Is There A Genetic Link To Asthma
Asthma is a complex disease with multiple genetic and environmental risk factors. Some genes may have a protective effect while others increase the risk of asthma, with each gene having its own tendency to be influenced by the environment.
The risk of asthma in children with one affected parent is around 25%, whereas the risk if both parents are affected is around 50%. Research also shows that maternal asthma increases the offspring disease risk to a greater extent than paternal disease.
Is Swimming A Better Activity For Someone With Asthma Or Can The Chlorine In Swimming Pools Be A Trigger
Swimming was recommended in the past as a good form of exercise for people with asthma as it was thought that breathing warm/moist air, rather than cold/dry air, might reduce the risk of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction and encourage good breathing practices. However, some people may find that the chlorine used in swimming pools may act as a trigger for their asthma. Each persons asthma is individual to them and everyone reacts differently to different triggers. It is a good idea to avoid chlorine-based swimming pools if you are asthmatic.
Is Exercise Good For Asthma
Although exercise may seem like a trigger for asthma, it is actually essential for overall lung health. By exercising every day, you increase the amount of oxygen your body can use, which helps with breathing. Some people may only have exercise-induced asthma and have difficulty breathing when doing a lot of physical activity. However, these symptoms can be managed, and people with asthma can participate in all kinds of exercise.
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Do I Need A Doctor To Get An Inhaler
You will need to speak with a doctor to get a prescription inhaler, which is the first line of treatment for those with breathing conditions such as asthma.
Asthma is a chronic condition that can get worse over time. Please do not wait for your asthma or breathing problems to get better on their own.
If you need an inhaler, make an appointment with PlushCare today to speak with a doctor.
You can schedule an appointment to speak with a board-certified physician about your breathing problems and asthma signs and symptoms. If you are already diagnosed with asthma, talk with your provider about treatment options or if you have questions about your medications or prescriptions.
You can book an appointment here or download the free PlushCare mobile app. The average appointment lasts just 15 minutes, and 97% of conditions are successfully treated on the first visit.
How Do Inhaler Sensors Work
Sensors for prescription inhalers are different from over-the-counter inhalers for nasal decongestion. These sensors are used with asthma inhalers, which administer medicine to the lungs through inhalation. Sensors can help people keep track of how many doses of medicine they inhale or remind them if they miss a dose. This information can also be shared with healthcare providers through app technology. While these sensors can be purchased over-the-counter at Walgreens, asthma inhalers are prescribed by healthcare providers and should not be used without a prescription. Speak with your healthcare provider if you use an asthma inhaler and are interested in sensor technology.
Always read labels carefully before using over-the-counter inhalers, and speak with a healthcare provider before beginning to use these products. If you are experiencing symptoms of nasal congestion, your healthcare provider can help find the best option for your needs.
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History Of Otc Asthma Inhalers
To get our answers we have to travel back to 1956. This was a great year for asthmatics. That was the year the inhaler was invented. The first inhaler medicine was epinephrine. The second was isoproterenol. A year later, in 1957, they entered the market. These were the first two asthma rescue inhalers. They were called the Medihaler Epi and Medihaler Iso.1
As you can imagine, this was a huge boon for asthmatics. This was not the first time asthmatics had access to rescue medicine. However, it was the first time it was available in small, portable devices.1 They could be stuffed in pockets and purses. They could be used anywhere, anyplace, and anytime. It was such an awesome invention.
But, there was a surge in asthma-related deaths. Doctors were made aware of these statistics. This resulted in a subsequent decline in rescue inhaler prescriptions.1
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Side Effects Of Otc Asthma Inhalers And Medication
Asthma is a serious health condition that can be life-threatening if improperly treated or unaddressed.
If you have not been diagnosed with asthma, or if you have chronic or severe asthma, using an over-the-counter inhaler, atomizer, or tablet may not relieve your symptoms.
In fact, misusing an OTC medication when you require more significant intervention may be detrimental to your health because it gives your breathing problems more time to develop into an emergency medical issue.
Over-the-counter asthma medication can also negatively interfere with other prescription medications and exacerbate previous medical conditions.
Talk to your doctor about your asthma and health history before beginning to treat symptoms with any other over-the-counter or alternative treatment.
Side effects of OTC inhalers can include:
- Slow or fast heartbeat
- Inability to move the arms, legs, or facial muscles
- Pounding in the ears
- Pain or discomfort in the arms, jaw, neck, or back
Although some homeopathic remedies claim to treat asthma, the Federal Food and Drug Administration warns that these products have not been evaluated by the FDA for effectiveness and safety.
The FDA goes on to say that relying on these remedies puts a person at risk of requiring emergency care or hospitalization.
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When To See A Medical Provider
Asthma is a chronic medical condition, but treatment options can help you successfully manage your symptoms.
Make an appointment to talk to your doctor or another healthcare provider if you are experiencing any symptoms that you believe might be related to asthma, including:
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling forced to use your chest muscles to help you breathe
- A bluish tinge to your face, mouth, or lips
Vicks Personal Steam Inhaler
The Vicks Personal Steam Inhaler does not contain any medicine or active ingredients. It uses steam and optional menthol Vicks VapoPads to soothe irritated lungs due to asthma, cough, or cold.
The built-in face mask delivers targeted relief directly into your mouth and nose. Moisture and humidity can help open up swollen bronchial passages, and soothe sore tissue in your throat and lungs.
Fill the tank with water, then the self-regulating heater will safely boil the water. Use the adjustable steam control to mix cold air into the steam to your comfort level. Each treatment lasts 5 to 15 minutes, and its safe to use multiple times per day.
Bonus: This also works as a face steamer, which can be helpful for softening skin and using wash-off face masks.
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Supermarkets To Sell Asthma Inhalers Over The Counter
Asthma inhalers will go on sale in supermarkets for the first time this month, allowing sufferers to get the medicine without seeing their doctor.
Asda said it would start selling blue reliever inhalers over the counter without prescription from Tuesday.
Customers over 16 will be able to buy two inhalers for £7.
The Department of Health said that medicines must be dispensed by qualified staff in line with all legal requirements.
In England such items would incur a charge of £7.65 if obtained on prescription in the rest of the UK prescription charges no longer apply.
There are two different types of inhalers, relievers and preventers, available to the 5.2 million people in the UK who suffer from asthma.
Blue reliever inhalers the ones Asda will be selling contain the drug salbutamol and are used if someone is feeling wheezy or suffering an attack.
Preventer inhalers are taken twice daily to help keep asthma under control.
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How Can I Open My Lungs Without An Inhaler
Feeling short of breath or congested is one of the worst feelings in the world. If you do not have an inhaler and are waiting for medical treatment, you can do a few things to open up your lungs.
Some things you can do at home to open up your lungs without an inhaler include:
- Sitting up straight
- Move away from triggers
- Take vitamins C, D, and E
Home remedies can often alleviate mild symptoms of asthma and other breathing problems. However, if you have chest pain, rapid breathing, or bluish tint to your skin, seek emergency medical care.
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Can You Get An Inhaler Without Going To A Doctor
Yes, you can get an inhaler without going to the doctor by having a virtual appointment or getting an inhaler thats available over the counter.
Online doctors are able to write prescriptions for inhalers during virtual appointments. They can electronically send your inhaler prescription to your pharmacy, where you can pick it up.
Learn more about how to get an inhaler without seeing a doctor below.
How To Use An Over
Using an over-the-counter inhaler entails inhaling the aerosol by following these steps:
Remove the cap.
Prime the inhaler by shaking it well and spraying it into the air before use.
Place the inhaler in your mouth and inhale deeply while pressing down the top of the inhaler.
Continue breathing in for as long as you can.
Exhale and wait for approximately a minute.
If there is no relief, take a second puff following the steps above.
Two sprays amount to 1 dose, and you should wait at least 4 hours before taking another.
Run water through the mouthpiece after use to clean it.
If it is your first time using an asthma inhaler, prime it four times before use. If it is not the first time, shake and spray once. Remember not to exceed eight inhalations in a day.
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What Is The Dosage For Ventolin
Ventolin is for inhalation use only. When used to treat or prevent bronchospasm in adults and children over 4 years old, It is to be inhaled every four or six hours. Some patients require only one inhalation every four hours. When used to prevent exercise-induced bronchospasm among adults and children over four years old, It is to be inhaled twice fifteen or thirty minutes before the exercise.
Ventolin needs to be primed before using it for the first time, before using when the inhaler after it was not used for more than two weeks, or when the inhaler is accidentally dropped. Priming is done by releasing four sprays into the air, away from the face of the user, shaking well the canister before each spray. It must be used as prescribed by the doctor. Use it according to the doctors schedule. If you miss a dose, you should take it the moment you remember. If the schedule of the next dose is close, skip the missed dose and proceed to your regular schedule. Do not take twice the dose to make up for the skipped dose.
Only the person to whom it is prescribed by the doctor must use the inhaler. It must not be shared or offered for use with others. While using, it is important that a patient avoid exposures to allergens or irritants such as pollen, pet dander, moulds, dust, or smoke that may make the breathing problems worse.
About The Asthma Center
At the Mass General Brigham Asthma Center, we are physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, nurse educators, and pulmonary function technicians, practicing together to provide the finest possible care for both adults and children with asthma.
Our special services include management of difficult-to-control asthma, occupational asthma, aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease, and asthma among pregnant women. Some of our physicians are bilingual and can provide care in Spanish, Hebrew and Russian as well as in English.
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Are There Certain Times Of The Year When You Are More Likely To Suffer A Flare
Asthma is different for everyone. Although there are common triggers, different triggers affect different people. If a person is affected by an infective trigger , then winter will be when their asthma symptoms are worse for them. If the trigger is allergic, then springtime is the time when their asthma symptoms will occur.
Why Are Asthma Inhalers Different Colours
Asthma inhalers are different colours to make it easy to tell the different sorts of inhaler apart. This can be important for people with asthma and their families. If you have an asthma attack you will need to use a reliever inhaler quickly. These are usually blue in colour and will provide fast relief from symptoms allowing you to breathe easily again. Being able to tell the different inhalers apart quickly can be very important if you have an asthma attack.
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What Causes An Asthma Attack
Different people are sensitive to different triggers . If you have asthma, it is important to identify your particular triggers and to avoid them as much as possible.
While almost anything can trigger an asthma attack,there are some of the most common triggers:
In the event of an asthma attack:
- Stay calm and try not to panic.
- Breathe as slowly and deeply as possible.
- Take your prescribed medication.
- Check your breathing with a peak flow meter .
- Ask someone to call your doctor if you have difficulty speaking.
- DO NOT ignore the problem.
Preventer Inhaler Side Effects
Preventer inhalers have a number of common side effects. These include a sore throat, hoarse voice and a mouth infection known as thrush.
Inhalers used to treat asthma contain steroids and higher doses of steroids can cause some further side effects. Your doctor will try to keep you on the lowest dose of asthma treatment to reduce the amount of steroids you need to use. However, for moderate and severe cases of asthma, you may need a higher dose. Less common side effects of inhalers will not affect everyone but may affect some people with asthma.
These less common side effects include:
- increased appetite
- puffiness, especially around the face
- high blood pressure
- weakening of the bones
If you have any concerns about side effects caused by your asthma inhalers it is important to continue to take your medication whilst seeking medical advice, unless you think you are having an allergic reaction, in which case you should seek advice as an emergency. You should speak to your GP before stopping your medication, even if you are worried about side effects. Stopping medication without expert advice could make your symptoms get worse or you could suffer a life-threatening asthma attack. Your GP will be able to adjust your asthma medication plan in order to manage any side effects.
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Risks Of Using An Otc Inhaler For Asthma
Self-treating any medical condition poses significant risks, including:
With over-the-counter inhalers, there’s another real concern: They can become less effective over time, but you may not realize that and keep relying on them in a crisis situation.
If this happens and you experience frequent attacks, your lungs can begin to change and become stiffer and stiffer as scar tissues develop. Over time, this can reduce your lung capacity, leaving you weak and breathless with even moderate activity.
Can We Get An Asthma Inhaler Over The Counter
To treat asthma there is no shortcut method, but if rapid relief is needed, there are OTC options available to provide relief. FDA-approved over-the-counter metered-dose inhaler is only the Primatene Mist. Primatene mist is suggested for mild symptoms of spasmodic asthma.
Even though over the counter asthma inhalers are accessible, specialists say that they are not the good option for asthma. But, some people select this route due to lack of insurance or for rapid relief.
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Is There Anything Stronger Than Albuterol
Levalbuterol is the more active R-enantiomer of the albuterol racemic mixture. Levalbuterol stimulates the beta receptors resulting in relaxation of bronchial and tracheal smooth muscle and a more open airway. Levalbuterol is available as a metered-dose inhaler delivering a 45 mcg dose per actuation.
Why A Prescription For An Inhaler Is Important
When you need a prescription for an inhaler, most health professionals only recommend getting an inhaler through professional diagnosis through consultation with the doctor.
This is also why patients with heart disease, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, diabetes, and difficulty in urination due to an enlarged prostate gland, are warned not to obtain over-the-counter inhalers without any doctors consultation or diagnosis.
Existing asthma patients are requested to obtain doctors advice on using an over-the-counter inhaler in most circumstances for such reasons as to avoid masking or interacting with other health conditions.
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Over The Counter Medicine For Asthma: What You Need To Know
Approximately 1 in 13 people¹ lives with asthma in the US. Symptoms of asthma include shortness of breath, pain or tightness in the chest and coughing.
Asthma has no cure, but there are prescribed drugs that can prevent asthma attacks. However, these can be expensive. While over-the-counter medicines are no substitute for prescribed ones, they can help alleviate mild, intermittent asthma symptoms.
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