What Asthma Is

Can Mold Worsen Your Asthma – No To Wet Area Moisture High humidity Some form of nutrient Visible mold growing – white, orange, green or black growth in a moist(slightly wet) area You smell a musty, mold odor Discoloration in a wall, ceiling or other part of your home in a water leakage area . Identifying and Controlling Household Mold  Wash, disinfect, and then dry all surfaces Repair any leaks and dry moisture that results from leaks Ventilate, preferably to the outside of your home, the source of any moisture such as clothes dryers, stoves and other appliances Keep relative humidity* less than 50% – this may require air conditioning or a dehumidifier Keep drip pans from appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners clean and dry Find out where the moisture is coming from and fix that problem first Wash mold off the affected areas with detergent and water, clean the area, and then let dry completely Any materials that hold moisture may need to be re...

You Ask-Can Cockroaches Affect My Asthma? You Ask-Where I Find Cockroaches in My Home?  Kitchens Bathrooms Dining rooms Bedrooms Grease Crumbs Pet food Left out food Food cans To Reduce Cockroach Exposure  Empty garbage cans often and keep the lid closed at all times. Keep food out of bedrooms and limit to only certain rooms. Do not accumulate empty food and drink cans. Do not leave uncovered food lay out. Clean kitchen countertops and floors at least every week. Seal holes and cracks on the exterior of your home that cockroaches can enter. Consider poison baits or traps for under stoves and refrigerators.  If you use insecticide sprays, do not spray where you prepare your food or where you may have children crawling or sleeping.  YES! Cockroaches are insects with six legs and two pairs of wings that are common throughout globally, but especially in crowded cities. Proteins from the cockroaches saliva, droppings, and shed insect bod...

Allergen impermeable* (a layer that can not be infiltrated, usually because it has not got any or enough pores) bedding cover:- Cover all mattresses and pillows with a dust proof or allergen impermeable* covers. Dust mite levels in bedding are closely related to risk of asthma attacks Dehumidifier(a device that removes excess moisture from the air):- Reducing home moisture is the single best intervention to control dust mite exposures in the home. Use a dehumidifier to maintain relative humidity between 30% to 50%. During the summer months, an air conditioner can also be used to achieve this. Bedding: Wash all bed sheets, blankets, and bed covers weekly in hot water (130-140 ° F) in order to kill dust mites. Washing for at least ten minutes is associated with nearly complete removal of dust mite allergen. Stuffed toys: Periodically wash any stuffed toys or animals in hot water (130-140 °F) in order to kill dust mite. Further to the above, keep stuffed animals and toys off your chi...

Can animal dander (skin flakes in an animal’s fur or hair)worsen your asthma? As a matter of fact YES!, all furry and feathered animals produce animal dander and so put asthmatics at increased risk of worsening asthma if they are especially sensitive. Animal Dander Commonly it’s thought that the hair from pets that causes the allergic cascade leading to asthma symptoms and that short haired animals are less allergic for asthmatics, both are myths (an exaggerated or idealized conception ). In fact, it is the dander or the proteins in skin flakes, urine, feces ( waste product from an animal’s digestive tract ), saliva and hair that trigger your asthma symptoms. These proteins are very small particles that are carried through the air and can come to land on a body part that comes into contact with your nose or mouth or the particles can be directly inhaled into the lung. You may notice symptoms immediately or may not develop them for eight to twelve hours. Pets all shed a cert...

Packing a lunch, signing permission slips and laying out clean clothes for the morning are all part of parents’ to-do lists when prepping for their children’s day at school. But for parents of the children being treated for a chronic medical condition like asthma, preparing for school also means putting pill bottles in backpacks along with lunchboxes. “Like so many other healthy behaviors, learning the importance of taking your medicine as prescribed is better done sooner than later,” says Paul Reyes, an Express Scripts’ pharmacist and host of Ask the Pharmacist radio series. “For kids who need to take medicine to treat a chronic condition like asthma, attention deficit disorder or diabetes, having the support of parents and the school staff makes it easier and allows them to focus on their schoolwork rather than getting side-tracked by their health problem.” Paul offers important tips for parents whose child has to take prescription medications during the school day: * Know yo...

Asthma and Flu – one may think of them-self as being like everyone else when they get sick, but you as someone with asthma need to take the flu even more seriously.  The flu poses some additional concerns for you as compared to those with healthy lungs and without asthma. THE FLU VIRUS CAUSES SWELLING AND INFLAMMATION IN THE LUNGS THAT MAY LEAD TO WORSENING OF YOUR ASTHMA SYMPTOMS SUCH AS:-  wheezing chest tightness shortness of breath chronic cough Medication For Flu and Asthma DEPENDING ON THE FLU STRAINS IN YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR DOCTOR MAY RECOMMEND ONE OR A COMBINATION OF THE FOLLOWING CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ANTIVIRAL MEDICATIONS:- Tamiflu (oseltamivir) Relenza (zanamivir) Flumadine (RIMANTADINE) IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS THAT COULD BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE FLU, YOU SHOULD SEE A DOCTOR IF YOU HAVE A CHRONIC CONDITION SUCH AS CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, ASTHMA OR DIABETES, OR IF YOUR SYMPTOMS INCLUDE:- Difficulty breathing Chest pain or pressure Feeling faint...

Asthma And Your Immune System YES! the same system that helps to protect you from infections, your immune system, can also be the cause for your worsening asthma.There will be noticeable happenings identically like runny nose, watery eyes and sinus congestion, your peak flows are lower, you are wheezing more, and you may experience more shortness of breath. So how it is here that the immune system and asthma are linked. Sensitization Early phase response Late Phase response Inhalation of substances such as dander, pollen or dust mites where the substances bind to membranes(is a thin wall or film that allows only some substances to pass through it or that prevents the mixing of two substances) in your lung  Ingestion of foods or medicines where the initial immune system reactions occur in the stomach  Physical contact of skin with substances such as poison ivy(climbing plant of the cashew family that secretes an irritant oil from its leaves)  Sensitizati...