offers to the potential asthma patient. For children to be diagnosed with asthma, the doctor will look at his medical history. Then, to insure that the patient does have asthma, he or she will monitor the child’s response to various inhalers using bronchodilator medications.

In many cases, a doctor will diagnosis asthma within a matter of minutes due simple to the conditions that the patient is facing. Those that are facing asthma symptoms will usually be able to be diagnosed based on the conditions in which they face asthma like reactions. Doctors often can diagnosis a patient within a matter of minutes just by knowing the various factors that cause the body to react. In these cases, the final test comes from testing medications on the potential asthma sufferer to see if they do in fact relieve the condition.

By: Roger Thompson

Breathe Away Asthma

Asthma is a chronic obstructive respiratory disease characterized by difficulty in breathing. It is caused mainly due to tightening of the airways or bronchial tubes of the lungs. It is a common disease among children, teens and adults.

Asthma is mainly of two types:

Extrinsic Asthma
Intrinsic Asthma

Extrinsic asthma is caused by the allergens. It happens when we inhale or sometimes ingest some allergens, our body reciprocates it with allergies. Some of the allergens are dust mites, tree and grass pollens, mold, feather pillow, food additives containing sulfites, dander, house dust etc. Extrinsic asthma is more common among children and the people between the age group of 16-30. Intrinsic asthma is non allergic and mostly occur among the people above the age of 30. It is caused by respiratory infection, inhalation of chemical irritants like cleaning fluids or fresh paint, air pollution, and sometimes by exercise.

According to the occurrence, asthma can be classified as follows:

Nocturnal asthma - mainly occurs at night, and more often in the morning between 2-4 a.m. It affects people with both types (extrinsic/ intrinsic) of asthma.

Seasonal asthma - this type of asthma happens only at certain time of the year. It mainly affects people with extrinsic asthma. It is more prevalent during summer, and it is the reason why 15% more death of asthma occurs in summer than the rest of the year.

Exercise-induced asthma - it will affect the people with all types of asthma. During exercise, due to rapid inhalation of air that is cooler and drier than that of the air passages, the lungs lose water and heat, so the people experience shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, wheezing, coughing or endurance problems.

“Prevention is better than cure,” so recognizing the early warning signs of asthma is very important, because you can begin the treatment earlier which seems to be very effective.

Early warning signs of asthma are listed below:

 Breathing changes
 Feeling tired
 Feeling weak
 Fever
 Headache
 Runny/stuffy nose
 Coughing
 Sneezing
 Dry mouth
 Moodiness
 Sleeping disorder
 Glassy/watery eyes

If prevention is not taken in time, these early warning signs will lead to mild to severe cases of asthma and the symptoms are as follows:

 Wheezing
 Coughing
 Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
 Tightness in the chest

In more severe cases, patient can feel severe coughing, sneezing, shortness of breath in walking, nasal flaring, hunched shoulder etc.

Asthma is not curable but it is a preventable disease. Its attack also ranges between mild and moderate to severe. Once you suffer asthma, your lungs will always react to the things that can cause asthma attack..

In mild attack, you may feel coughing, restlessness, or have trouble sleeping and may make wheezing or whistling sound when you breathe, and in severe attack you may become breathless, and have trouble in talking. As you breathe, your neck muscle may become tight and your lips and fingernails may turn to grayish or bluish colour.

Asthma treatment can be divided into long-term and quick relief medication. Long-term control medications are taken daily to control asthma by preventing airway inflammation, while quick-relief medication is followed in order to achieve control over acute asthma attack by relaxing bronchial smooth muscle.

Most of the asthma medication is administered orally or by inhalation, of which latter is mostly preferred, because inhaled medications works directly on the airway surface and airway muscles where the asthma problems initiate, and it also leaves fewer chances of side effects.

Apart from these, measures like cleaning house in regular basis, avoiding pets with fur and feather, washing the bedding regularly in hot water and staying away from allergens will certainly help in restricting the frequent episode of asthma. Theophylline improves breathing by opening air passages in the lungs. It is used in the treatment of asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema.

By: D Cathniz

Know Your Asthma Treatment

Understanding and managing your asthma medications is an important step towards gradually eliminating the negative effects of this condition. Here are a few general things that you should remember when it comes to your asthma medication:

· Let your doctor know if you are taking any other types of medication. Some medication types can affect the actions of asthma medications when combined.

· Before preparing or taking medications you should make sure your hands are clean.

· Double-check the instructions on the asthma treatment medication before taking it.

· Store the asthma drugs according to given instructions.

· The best asthma control can be achieved if you follow your asthma chart. Following the guidelines set by your doctor will increase the effectiveness of asthma inhalers and asthma medication

· Ask your doctor to describe medication side effects, although these are rare and of reduced danger.

· Make sure to always have sufficient supplies of medication nearby.

· Check out the links below for more relevant asthma control medication

There are two main components related to asthma that you can use specialized medications for: the airway inflammation and the constriction of the air passage muscles. Asthma medication is mostly used to prevent inflammation, thus reducing the negative effects of the condition and eliminating chances for asthma attacks. Here are the main types of asthma medications: http://www.asthmaxpert.com

Asthma control medication

This sort of medication has to be taken on a daily basis for extended periods of time. Getting control of asthma is now possible, but only if the asthma treatment is carried our consciously and without interruptions. Persistent asthma can be subdued is the right medication is prescribed for the patient. Activity impairing asthma attacks are less frequent when the proper asthma medication is used, a fact that determines many patients to follow their asthma treatment continuously. Among long term asthma medications you will find anti inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, beta agonists and bronchodilators.

Asthma attack medication

Most quick relief medications are also very efficient during asthma attacks. Short acting bronchodilators and beta-agonists are some of the drugs commonly used to relieve asthma symptoms. Some systemic corticoids are also found in asthma medication designed for attack stoppage.

By: Michael Rad

Asthma Discussed

1 out of every 7 children is affected by asthma.
• It is the second major reason for the hospitalization of the children up to age 9.
• Asthma has affected 1 out of every 12 adults.
• The death rate due to it is constantly rising in America, Africa and Latin countries.
• It has become one of the major reasons of absenteeism from school in the US.
• It leads to 2 million emergency room visits and amounts up to 5,000 deaths every year in the USA alone.

Asthma is a chronic disease, which directly affects your airways. The airways are the tubes carrying air in and out of your lungs. Asthma is caused by inflammation and subsequent constriction of your airway. The condition is characterized by an instantaneous reaction by the airways in response to various triggers or allergens and substances.

During an asthma attack, the airway gets inflamed and restricts the airflow to the lungs. It directly effects your breathing and leaves you short of breath. It makes you wheeze and you can experience chest tightness. During an asthma attack the production of mucus by airway cells increases and it further causes obstruction in the air flow through tubes. You can die due to the lack of oxygen, if the attack is severe and prolonged.

Asthma, if not treated and controlled, can cost you your life.

It is widely known disease, effecting millions of people, still there is no concrete evidence towards its cause. Studies have revealed that it is caused due to allergic reactions caused by the presence of certain antibodies or certain conditions. Some studies also reveal that it is caused due to obesity and weight related problems. Various triggers or allergic reactions are known to cause asthma in people. It might not be necessary that the same trigger causes an asthma attack in all people. There are numerous triggers, which can cause asthmatic attacks. Triggers can be categorized as allergens, irritants and other triggers. Among the common triggers which initiate asthma attacks are as follows:

Allergens
Dust
Pollen
Mold
Cockroaches
Dust mites
Animal dander
Irritants
Tobacco smoke
Air pollution
Strong odor
Laughing
Crying
Others
Workplace chemicals
Common cold
Infections
Exertion
Respiratory infection
Flu

It is important for you to identify what triggers an asthma attack for you. It would help you greatly if, once recognized, you in stayed away from any known causes.

Like other diseases, asthma also presents symptoms that characterize its early, advancing and later stages. Some of the common symptoms include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness.

The first stage -- Early warning signs of Asthma

If you are in the early stages of an asthmatic event, you might experience some common symptoms. These common symptoms are characterized during the inception periods of the asthma episode. The symptoms include:-

*Frequent coughing during sleep in the night.
*Experiencing wheezing or coughing after exercising.
*Shortness of breath.
*Extreme exhaustion following exercise.
*Feeling tired and upset all the time.
*Experiencing a running nose, sore throat, headaches and sneezing frequently.

If you experience any of the above symptoms, you should immediately get yourself checked for asthma. The swifter you act, the more you will be able to control it.

The second stage - Advancement and worsening of Asthma

If you are not able to identify the initial symptoms of asthma, or if you ignore those symptoms, asthma could get even worse. The advancement of asthma starts affecting your daily activities and sleep. Some of the symptoms of worsening asthma include.

*Regular and undying cough.
*Frequent wheezing.
*Declined response to medications.
*Shortness of breath.
*Experiencing regular tightness in the chest.
Asthma should be diagnosed immediately upon countering these symptoms or it could further advance into a severe stage causing damage to your body.

The final stage and its symptoms

When asthma enters into its last stage it starts affecting you severely. It makes life difficult for you and can even cause the death. You would need immediate medical attention if you experience any of the symptoms listed below:

*Rapid breathing.
*Undying chest pain and pressure.
*Non-stop coughing.
*Sweaty and dull face.
*Blue fingernails and lips.
*Hampered talking.
*Retraction of neck and chest muscles.
*Frequent gasping for breath.
*Severe wheezing.

Asthma can only be controlled, not cured. So you must abide by proper medication and medical instructions. It is also important to stay free of any known triggers, which can cause an asthma attack.

You should visit your doctor immediately if you are concerned you may be suffering with asthma.

Asthma & Exercise

So you have asthma? Think you can’t exercise safely? Read on, my friend, and discover how you *can* do so safely and how your body will benefit from the exertion!

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that is marked by the following characteristics that are present during episodes of airflow obstruction:

Coughing
Wheezing
Shortness of breath
Chest tightness

It tends to occur in people who are genetically or environmentally presdisposed to the condition. Some of the triggers that might start or make an attack worse include:

Exposure to allergens (animal dander, pollen, mold)
Viral respiratory infections
Airway irritants (tobacco smoke, environmental pollutants)
Exercise
Exposure to things such as dust mites or cockroaches, especially in childhood

Medical treatments for asthma include:

Anti-inflammatory agents (inhaled and pill-formed steroids)
Broncodilators

If the patient can manage his/her symptoms, it’s possible to avoid any critical or emergency breathing treatments, however, for people in a higher-pollutant area, this might prove to be a difficult task.

How can you prevent an asthma attack?

Bathe pets weekly
Do not smoke or permit smoking in your home
Stay inside with air conditioning when mold or pollen counts are high
Wash your bedding & stuffed toys once per week in hot water
Wash your hands often
Get a flu shot
Wear a scarf over your mouth and nose in the winter
Be proactive about knowing your “triggers” and avoiding them

Now, with this information in place where does exercise fit in to your asthmatic life? According to Dr. Jack Becker, chief of allergy and asthma at St. Christopher’s in Philadelphia, you shouldn’t give up on sports or exercise at all. You just have to be smart about how you play, and take special precautions to avoid a flare-up.

Nearly all doctors agree that the best way to prevent an attack during exertion (exercise) is to keep the medication (inhaler) close at hand. You shouldn’t use the inhaler more than 3 times during a game or exercise session—at that point, it’s best just to back off and rest a while. Additionally, if you are up the previous night with coughing and wheezing, it’s probably best to go lightly on the exercise the next day.

For something such as Exercise Induced Asthma (EIA), symptoms are slightly different, in that they will appear after about 6-8 minutes of exertion, and are often worse in cold, dry air.

For those with EIA, certain activities are preferred over others:

Swimming: this sport has a warm, humid atmosphere, year-round availability, and upper-body toning.
Walking
Leisure biking
Free downhill skiing (wearing a scarf or surgical mask to help warm the air while inhaling)
Team sports that require a short burst of energy are better than those that require more continual activity. Thus, baseball, football, golfing, gymnastics, surfing, or wrestling are preferred over soccer, basketball, field hockey, or long-distance running.

Remember, this condition is not “all in your head,” it is a real, physiological medical condition that requires appropriate treatment. While your doctor can be your biggest ally in treating your asthma, YOU are the one who can most effectively prevent your symptoms. Be smart, take your medication, and be proactive. And don’t let asthma sideline your physical activity—it does a body good!

By: Jeff Slokum