How Does It Work
Using AirPhysio is easy its like an OPEP device, but much more efficient:1. Blow into the AirPhysio. You dont need to breathe too hard just enough to make the ball bearing inside the clear cap lift up . This builds pressure within the lungs, which opens them up and gets behind the mucus thats responsible for the heaviness in your chest.2. As the mucus is lifted upward toward the throat, youll be able to remove it by coughing or swallowing.3. Repeat this process as often as needed to fully clean your lungs from the mucus. The more you use it, the cleaner your lungs will be!Yes, I know, it sounds a bit icky but trust me: The feeling of relief is fantastic! And even better, Im actually building strength in my lungs while I kick out the gorilla.Of course, you dont even have to feel heaviness in your chest to use it. Personally, I use it on a daily basis no matter how my lungs are feeling.I even have a friend who uses it to keep their lungs strong, clean and healthy even though they dont have any respiratory condition themselves!
AirPhysio can help turn your mucus-blocked airways into clean healthy airways so more air can pass through.So its also become popular among athletes, who use it to reduce breathlessness during exercise and speed up recovery times after working out or training.Those who will benefit most from the stronger lungs AirPhysio gives you include:
How Long Does Post
It really depends on whats causing it, Dr. Scangas says.The best way to make it go away is to try and differentiate which underlying causes are at the root of the problem, and then either treating the acid reflux, chronic sinusitis, or allergic rhinitis, he says.
While the timeline can vary, if your post-nasal drip is caused by allergieswhich it often isit can lastas long as the ongoing exposure to pollen is present, says Aaron Clark, D.O., a family medicine physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. For colds, youre usually looking at anywhere from seven to 10 days, he says.
Q: My teenage son has allergies and asthma. He is constantly clearing his throat. Why is this? How can he clear out the mucus?
Many people with asthma have allergies, so treating the nose for allergic rhinitis is just as important as treating the lungs.
The nose and lungs are at opposite ends of the respiratory tract. The mucus that youre describing is coming from his nose and/or sinuses and dripping down his throat, causing him to constantly clear it.
We treat allergic rhinitis and asthma similarly. The first line of treatment is to identify the relevant triggers and avoid whatever is practical to avoid. A board-certified allergist can help you with this.
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Upper Airway Cough Syndromeinduced Chronic Cough
Patients with chronic cough should first be treated with a first-generation antihistamine/decongestant. If the patient has complete or partial resolution of cough after one to two weeks of antihistamine/decongestant therapy, then it is assumed that upper airway cough syndrome was the cause and therapy should be continued. If the patient has persistent nasal symptoms, it is appropriate to begin a topical nasal steroid. If symptoms still persist, it is an indication for sinus imaging.
Patients with mucosal thickening should be treated for sinusitis. If the patient does not respond to sinusitis therapy, she or he should be referred to an ear, nose, and throat specialist.
If the patient has only partial resolution of cough but no signs of upper airway cough syndrome, then an evaluation for asthma should be done.
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Are People With Asthma At Higher Risk Of Getting Covid
So, there is no hard evidence that people with asthma get sicker with COVID-19 . But is there any evidence that people with asthma are more likely to catch the coronavirus? Again, not that we are aware of. A study of 140 cases showed no link between coronavirus infections and asthma.
Some people with asthma may wonder if they are immunocompromised and what that means. Immunocompromised means that your immune system is weakened, either by a disease or by a medication. It means you are more likely to catch an infection and more likely to have a more severe illness than someone who is not immunocompromised.
Some people with asthma can be immunocompromised because of the medication they take. Here are some asthma medications and treatment combinations that can blunt the immune system:
- Any biologic therapy such as omalizumab
- Daily corticosteroid tablets or liquid
- Antibiotic tablets or liquid taken for asthma every week
- Tiotropium , a prescription asthma medication
- A combination inhaler that contains a high daily steroid dose
- Taking an inhaler with a high daily steroid dose and montelukast together
Check with your provider if youre not sure about whether your medications could be making you immunocompromised.
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Worsening Of Asthma During Menstrual Periods
It is common for the symptoms of asthma to worsen during menarche . This problem usually subsides once the menstrual cycle becomes regular. Some women with severe asthma experience aggravation at the time of or before menstruation.
The attacks can be caused by certain medications used for period pains, including aspirin and other NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and mefenamic acid . Oral contraceptive pills, usually, do not affect asthma control.
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Is Magnesium Sulfate Effective
The scientific evidence supporting the use of magnesium sulfate in the treatment of severe asthma is mixed.
Authors of a 2013 study recruited 508 children from British hospitals who had severe flare-ups of asthma that had not responded to standard inhaled treatment.
The researchers randomly assigned the children to receive either nebulized magnesium sulfate or a placebo, in addition to standard asthma medications.
They concluded that nebulized magnesium sulfate in combination with standard treatment did not produce a clinically significant improvement in the childrens asthma symptoms.
However, the authors noted that children with more severe asthma symptoms showed the most significant response to magnesium treatment.
In 2014, another large British trial set out to establish how effectively magnesium sulfate could reduce asthma symptoms.
The authors recruited 1,109 adults with severe acute asthma and randomly assigned participants to receive either IV magnesium, nebulized magnesium, or standard therapy alone.
The researchers were reportedly unable to demonstrate a clinically worthwhile benefit of magnesium sulfate treatment. However, they found some weak evidence that IV magnesium sulfate could reduce the number of hospitalizations due to asthma attacks.
The findings of a systematic review, published in the same year, were more positive. The researchers analyzed data from 14 trials that had compared IV magnesium sulfate treatment to placebos in adults with acute asthma.
How Can I Tell The Difference Between Asthma Covid
Some symptoms are similar between these respiratory illnesses. Respiratory illnesses may worsen asthma, so its important to keep taking your asthma medicines. If you have a fever and a cough, call your doctor. If you have seasonal allergies, there are things you can do to treat them at home. If your allergy symptoms are hard to control, make an appointment with an allergist.
This chart can help you figure out if you may be feeling symptoms of asthma, allergies, or a respiratory illness like COVID-19, the flu, or a cold:
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Make An Asthma Action Plan
If you don’t have one already, work with your doctor to create an asthma action plan. This is something you talk about and write down. It helps you tell how well-controlled your asthma is and what to do about it. Your action plan might include:
- How much medicine to take and when
- A list of your triggers and ways to avoid them
- What to do when you have specific symptoms of trouble
What Are The Symptoms Of Asthma
While symptoms vary from person to person, the most common signs of mild asthma include:
- difficulty breathing feeling breathless, even while resting, or being unable to finish full sentences before needing to take another breath
- wheezing making a whistling sound while breathing
- coughing either at specific times or after certain activities
During a severe asthma attack, you may notice more serious symptoms, such as:
- feeling very distressed, exhausted or even limp from trying to breathe
- deep sucking motions at the throat or chest while trying to breathe
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Why Is Asthma Keeping Me Awake
Its common for asthma symptoms to come on at night, but you shouldnt have to put up with them. Night-time asthma symptoms are a sign that your asthma isnt well controlled, and you may be at risk of an asthma attack.
If your symptoms come on early in the morning, it could be a sign your asthma has been difficult through the night, even if you werent aware of it.
Here are some reasons why your symptoms may come on at night:
There is also evidence to suggest that a lack of sleep can make your asthma symptoms worse. If youre struggling with sleep and its affecting your asthma, speak to your GP or asthma nurse.
What Are The Possible Side
Most people who take cough medicines do not have side-effects. Some cough preparations can cause drowsiness. If you are drowsy after taking a cough medicine, you should not drive and you should not operate machinery. The leaflet that comes with your medicine will state if the medicine can cause drowsiness.
Pholcodine may cause constipation.
Note: the above is not the full list of side-effects for these medicines. Please see the leaflet that comes with your particular brand for a full list of possible side-effects and cautions.
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What Are The Complications Of Asthma
Poorly-controlled asthma can have a negative effect on your quality of life. Complications may include:
- being less productive at work or while studying
- an inability to exercise and be physically active
- reduced lung function
- poor mental health
Taking your medications exactly as prescribed is important. If you feel that your asthma is affecting your quality of life, contact your doctor for a medicines review.
Natural Ways To Manage Cough Variant Asthma At Home
Cough variant asthma is a subtype of asthma, which presents solely with a cough without any other symptoms such as dyspnea or wheezing. CVA is one of the most common causes of a chronic cough. More importantly, 30 to 40 percent of CVA cases in adult patients, unless adequately treated, may progress to classic asthma.
CVA shares some pathophysiological features with classic asthma, such as atopy, airway hyper-responsiveness, eosinophilic airway inflammation, and various elements of airway remodeling.
The chronic cough that characterizes CVA is usually dry and unproductive and often tends to worsen at night. A nonproductive cough such as this does not expel any mucus from the respiratory tract and can last six to eight weeks.
CVA is a milder form of asthma. Children are more likely than adults to have this type of asthma. This condition is often triggered by exposure to specific allergens and environmental factors or activities such as strong odors, pollen, cold air, exercise, and dust. In fact, patients with CVA are also likely to suffer from other allergic conditions, such as drug and food allergies, eczema, and hay fever.
Contents
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Southern Cross Medical Library
The purpose of the Southern Cross Medical Library is to provide information of a general nature to help you better understand certain medical conditions. Always seek specific medical advice for treatment appropriate to you. This information is not intended to relate specifically to insurance or healthcare services provided by Southern Cross. For more articles go to the Medical Library index page.
What Is Good Asthma Care
Your doctor or nurse will tailor your asthma treatment to your symptoms. Sometimes you may need to be on higher levels of medication than at others.
You should be offered:
- care at your GP surgery provided by doctors and nurses trained in asthma management
- full information about your condition and how to control it
- involvement in making decisions about your treatment
- regular checks to ensure your asthma is under control and your treatment is right for you
- a written personal asthma action plan agreed with your doctor or nurse
It is also important that your GP or pharmacist teaches you how to properly use your inhaler, as this is an important part of good asthma care.
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The Importance Of Self
Asthma is a chronic condition, which means that there is no cure. However, people can often manage the condition with a combination of daily and rescue medications.
Moreover, self-care is important for people with asthma. Individual responsibility and action are essential for the prevention of asthma attacks.
In combination with a medically sound asthma action plan, home remedies for asthma can be very helpful and play an important role in keeping the condition under control.
Nocturnal Asthma Medical Treatment
There is no cure for nocturnal asthma, although there are treatments to get it under control. Discuss your symptoms with your GP or asthma nurse and they will be able to recommend the best treatment plan for you. Medical treatment for nighttime asthma could include:
- Preventer inhaler. This delivers a dose of steroid medicine that you breathe in to damp down inflammation and swelling in the airways. Using a preventer inhaler regularly builds up protection so you are less sensitive to triggers. Good day-time control of your asthma will reduce flare-ups at night.
- Reliever inhaler. This delivers a dose of fast-acting medicine such as salbutamol that will open up the airways and help relieve the symptoms of nocturnal asthma. Keep it beside your bed so you can use it as soon as you have an attack at night.
- Combination inhalers. If your other inhalers are not helping, you might need a combination inhaler that mixes the medication and stops symptoms occurring while also providing relief if they do occur.
- Leukotriene Receptor Antagonists . This medicine is given in tablet-form and sometimes used in addition to inhalers to help with severe asthma symptoms and night-time attacks.
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Drink Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar helps relieve inflammation by balancing body pH. It also contains various nutrients that support the respiratory system. Thus, ACV is a popular anecdotal remedy for asthma symptoms. However, there is no scientific evidence to substantiate its effects.
How to use:
Dilute a few drops of ACV in a glass of water and consume.
What Is The Best Position To Sleep With Asthma
Alleviating some of your nocturnal asthma symptoms can be as simple as changing your sleeping position. One study found that the supine sleep position improved night-time asthma symptoms and constricts your lungs less than lying on your stomach or side.
The best sleeping position for asthma patients is to prop yourself up with extra pillows. This will help to keep the airways open and reduce your risk of a night-time cough.
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What Are Natural Remedies For Asthma
With all the studies on alternative medicine and natural remedies, you may wonder if thereâs a natural cure for asthma. Unfortunately, there is no cure for asthma at this point. In fact, you should avoid any treatment or product — natural or otherwise — that claims to be a “cure” for asthma.
Some natural therapies may help you manage symptoms of asthma. For instance, a negative response to emotional stress can cause an asthma attack. Some natural relaxation remedies like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, and biofeedback can help relieve stress.
Other findings suggest that diet plays a role in easing asthma symptoms. For example, omega-3 fatty acids found naturally in high-fat fish like salmon, mackerel, and cod may help your body fight inflammation. Whether this may help people who have asthma is still unproven.
Stay Away From Pollen And Other Irritants
A very common trigger for CVA is exposure to pollen. To reduce your coughing, you must pay attention to the air quality reports and avoid highly polluted areas that can worsen your condition.
- Use an air conditioner to reduce airborne pollen from trees, grasses, and weeds that finds its way indoors. Clean and replace your air conditioner filters on a regular basis.
- Keep your windows closed during the pollen season. Also, venture out less often to minimize the risk of exposure.
- Avoid living in a highly polluted area.
- Do your best to keep your house free from dust and dust mites by vacuuming your home twice a week.
- Wash all bedding and stuffed animals frequently with hot water.
- Avoid intense fragrances, which can cause your airways to act up, triggering a coughing spell.
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Personal Asthma Action Plan
As part of your initial assessment, you should be encouraged to draw up a personal asthma action plan with your GP or asthma nurse.
If you’ve been admitted to hospital because of an asthma attack, you should be offered an action plan before you go home.
The action plan should include information about your asthma medicines, and will help you recognise when your symptoms are getting worse and what steps to take. You should also be given information about what to do if you have an asthma attack.
Your personal asthma action plan should be reviewed with your GP or asthma nurse at least once a year, or more frequently if your symptoms are severe.
As part of your asthma plan, you may be given a peak flow meter. This will give you another way of monitoring your asthma, rather than relying only on symptoms, so you can recognise deterioration earlier and take appropriate steps.
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