What Asthma Is

It is chronic inflammation of the respiratory airways characterized by: – Air flow obstruction that is reversible either spontaneously or with treatment. – Airway hyperresponsiveness to many stimuli. – Genetic predisposition (it tends to run in families). It is the most common chronic respiratory disorder among all age groups. Chronic is a medical term which means that this disease tends to persist more than 3 months. Another example of chronic illnesses are hypertension (persistent high blood pressure above 120/80 ) and diabetes mellitus (persistent high plasma glucose level above 110 mg/dl after fasting for 8 hours). Inflammation means redness, hotness, swelling, pain and loss of function of the affected organ. It is an immune system response to any harmful stimuli such as injury, infection and irritation.  Inflammation is a beneficial response as the inflamed organ gets increased blood supply through the dilatation of its supplying blood vessels. Th

A substance that has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body, in particular a medicine with intended results (like for asthma treatment), may cause a number of unwanted side effects. These effects can occur when you start a new asthma medication, decrease or increase the dose of a asthma medication, or when you stop using a asthma medication. A side effect that happens in 1% or more of people taking a specific medication is considered by medical researchers to be caused by that particular medication. Examples of common medicine side effects include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, dry mouth, headache, itching, and muscle aches and pains. Some side effects may be severe and require medical attention, while others may be mild and of little concern. Severe or annoying side effects are one of the main reasons why people stop taking their medications. If you are having worrisome side effects, your doctor may want to change your dose, try a di

Asthma Nebulizers or breathing machines as they are normally referred to by asthmatic patients, are devices that allow you to aerosolized liquid asthma medication and inhale it directly into your lungs as a mist. Types of Asthma Nebulizers include:-  Jet Nebulizers Ultrasonic Nebulizers Mesh Nebulizers Several factors including cost, your preferences, and your doctor’s preferences will determine which nebulizer is best mutually for you. Together with the factors, the kind of asthma medication prescribed also determines which nebulizer can be used. Nebulizer Advantages The need for less patient cooperation is one of the biggest benefits of using a asthma nebulizer. As a result, nebulizers are often used for infants and young children in the hospital or emergency department.  Not only are nebulizers significantly easier to use than MDIs, they’re also advantageous if your coordination is not sufficient to appropriately use an MDI. MDIs require a level of skill to cor

This article is a continuation from each description of the Types Of Asthma: Occupational asthma Dental hygienists – latex Bakers – flour Roofers, insulators and painters – isocyanates (a salt or ester of isocyanic acid) – toluene (a colorless liquid hydrocarbon present in coal tar and petroleum and used as a solvent and in organic synthesis) Welders and metal workers – metals (nickel, platinum and chromic acid) Plastic manufacturers – glues and resins Farmers and veterinarians – animal proteins Carpenters – wood dust  Workplace exposure to substances that may directly irritate your lungs or lead to an immune response    Develop sensitization* to the exposure Resulting inflammation of upper and lower airways Development of symptoms Exposure continues nor stopped Persistence of symptoms or clinical improvement  Peak Expiratory Flow Rate : Repeated PEFR are the most common method to determine if a particular antigen is the cause of occupational asthma. You w

This article is a continuation from each description of the Types Of Asthma: When you have Nocturnal Asthma (occurring, or active at night), your FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in one second; the volume that a subject can exhale in the first second during a forced expiration test – esp.done by a spirometry – decreases by at least 15% from bedtime to getting up in the morning in patients with asthma. For some people, the decline in lung function can be significantly more and this is all associated with increased symptoms, such as cough, wheezing and shortness of breath that disrupt sleep. Patients with large nighttime changes in their FEV1 may also have more daytime symptoms. Diagnosis Of Nocturnal Asthma Diagnosing nocturnal asthma is by taking a bedtime peak flow and a peak flow when you wake up.If there is more than a 15% difference in your peak flow, you have significant variability that may be the cause of your symptoms. But, peak flow meters are not very sensitive to

Cough Variant Asthma This article is a continuation from each description of the Types Of Asthma. Symptoms Of Cough Variant Asthma While normal cough may follow the usual symptoms associated with asthma in Cough Variant Asthma but cough alone may be a precursor(a thing that comes before another of the same kind; a forerunner) to or the sole symptom in an asthmatic. So when cough is the only asthma symptom, this is known as Cough Variant (a form or version of something that differs in some respect from other forms of the same thing or from a standard) Asthma or CVA. Basically,the main symptom of CVA is a chronic, non-productive cough. CV Asthma patients have cough as the main or the only symptom of their asthma. CVA type of asthmatic patients are a small percentage of total asthma patients. CVA patients are, however, a distinct group rather than only being thought of as coughing asthmatics. However,CVA patients have some differences from patients with typical asthma.

Medication Induced Asthma This article is the final continuation from each description of the Types Of Asthma:- Medication Induced Asthma or Aspirin Induced Asthma: – Aspirin, most people don’t think twice about taking an aspirin under the prescription accordingly and it’s correct usage esp. when they have a headache,but for some people with inclusive of asthma, this unknown action can be fatal. Aspirin and other Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory DrugS* or NSAIDS – such as ibuprofen ,naproxen and diclofenac – have been found to trigger asthma attacks in people who have asthma. The asthma attacks induced by aspirin and NSAIDS are mostly severe and can even be life threatening. The aspirin sensitivity generally increase as people age, and it is worse in people with more severe asthma. This symptoms has been recognized for many years, but it was unclear how many people with asthma faced a risk when taking these commonly used medications until further research were done on i

Asthma is a common breathing difficulty condition among most people all over the world. The common asthma symptoms would include wheezing, coughing and tightness of the chest. There are situations when asthma is also called reactive airway disease or bronchial asthma. Asthma is more common in children compared to adults. If they are treated early and well, both adults and children can live well.  SYMPTOMS OF ASTHMA There are minor and severe symptoms that can vary from every individual. Some may have infrequent attacks of asthma, which means that they can have symptoms only at certain times like when having exercises. There are some people who may also have asthma attacks more frequently. Some of the most common symptoms of asthma would include: Pain or tightness of the chest Shortness of one’s breath A wheezing or a whistling sound when the person is exhaling. For children, the most common asthma sign would be wheezing. Sleeping troubles due to coughing, shortness of br

Asthma is a very dreadful disease, and many people are becoming the victims of this disease throughout the world. There are no geographical, ethnic or racial restrictions for this disease. It can affect people belonging to different geographical regions, races, etc. People of all age groups are affected, although kids are more commonly affected from this disease. The symptoms of asthma are very difficult to control. They can be triggered very easily. They can be triggered by mild household dust, pollen from the flowers, and even by cold weather, which makes it very difficult to prevent the symptoms of the disease. It has many symptoms like wheezing, coughing, flaring of nostrils,difficulty in breathing, and fast breathing or tachypnea. Medications or drugs need to be taken to control the immediate symptoms or the attack of the asthma, when an attack is produced. But, drugs also need to be taken to prevent the symptoms, or to provide long term control of the disease. Both are eq

We must be educated of asthma triggers in order to help prevent them. If you or anyone you know or love, struggles with asthma, you know how critical it is to avoid any kind of trigger that would spur on an attack. You can take your preventative medicine, of course, but as soon as you enter a dusty room or even go outside, allergens are inhaled and your airways may constrict, causing another attack. Many people with asthma keep an inhaler with them to prepare for going outside or into the workplace. But we cannot control these environments, unfortunately. On a better note, you can prevent asthma triggers in your own home! The main triggers in your average household are dust mites, molds, and pollens. Dust mites may be the most common asthma trigger at home. How can you protect yourself? Wash your bedding in hot water every week and make sure your pillows and bedding don’t contain feathering. Non carpeted floors are great because they are easily cleaned. If you don’t have

An asthma attack is always taken as a physical experience. Sufferers often experience chest tightness, coughing, and an more effort to breathe. Yet asthma also has an emotional component. There is the frustration of experiencing an attack and the fear of what might happen if the attack worsens. Asthma can be a life-threatening condition. This can increase levels of anxiety, leading to panic, which in turn can trigger or worsen an asthma attack. Anxiety, resentment and despair are common emotions felt by the asthmatic. For centuries, many people believed asthma was caused by stress or emotional disorders. This led to a stigma being attached to the condition and there grew a stereotype of the asthmatic being a weak, anxious person, forever wheezing and coughing. Breathing is obviously tied in with emotion. We gasp with fear when we watch a scary movie, and take short breaths if we get involved in an action flick. We catch our breath if something startles us. Laughing and cryi

Asthma – most possibly somebody that you know that suffers from it if you do not suffer from it yourself. Even if you don’t have a through understanding of what asthma is you do however know what the symptoms are. Asthma is a respiratory condition where the small airways in the lungs tighten up, and it causes a person having an attack having a very tough time to breathe. The length of the attack usually depends on how serious the condition is and how tight the airways are. The appearance of asthma does not follow awfully predictable patterns. Folk of any age and sex can have asthma but it is not atypical to first appear during infancy. Some folks are lucky and outgrow asthma.  There are the unfortunate people that may live with asthma for the rest of their lives. There are many people who suffer with asthma that have no other relations in their families who have it. Normal signs and symptoms of asthma often are cough, wheezing, tightness in the chest, breath shortness,

Many people attempt to be absolutely free of asthma signs or symptoms most of the time, but mostly they can achieve this, provided they follow the correct medical advice. Asthma is one of the worst conditions anyone could ever have, it affects your number one tool that enable you to survive and that is your breathing. Asthma attacks can happen at anytime due to a number of reasons, such as environmental conditions, stress and general asthma triggers. You could be out with your friends when one of their children have an attack. Are you aware of how to deal with these situations? If you are able to provide the right asthma treatment, it might possibly save someone’s life. Here are key points you should know. The worst thing you could do is pat someone on their back during an asthma attack. You should always make the person feel as comfortable as possible when they are having an asthma attack. Attempt to calm the person's breathing down while they are having an asthma at

Patients who are under asthma influence for the most part of their lives, they cannot depend only on medications to alleviate their condition. Most people surrender to the idea of dealing with sneezing, shortness of breath, and other common symptoms caused by asthmatic conditions. But establishing an asthma treatment plan is one of the best ways to get started with eliminating such health problems and lead an asthma-free life. Establishing Your Treatment Goals Health experts advocate the combination of medication and a healthy lifestyle as a realistic asthma treatment goal. Hence, people suffering from asthma must aim for both. After all, clearly establishing your goals will enable you to outline the necessary steps that you can take towards long lasting healing. One must attempt to prevent long term effects of asthma. So, those who are just starting to develop symptoms of this condition are advised to take immediate steps towards an effective asthma treatment.  Otherwise

In short, it is due to the constriction in the air passageways that usually attacks a person with asthma. The main factors that cause the airways to become narrowed and blocked, is a constriction of the muscles surrounding the air tubes, an inflammation and swelling of the lining of the air tubes, and an increase in mucus production, which clogs the air tubes. This disallows a person to breathe normally and even wheezing sound in severe cases. Twitchy Airways The air tube is made up of several layers. On the outside of the air tube there is muscle which by tightening and relaxing, controls the size of the opening of the air tube (the space through which air must pass). The muscle works by reflex, and is guided by the same portions of the nervous system that control reflexes, like involuntary blinking. We have little conscious control over the tightening and relaxing of these muscles. Everyone’s airways have the potential for constricting in response to irritant such as cigare

Many of us at some time have experienced the allergies of the allergens. Sometimes all of a sudden your eyes begin to water and you have a runny or stuffy nose. This action is quite common in the springtime(those who live in seasonal countries) as the flowers and trees begin to bloom. For many an asthma attack is quite common during this time. When the weather clears up and the sun begins to warm things up, many people like to go outside and work. They may begin mowing their lawns or in the case of farmers, begin cutting hay.  This is a prime time for allergies and allergies are the number one cause for an asthma attack. This article will talk about an asthma attack. What brings them on and what happens during an attack. An asthma attack happens when the airways become inflamed and a restriction of airflow occurs. The lungs are the organ in our body that filters the oxygen we breathe in. As we breathe in air, oxygen is filtered through the lungs and when we exhale, we relea