Asthma Defined Asthma Triggers And Asthma Treatment Overview

Asthma Asthma Triggers And Asthma Treatment Overview

For those who don't have it, asthma can seem like a disease that should be able to be conquered. After all, it is just breathing. And for those diagnosed with it later in life, you may also not understand the potential severity of asthma. Perhaps you feel a little tightness in the chest when you strain yourself, or you cough a little too much, a little too often. The actual diagnosis of asthma is something much greater than just a little coughing and should be taken very seriously.

There are many types of asthma but the medical definition is "a disease of the windpipe (bronchial tubes) which carry air to and from the lungs." Asthma has no set diagnosis; the journey from first warning sign symptoms to a full blown diagnosis of asthma is long and complicated. Symptoms usually:

1) Vary from person to person.

2) Vary from episode to episode.

3) Flare up and get very severe, then disappear for long periods.

4) Symptoms can be mild, moderate, or severe for extended periods of time.

The cause of asthma is not actually known; sometimes it appears genetic, but then identical symptoms pop up in a vacant gene pool of non-asthma sufferers. The sad truth is that, even with all our advanced knowledge of how things work and why, there is still not even any known 'cure' for asthma suffers. However, once diagnosed, there are many smart things you can do to remain symptom free or at least manage the symptoms so your treatment is just a task in your daily life.

Someone with normal lung function, air comes in the nose and mouth. It passes the windpipe before moving to the bronchi that then pass on to smaller and smaller tubes, ending in a small sac called alveoli. That small sac is where oxygen is passed to the blood. The body needs this oxygen. Carbon dioxide, which the body does not need, is then removed.

People with asthma have trouble breathing in the presence of 'triggers.' Symptoms of asthma mean the flow is obstructed as air passes out of the lungs. This happens either because airways become irritated, swollen, or reddened producing mucous. The greater the inflammation, the more sensitive the air passages, the worse and more intense the symptoms. The other cause of symptoms is that the muscles surrounding the airway twitch and tighten, causing the air channel to narrow. The muscle tension is usually caused if inflammation is not treated.

Airways of someone with asthma are inflamed all the time to a degree. The greater the inflammation, the more sensitive the airway is, leading to increased breathing difficulty.

Asthma is chronic condition, meaning it needs to be controlled over time. Anyone is susceptible to asthma, though it's usually diagnosed in early childhood

Most people living with asthma live healthy, fully active lives. You just need to monitor your symptoms, communicate with your doctor, and keep up to date on your current status, so that you too can enjoy a happy, productive life.

Asthma Triggers

Asthma doesn’t just happen. For the most part, many people live with asthma, unbeknown to the world until something triggers a reaction. Often times they reach for a rescue inhaler, sometimes an attack comes on so fierce they’re forced into the triage unit of the emergency room of the nearest hospital. Knowing and avoiding your own triggers can be an important step in the journey of living with and dealing with asthma.

A trigger is something that inflames airways, leading to asthma symptoms. But triggers vary from person to person. Many different things lead to inflammation including mold, pollen, air pollutants (smog) even viruses. Mold is often found where it’s damp, in sitting water, or near garbage containers. Pollen is produced by trees, grass, and weeds especially during the warmer weather months. Smog and atmospheric viruses are produced inside the body and is something you should verify and monitor with your doctor depending on where you live.

Other things, less often associated maybe in your own sphere with being inflammatory include dust mites, cockroaches, and animals such as dogs or cats with shedding fur. Dust mites are common problem for people with asthma. Dust mites are tiny, spider-like creatures whose body parts and excretions elicit powerful reaction from asthmatics. Dust mites congregate in soft-surfaced places and feed off shed human skin often found in bedding, pillows, sofas, and carpeting. Cockroaches, not only one of the most reviled pests of all time, also give asthmatics trouble. Their feces and presence incites symptoms.

Something less provocative but no less dangerous for people living with asthma are symptom triggers. These are things that don’t usually cause the inflammation that lead to full blown attacks, but can incite clogged airways, not helping the already inflamed passageways. These include things such as smoke, intense cold, other various air pollutants, or chemical fumes. Also instigating are things like exercise, perfumes or other strong smelling substances, or even intense emotions.

How to live when so much of what causes your suffering is all around in the world that you live?

Carefully: Don’t ever stray too far from medical attention or from a person who could get you there and knows what symptoms to look for. Always remember to carry ventelin or albuterol or whatever steroid it is you use, and always keep a spare on hand in the event you run out.

Judiciously: Judge all tasks not based on how much you want to do them, but how difficult it will be to complete. Overnight solo mountain climbing, for instance, might be negated in lieu of morning group nature hikes. Decathlon is something you’ll probably never compete in; why not participate in a charity walk?

Conservatively: It’s important to think of yourself first and never let your ambitions get out of step with your abilities.

Unfortunately for people with asthma they’re born with something most of us can’t even begin to understand as something like breathing is so often taken for granted. But as long as you communicate with those close to you and take steps to live your life as far away from inhibitors as possible, you should be on track for an otherwise long, healthy life.

Asthma Treatment

Treatment is often the most available thing to find these days. Everyone seems to have a new way to cure an old disease. But don’t let anyone sell you any glass houses with asthma. Because I’ll have to just barge right in, throw my stone, and tell you the truth: there is no cure. As much as I’d like there to be, you’ve got to remember: this is a TREATABLE disease. That’s good enough for them, right now. And with asthma, it's important to remember that symptoms vary based on the individual who's gotten them.

Even the season may make one person seem as two, the first thing it's important to do? Talk with your doctor about you. Ask him the questions you need to know for your particular case, and keep the channels of communication open. If you have a question, you should always ask. If symptoms feel like they are getting worse, they probably are.

Remember; never take heresy or urban legend as fact. Doctors are the only ones qualified to treat your individual case, no matter what "cure-all" you see on TV.

Your doctor can help you understand:

1) What medication works to minimize your symptoms, and why.

2) Ways to keep your own asthma under control by avoiding individual triggers, keeping out of contact with recurring stressors, and upping the overall quality of your life.

3) Preparation of an action plan with realizable goals for you and hopes of tamping down your symptoms.

4) Schedule visits at regular intervals to monitor your progress. When it comes to asthma symptoms, No news is definitely good news!

In order to minimize side effects, watch for your doctor to give you the lowest doses to control your symptoms. While it may takes some experimentation to find the correct amount, it is better than your body rejecting too much of the medication with possibly bad side effects. Over time it is more than likely your needs will change.

THE TWO MEDICINES:

There are two medications for most people grappling with asthma. Each medication treats only one aspect of the disease.

1) Controllers or Preventers: these reduce inflammation in the air passages. These should be taken each day. The medicine is working if you find, over time, that you're having fewer and fewer symptoms. However, even though your asthma symptoms stop, you should not stop taking your medication. If you do, airway inflammation is prone to recur.

2) Relievers: help in alleviating symptoms immediately. Coughing or wheezing is often treated this way. However, relievers do nothing for your long term inflammation. Hence, the need to take both simultaneously. Monitor your reliever use. If it increases, you can tell your asthma in general is getting worse.

Treating a disease like asthma has no cure-all. No matter what that late nigt infomercial tells you. However with proper monitoring, communication between you and your health care provider, and personal responsibility, you can take part in assuring your health is maintained in a continuous, long-term way.

Contribute byJack Conner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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