Of : Taking Medications
Barriers And Paradoxes Of Asthma Management
A number of barriers and controversies in the pharmacological treatment of asthma have prevented the achievement of effective disease management . OByrne and colleagues described several such controversies in a commentary published in 2017, including: the recommendation in Step 1 of earlier guidelines for SABA bronchodilator use alone, despite asthma being a chronic inflammatory condition and the autonomy given to patients over perception of need and disease control at Step 1, as opposed to the recommendation of a fixed-dose approach with treatment-step increase, regardless of the level of symptoms . Other controversies outlined were: a difficulty for patients in understanding the recommendation to minimize SABA use at Step 2 and switch to a fixed-dose ICS regimen, when they perceive SABA use as more effective apparent conflicting safety messages within the guidelines that patient-administered SABA monotherapy is safe, but patient-administered LABA monotherapy is not and a discrepancy as to patients understanding of controlled asthma and their symptom frequency, impact and severity .
Addressing And Controlling Allergies
Dr. Meadows recommends all of his allergic asthma patients undergo allergy testing. Testing also makes us aware of what could cause an asthma attack, he says. By knowing your triggers, you can take steps to avoid them whenever possible.
If you have allergies that are non-avoidable, such as being allergic to a family pet, I recommend getting allergy shots, Dr. Meadows says. Since its not easy to avoid all allergens, allergy shots are a natural way to help dampen the immune systems response and lessen your asthma symptoms.
For some allergies, theres an easier solutionavoidance. Its possible to avoid allergens such as smoke from a fireplace or bonfire. These triggers are particularly harmful to people with asthma, even if their symptoms are well-controlled, Dr. Meadows says.
If allergies are a trigger for your asthma, Zyrtec may help, but the mainstay of any action plan should be inhalers and seeking medical attention when needed, Dr. Parikh says.
Read Also: How To Stop Asthma Without Medicine
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.
What Is The Panchakarma Treatment For Asthma
According to Ayurveda, the accumulation of Vata and Kapha in the respiratory tract and the digestive system are responsible for breathing problems, including Asthma. Panchakarma therapies are very effective in cleansing the body toxins and removing doshas which clears up any obstruction in the respiratory channels.
Superlife World HealthCare provides the best Panchakarma treatment for Asthma. These therapies are conducted by well-trained staff under the supervision of Ayurvedic Doctor. Following therapies are recommended for asthma patients:
Dont commit a suicidal mistake of medicine for asthma over the counter. Self-medication can prove fatal. Asthma isnt to be ignored. Visiting a qualified medical practitioner is a must. And avoid reckless over-the-counter asthma medication as much as possible.
Recommended Reading: How To Run With Asthma
What Is An Asthma Action Plan
An asthma action plan is created by you and your doctor to help manage your asthma. It includes information about what you must do to stay healthy, and what to do when your asthma is unstable and you need help.There is no standard asthma action plan, as everyones asthma is different. Your plan needs to be developed to deal with your own triggers, signs and symptoms, and medication. It might be based on symptoms, peak-flow readings or both. However, symptom-based plans are more common.
Action plans are available in many different formats, you can also upload it to the Asthma Buddy mobile website.
Reliever Medication For Asthma
Reliever medication is used for an asthma flare-up or emergency. It opens the airways quickly and is taken as needed for immediate relief from asthma symptoms.
Reliever medication is sometimes overused. Using too much, or too often, could lead to side effects, including tremors and a rapid heart rate.
These side effects are not likely to cause harm. However, frequent use of reliever medication may be a sign that your asthma is not being well controlled. If you need to use a reliever more than twice a week for asthma symptoms , see your doctor to review your asthma and medication.
Don’t Miss: Arizona Asthma And Allergy Institute Reviews
How Do Intal And Intal Forte Help Asthma
Intal and Intal Forte are non-steroid preventer inhalers that works by reducing the inflammation of the airways which occurs in asthma. They may be used in mild allergic and exercise-related asthma but are less effective than corticosteroid preventers at controlling asthma and improving lung function.
Make Changes To Your Diet
There is no specific diet for asthma patients but the exclusion and inclusion of a few elements in your diet can make a considerable change. Being overweight has been known to affect and trigger asthma symptoms. Include lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet. To reduce the inflammation around your airways, consider sources rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and beta-carotene.Omega 3 found in salmons, mackerels are also known to help with inflammation. If any particular food seems to make your symptoms much worse, make a note and avoid consuming it.
Recommended Reading: Is Asthma An Underlying Condition
Pay Attention To How Food Makes You Feel
Outside of blatant inflammatory foods, Dr. Cotter points out that food sensitivities are very individual. Some food items, such as gluten or lactose, may cause inflammation in you, but not in other people.
“The best way to identify what works for you is to pay attention to your body,” she suggests. “Notice what gives you energy and what makes you feel poorly,” meaning tired, bloated or achy.
And while you might be tempted to try at-home food sensitivity tests that promise to help you identify foods that are causing inflammation in your body, Dr. Alejandro Junger, MD, an LA-based cardiologist, founder and medical director of the Clean Program, and author of âCleanâ and â, cautions against them. “They are overused and misinterpreted, and they only serve those who happen to use them correctly,” he says.
Instead, he recommends trying a specific food elimination diet by cutting out potential inflammatory foods â such as gluten, dairy and caffeine â for a minimum of two weeks, then reintroducing foods one by one to see how your body reacts.
âHere’s everything you need to know to try an elimination diet.â
Customizing Your Asthma Treatment
Because asthma is such a changeable disease, with so many different triggers and symptoms, finding the best treatment can be tricky. Even the most basic medical needs like the frequency of checkups can vary a great deal from person to person.
Its really difficult to standardize how often a person with asthma should schedule appointments, says Bernstein. A person with mild intermittent asthma may only need an appointment once a year. Someone with very severe asthma may need to go in once every two weeks. It all depends on your particular condition.
Asthma medicines are not interchangeable. Some treatments work well for certain subgroups and some dont, says Windom. But right now we dont have ways of testing beforehand what will work best. The foundation of asthma treatment is the use of prevention medications, which are used daily to keep symptoms from worsening. Inhaled corticosteroids such as Advair and Flovent are examples of inhaled steroids. A newer class of long-acting drugs is leukotriene modifiers, such as Accolate, Singulair, and Zyflo.
As effective as these medicines are at controlling asthma, they essentially treat the symptoms of asthma or block the effects of specific allergens. One type of treatment stops the underlying cause of asthma symptoms. The only drug of this class available, Xolair, blocks the effects of IgE, a molecule that can trigger asthma symptoms. IgE is overproduced when the body is exposed to allergens.
You May Like: What Kind Of Doctor Do You See For Asthma
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.
The Treatment Of Asthma: Where Are We Evolution Of A Concept
Asthma control medications reduce airway inflammation and help to prevent asthma symptoms among these, inhaled corticosteroids are the mainstay in the treatment of asthma, whereas quick-relief or rescue medicines quickly ease symptoms that may arise acutely. Among these, short-acting beta-agonists rapidly reduce airway bronchoconstriction .
National and international guidelines have recommended SABAs as first-line treatment for patients with mild asthma, since the Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines were first published in 1995, adopting an approach aimed to control the symptoms rather than the underlying condition a SABA has been the recommended rescue medication for rapid symptom relief. This approach stems from the dated idea that asthma symptoms are related to bronchial smooth muscle contraction rather than a condition concomitantly caused by airway inflammation. In 2019, the GINA guidelines review introduced substantial changes overcoming some of the limitations and weaknesses of the previously proposed stepwise approach to adjusting asthma treatment for individual patients. The concept of an anti-inflammatory reliever has been adopted at all degrees of severity as a crucial component in the management of the disease, increasing the efficacy of the treatment while lowering SABA risks associated with patients tendency to rely or over-rely on the as-needed medication.
Recommended Reading: Fern Creek Allergy And Asthma
Future Considerations For Airway Remodelling
Airway remodelling is a complex and dynamic process that is now considered to be fundamental to the chronicity of the asthmatic disorder . Although the function implications of these structural changes are only beginning to be understood, it is thought that remodelling can have serious repercussions for the response to therapy and can contribute to airway obstruction . Indeed, a correlation between airway wall thickening and a decline in airway function of asthmatic patients has been reported . Current asthma therapies such as inhaled corticosteroids are directed towards reducing inflammation and have only a partial effect on remodelling . This has profound problems for the future of disease management . Controversially, associations between airway remodelling and asthma severity have been inconsistent and it cannot be excluded that thickening of the airway wall provides functional protection against airway narrowing in asthma . A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying airway remodelling, its reversibility/prevention and its complex relationship with airway inflammation is a prerequisite for developing therapeutic.
Other Medication And Asthma Triggers
Some medication for other health conditions can make asthma symptoms worse and trigger an asthma flare-up or attack.
It is very important that you inform your doctor and pharmacist that you have asthma when a new medicine is prescribed to you or when you are buying over-the-counter medication or complementary therapies.
If you feel a particular medicine is making your asthma worse, treat your symptoms and contact your doctor immediately.Some medicines known to trigger asthma symptoms in some people include:
- aspirin contained in some medication, such as pain relievers
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen
- beta-blocker tablets often used to control high blood pressure
- beta-blocker eye drops to treat the eye condition glaucoma
- ace inhibitors often used to control high blood pressure.
Read Also: How Does Diet Affect Asthma
What Are The Different Types Of Asthma Medicines And Treatments
There are four types of asthma medicines and treatments:
The difference between these asthma treatments can be confusing. It is important to understand what each treatment does and how they help your asthma. Learning how to use each correctly can you help keep your asthma well-controlled. Always take your medicines as directed by your doctor and follow your Asthma Action Plan.
Recommended Reading: Little Rock Asthma And Allergy
How To Control An Asthma Attack When Caught Without An Inhaler
Breathing is so automatic for most people that we hardly ever give it a second thought. If you have asthma, or if your child has asthma, though, you never take breathing for granted.
When you suffer from , your airways narrow and swell and can even produce extra mucus, all of which make breathing difficult. Asthma can also cause lots of wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.
This is especially true if you experience a full-blown asthma attack. Most people with asthma try to keep a rescue inhaler with them so they can have quick access to medicine such as albuterol, which can control their symptoms.
But what if you have an asthma attack while you dont have your inhaler with you? This can be a dangerous situation, but at Sulkowski Family Medicine, weve learned a few tips over the years that can help you out. Heres what we recommend:
Also Check: How To Tell You Have Asthma
S To Survive An Asthma Attack Without An Inhaler
Most experience an asthma attack without realising theyre suffering from it and are not prepared for what follows
Munnazzah RazaKARACHI:Chest tightening, wheezing, gasping for air if youve ever experienced an asthma attack youll know what the feeling is like. While most people know the drill, some experience these symptoms without even realising that theyre suffering from this condition and are usually not prepared for what follows.Triggers:1. Move away from the trigger2. Breathing techniqueThe NY Times3. Stay calm4. Drink coffee or non-herbal tea5. Seek medical help
What Is Type 2 Inflammation In Asthma
As many as 50-70 percent of asthma patients have a form of asthma characterized by Type 2 inflammation. Type 2 inflammation is a type of systemic allergic response that can result in increased asthma exacerbations and decreased lung function.
Cytokines, which are proteins that signal the bodys cells and begin an immune response, are major contributors to Type 2 inflammation.
Common asthma biomarkers are also present in Type 2 inflammation. These include:
- Immunoglobulin E
- fractional exhaled nitric oxide
When there are too many eosinophils in the blood, there is an increased risk of severe asthma flares. Learn more about eosinophilic asthma at eosasthma.org.
Genetics also appear to play a role in Type 2. Studies show that if one or both parents have Type 2 inflammation related to asthma, their child is four times more likely to have asthma or an allergic disease.
Recommended Reading: How Does Dupixent Work For Asthma
Treat By Severity For Better Control: A Stepwise Approach
Your treatment should be flexible and based on changes in your symptoms, which should be assessed thoroughly each time you see your doctor. Then your doctor can adjust your treatment accordingly.
If your asthma is well-controlled, your doctor may prescribe less medicine. If your asthma isnt well-controlled or is getting worse, your doctor may increase your medication and recommend more-frequent visits.
Medications That May Worsen Asthma
Some medicines can trigger asthma flare-ups or prompt or worsen other respiratory symptoms, such as coughing. Inform every healthcare provider that treats you about your asthma and pay attention to asthma symptoms if you take any of the following medications.
- Beta-blockers: While cardio-specific beta-blockers are only supposed to act on the heart, older beta-blockers are known to worsen asthma symptoms.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in those with an allergy to NSAIDs
- Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors
Read Also: Is Asthma A Restrictive Lung Disease