What Are The Treatments For Asthma
If you have asthma, you will work with your health care provider to create a treatment plan. The plan will include ways to manage your asthma symptoms and prevent asthma attacks. It will include
- Strategies to avoid triggers. For example, if tobacco smoke is a trigger for you, you should not smoke or allow other people to smoke in your home or car.
- Short-term relief medicines, also called quick-relief medicines. They help prevent symptoms or relieve symptoms during an asthma attack. They include an inhaler to carry with you all the time. It may also include other types of medicines which work quickly to help open your airways.
- Control medicines. You take them every day to help prevent symptoms. They work by reducing airway inflammation and preventing narrowing of the airways.
If you have a severe attack and the short-term relief medicines do not work, you will need emergency care.
Your provider may adjust your treatment until asthma symptoms are controlled.
Sometimes asthma is severe and cannot be controlled with other treatments. If you are an adult with uncontrolled asthma, in some cases your provider might suggest bronchial thermoplasty. This is a procedure that uses heat to shrink the smooth muscle in the lungs. Shrinking the muscle reduces your airway’s ability to tighten and allows you to breathe more easily. The procedure has some risks, so it’s important to discuss them with your provider.
Cromolyn Sodium And Nedocromil
Cromolyn and nedocromil are very safe agents with a mild to moderate anti-inflammatory effect. Both drugs inhibit the early-and late-phase asthmatic response to allergens and exercise. Nedocromil appears to be more effective than cromolyn in inhibiting bronchospasm induced by exercise, cold air and provocative testing.9 Because of their excellent safety profiles, cromolyn and nedocromil are good initial long-term control medications in children and pregnant women with mild persistent asthma.
Cromolyn is available in a metered-dose inhaler , in capsules for oral inhalation and in a nebulizer solution. The usual dosages for adults are two to four puffs or one ampule of nebulizer solution three or four times daily for children, one or two puffs or one ampule three or four times daily.
Nedocromil is available only in an MDI. For adults, the dosage is two to four puffs two to four times daily for children, one to two puffs two to four times daily. Four weeks of continued therapy may be required before the optimal effects of these drugs are achieved.
With both agents, a single dose can be taken 15 to 30 minutes before exercise to prevent exercise-induced bronchospasm for one to two hours. Cromolyn and nedocromil are both well tolerated although side effects such as cough, throat irritation and unpleasant taste have been reported.10,11
Who Can Get Asthma
Anyone can develop asthma at any age. People with allergies or people exposed to tobacco smoke and secondhand smoke are more likely to develop asthma.
Statistics show women tend to have asthma more than men, and asthma affects Black Americans more frequently than other races.
When a child develops asthma, healthcare providers call it childhood asthma. If it develops later in life, its adult-onset asthma.
Children do not outgrow asthma. They may have fewer symptoms as they get older, but they could still have an asthma attack. Your childs healthcare provider can help you understand the risks.
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Add A Quality Green Drink To The Diet
Greens from both sea and earth are great for gentle detoxing, nourishing cells and replenishing vitamins and minerals. In addition, they are from sources that are bioavailable and easy to absorb. It also helps to keep the body in a slightly alkaline state. My kids get one each morning, mixed in water with a splash of lemon. To this is what I add some of the vitamins, like the C capsules, that my 5-year-old cannot yet swallow.
I switch between 2 products Harmonia and Green Spectrum. Harmonia is something that my mother, a naturopath of twenty years, sells in her store and uses herself. She bases much of her practice on eating for ones genetic type, as each individual does better with different foods based on his/her genetic makeup. This particular product is formulated for all blood-types.
Green Spectrum is a great product by Purium, a company that processes on low heat to maintain nutrients and sprouts and/or ferments ingredients that need to be in order to make the nutrients available to the body. If you have never purchased from this online superfood store before, heres a gift card code: raisingnaturalkids. If you spend more than $75 on your first order, this code will give you $50 off the order.
What Happens During Asthma Attacks
Asthma attacks may start as minor but if not managed effectively, can turn dangerous. During an asthma attack, the airways become swollen and constricted more than usual. Breathing properly becomes quite tough. Some signs of an asthma attack are:
- Wheezing while breathing in and out
- Extremely rapid breathing
Read More on Asthma Causes & Triggers
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What Asthma Treatment Options Are There
You have options to help manage your asthma. Your healthcare provider may prescribe medications to control symptoms. These include:
- Anti-inflammatory medicines: These medicines reduce swelling and mucus production in your airways. They make it easier for air to enter and exit your lungs. Your healthcare provider may prescribe them to take every day to control or prevent your symptoms.
- Bronchodilators: These medicines relax the muscles around your airways. The relaxed muscles let the airways move air. They also let mucus move more easily through the airways. These medicines relieve your symptoms when they happen.
- Biologic therapies for asthma when symptoms persist despite being on proper inhaler therapy.
You can take asthma medicines in several different ways. You may breathe in the medicines using a metered-dose inhaler, nebulizer or other inhaler. Your healthcare provider may prescribe oral medications that you swallow.
Use A Peak Flow Meter
A peak flow meter is an inexpensive handheld gadget. You use it to measure how fast air comes out when you exhale hard after a full breath in. This number is called a peak expiratory flow .
Your doctor may want you to use a peak flow meter to help you recognize signs of trouble. Many asthma symptoms result from not being able to move air out of your lungs. If your PEF goes down, that’s a sign that your asthma is getting worse and that you need to do something.
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How To Relax The Airways
Dr. Thiruchelvam says the primary goal is to ensure that you dont avoid exercise. Here are some practical things you can do if you have exercise-induced asthma:
Gaining and maintaining good control over exercise-induced asthma often requires teamwork. A primary care sports medicine physician can help you keep your asthma well-controlled, so that exercise is less likely to trigger symptoms.
Invest In An Organic Mattress
Mainstream mattresses are covered in chemical flame retardants and made out of toxic foams, both of which create dust over time as the materials and chemicals naturally break down. The chemicals have been found in both the bloodstream and in cord blood. Two of these chemicals are decaBDE and HBCD and are linked to cancer, RESPIRATORY illness, hormonal disruption and allergies, to name a few. This is a topic where you have to do your research because there are many companies claiming to be organic or green when they are not.
I have a video up on our Closed FB Group where I discuss questions to ask any company before purchasing one of their mattresses.
The Day My Daughter Asked Me Why She Has an Organic Mattress
If a company claims a Certi-Pur certification, please dig further. A mattress should be GreenGueard certified AND use GOLS, GOTS and Oeko Tex certified practices and materials. We have five mattresses from a family owned company in Illinois where the owner makes the mattresses with his staff. Its called My Green Mattressand you can get $125 off each mattress using code RNKSAVE.
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How Can I Manage My Child’s Asthma
For most kids with asthma, their symptoms can be controlled sometimes so well that flare-ups are rare. But learning about asthma can be the hardest part of asthma care.
Don’t be discouraged. Learn as much as you can, talk to others living with asthma, read up on asthma, and discuss any concerns with your child’s doctor.
Once you and your family are used to dealing with asthma, it will become a normal part of your routine. These tips can put you on the right path.
Emergency Asthma Treatment At Home In Case Of An Attack
- Do not lie down
- Sit up straight and try to calm down
- Take a puff from a reliever every 30 to 60 seconds
- Breathe in through the nose and out through pursed lips
- Breathe in through nose with hands placed on the belly and exhale
- Try sipping warm back tea or coffee
- Try to inhale the vapour of eucalyptus essential oil from a diffuser
Try the natural home remedies for asthma and witness your symptoms get diminished. Try to maintain an asthma diary. Write down about your symptoms when you experience them, foods that seem to trigger the symptoms, where you were and what you were doing before your asthma flared up, how often you have to use your inhaler, if at all, and other such details. It will help you and your doctor to get a better insight and control your asthmatic symptoms more effectively.
Disclaimer: The information included at this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the readers situation.
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A Note On Modern Medicine
There is a time and place for modern medicine as there is a time and place for traditional medicine. While I stick to traditional medicine because I feel it is safer and many times more effective, I recognize that when it comes to the respiratory system, sometimes modern medicine is necessary to prevent a serious situation from becoming a life-threatening one.
When the brain and other body functions are being affected by a medication to cause a stunt in growth, its not worth using when there are safer alternatives.
This being so, I dont advise quitting asthma medicine cold turkey if your child is currently taking any. Start implementing these natural asthma remedies and then wean off of the medication.
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
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Can Medicine Alone Help My Asthma
Not usually. Although medicines help a lot, they may not be able to do the job alone. You have to avoid the things that cause or trigger your asthma symptoms as much as you can. Asthma triggers can be found outside or inside your home, school, or workplace.
Improving the indoor air quality in your home is an important part of asthma control. Your indoor air can be more polluted than outside air. Our interactive Healthy Home can show you ways to improve the indoor air quality of your home. A healthier home can reduce your exposure to allergens and irritants.
So Can Asthma Be Cured Completely
Asthma cannot be cured completely, no, but it can be controlled to the point that the symptoms become negligible. As a chronic and lasting condition, asthma is not curable. It is highly treatable, though, so long as a patient has professional support.
Many doctors believe there are actually different kinds of asthma with their own causes. Its true that different patients have different triggers for their asthma, as well as different responses, so its likely that there are different causes and thus different treatments for asthma. Here at Allergy & Asthma Center, we can address asthma in a number of ways to alleviate our patients symptoms, sometimes almost entirely.
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Whats An Asthma Attack
When you breathe normally, muscles around your airways are relaxed, letting air move easily. During an asthma attack, three things can happen:
- Bronchospasm: The muscles around the airways constrict . When they tighten, it makes the airways narrow. Air cannot flow freely through constricted airways.
- Inflammation: The airway linings become swollen. Swollen airways dont let as much air in or out of the lungs.
- Mucus production: During the attack, your body creates more mucus. This thick mucus clogs airways.
What Are The Symptoms Of Asthma
The symptoms of asthma include
- Chest tightness
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing, which causes a whistling sound when you breathe out
These symptoms can range from mild to severe. You may have them every day or only once in a while.
When you are having an asthma attack, your symptoms get much worse. The attacks may come on gradually or suddenly. Sometimes they can be life-threatening. They are more common in people who have severe asthma. If you are having asthma attacks, you may need a change in your treatment.
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When Should I Go To The Emergency Room
If your skin, mouth or nails are turning blue, then you arent getting enough air into your lungs. This is a medical emergency and you should have a family member or friend take you to the nearest urgent care or emergency room. If youre alone, call 911 and describe your breathing.
If you suddenly start wheezing after a bee sting, after you take a new medication or eat a new food, that could indicate an allergic reaction and you should go to the emergency room immediately.
Whatever the cause of your wheezing, there are things you can do to get relief. Follow your healthcare providers directions, dont smoke, take all medications as prescribed and run a vaporizer or humidifier to moisten the air. Doing all of these things will help you breathe easier.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 09/24/2020.
References
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Your Lungs Are In Your Hands
There is an acupressure point right in your hands that will provide healing energy to the lungs. It is in the web of your hands between the thumb and second finger. You may notice that this area is very sensitive to pressure this a sign that it needs to be pressed. Do so for at least five seconds, and repeat it several times. Another good acupressure point to improve lung function is the web between your big toe and your second toe.
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What Not To Do In The Case Of An Asthma Attack
Dont panic. Panicking causes you to take shallower, rapid breaths which can exacerbate the feeling of struggling for air.
Dont dismiss the attack if you dont hear wheezing. Wheezing means youre moving air, so if your breathing is very obstructed, you may not hear wheezing.
Dont use the wrong medication or take too much. Take the time to read labels and use the correct medication in the correct dosage, according to your plan.
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Shocking Truths About Asthma Medications
Reluctant to accept this fate and following the whisperings of my intuition, I began a tireless search for answers that led me to study alternative healing methods. So many truths were illuminated for me during this journey of discovery. I realized that medications and pills were temporary solutions, always addressing surface-level symptoms, rather than the root cause.
I was surprised to learn that many popular inhalers and medications used to treat asthma actually contain the milk protein called lactose . This can pose a serious problem for those with dairy allergies. If an allergic reaction were to happen at the same time as an asthma attack the outcome could be disastrous. Prescription drugs are not required to list allergens on their packaging, and the fine print of the inserts is often left unread. However, it is vital that we understand what we are putting in our bodies, especially if it may cause harmful reactions or even make symptoms worse!
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What Should I Do If I Have A Severe Asthma Attack
A severe asthma attack needs immediate medical care. The first step is your rescue inhaler. A rescue inhaler uses fast-acting medicines to open up your airways. Its different than your normal maintenance inhaler, which you use every day. You should only use the rescue inhaler in an emergency.
If your rescue inhaler doesnt help or you dont have it with you, go to the emergency department if you have:
- Anxiety or panic.
- Bluish fingernails, bluish lips or gray or whitish lips or gums .
- Chest pain or pressure.
How To Heal The Lungs
I healed my chronic asthma and lung problems. You too can learn how to heal the lungs safely and low or no cost.
As a result of my Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, I developed asthma, chronic cough and lung pain. At this point in my life I was very fit and did hard cardio exercise every day. My chemical sensitivity came on suddenly & was severe. One day I was doing Zumba and almost stopped breathing. It turns out it was asthma. After that, I always felt I was starving for oxygen. I went to a lung specialist who seemed to think I was fine and sent me home with an inhaler. I felt like I was a hundred year old smoker.
So, on my on I eventually healed the asthma and chronic cough. Some year later, my lungs are very well but still sensitive to cigarette smoke and other lung irritants.
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