How To Treat My Asthma

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 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.;

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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What Types Of Asthma Are There

Healthcare providers identify asthma as intermittent or persistent . Persistent asthma can be mild, moderate or severe. Healthcare providers base asthma severity on how often you have attacks. They also consider how well you can do things during an attack.

Asthma can be:

• Allergic: Some peoples allergies can cause an asthma attack. Molds, pollens and other allergens can cause an attack.
• Non-allergic: Outside factors can cause asthma to flare up. Exercise, stress, illness and weather may cause a flare.

How Is Asthma Treatment Different For Older Children

Sometimes when asthma is suspected, the doctor will put your child on a trial of asthma medication to see if it helps. If your child gets better while taking the medicine, it can be a signal that your childs symptoms are due to asthma. The medication will depend on how severe your childs symptoms are and how often they occur.

The goal of treatment for children include:

• Managing the childs environment to avoid triggers
• Treating the airway inflammation and bronchospasm with medication
• Keeping asthma in control so activity does not need to be limited
• Teaching the child about asthma, their medications and how to be as healthy as possible in a way they can understand

When administering medication to your child, make sure to follow the instructions given to you by your doctor and on the package insert.

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How To Prevent Feline Asthma Attacks

Once your cat is diagnosed with feline asthma, you have several options for lifestyle changes that can help reduce recurring asthma attacks, depending on the severity of the case. The first and most obvious thing you’ll need to do is to try to eliminate the environmental allergens that are causing respiratory distress in your cat. Some will be easy; others more complicated or expensive. Some of the most common triggers of feline asthma include:

Adjust Treatment According To Your Asthma Action Plan

When your lungs arent working as well as they should be, you may need to adjust your medications according to the plan you made with your doctor ahead of time. Your written asthma action plan will let you know exactly when and how to make adjustments.

The chart below can help you determine if youre doing a good job of keeping your asthma under control. A similar system should be included in your asthma action plan. Depending on where your asthma control falls on the chart, you may need to make adjustments to your medications.

There are two main types of medications used to treat asthma:

• Long-term control medications such as inhaled corticosteroids are the most important medications used to keep asthma under control. These preventive medications treat the airway inflammation that leads to asthma symptoms. Used on a daily basis, these medications can reduce or eliminate asthma flare-ups.
• Quick-relief inhalers contain a fast-acting medication such as albuterol. These medications are sometimes called rescue inhalers. Theyre used as needed to quickly open your airways and make breathing easier. Knowing when to use these medications can help prevent an impending asthma attack.

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Treatment Options For Managing Cat Asthma

There are two types of medications used to treat cat asthma: corticosteroids and bronchodilators.;Corticosteroids;are used daily to manage asthma. These medications help improve symptoms and prevent asthma attacks by reducing the inflammation in the lungs.

If your cat is in distress ,;bronchodilators;help open the airways so they can breathe. Bronchodilators are often referred to as rescue medications because they provide quick relief and are only used when needed.

Both of these medications are most effective when;administered by an inhaler;and a spacer device rather than taken orally or by injection. Inhaled medications directly target the lungs and significantly reduce the risk of side effects because they dont affect other organs in the body.

Over-the-counter medications may be indicated under the direction of your vet, such as antihistamines, but are not to be used in place of corticosteroids and bronchodilators.

There are several natural remedies for feline asthma you can implement at home that may help manage your cats condition and could reduce asthma attack triggers.

When To Seek Medical Help

Often, a rescue inhaler is enough to treat an asthma attack.

If youre unable to get your asthma attack under control, you may need to seek emergency medical attention. Go to the nearest ER if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• extreme shortness of breath or wheezing, especially in the morning or at night
• needing to strain your chest muscles to breathe
• symptoms not subsiding after youve used a rescue inhaler
• having difficulty speaking

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What Are The Symptoms Of Asthma

Asthma causes difficulty breathing because of narrowed, mucus-filled airways. This may cause a child to have trouble breathing and/or develop a tight feeling in the chest. Other asthma symptoms include fast breathing, wheezing, coughing, or needing to use extra muscles in the neck, chest, or abdomen to bring air into the lungs.

Symptoms of asthma are not the same for everyone. Some children have symptoms nearly every day and need to take medications. Other children may only have occasional symptoms, one or two times a week. These people may only need medications when they have asthma symptoms.

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How To Take Asthma Medication Effectively

Taking medication regularly can be difficult. It can be easy to forget and many people dislike having to take medication, especially when they feel well and have no symptoms. But it is important to take your medication correctly and follow medical advice.Tips to help you take asthma medication include:;

• Ask your health professional for written instructions on the role of each medicine as part of your asthma action plan. Include details on how, when and how much to take, and what to do if symptoms get worse.
• Know the side effects of your medication so that you know what is and isnt normal.
• Ask your doctor if your medication can be simplified. Such as using one device for all your medications.
• Ask for a device that you feel comfortable with. There are special aids for people who have trouble coordinating inhalers .
• Make sure you know how to use your devices correctly. Ask your doctor or health professional to check your technique.
• Create memory aids to remind yourself to take your asthma medication, such as before brushing your teeth in the morning and evening.

If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor, asthma educator or pharmacist.

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How To Tell The Difference Between Covid

These two conditions have the same warning signs. Once you notice the above signs just checked whether it is Covid or asthma attack. If you have a fever, then you may be having Covid-19. Fever is the listed symptom of Covid-19, but itâs not listed as asthma symptom. Asthma flare-ups will occur owing to seasonal allergies or infections.

Here are some precautions that people with asthma need to take:

What Is Childhood Asthma

Childhood asthma is the same lung disease adults get, but kids often have different symptoms. Doctors also call this pediatric asthma.

If your child has asthma, their lungs and airways can easily get inflamed when they have a cold or are around things like pollen. The symptoms may make it hard for your child to do everyday activities or sleep. Sometimes, an asthma attack can result in a trip to the hospital.

Thereâs no cure for asthma in children, but you can work with your childâs doctor to treat it and prevent damage to their growing lungs.

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Caffeinated Tea Or Coffee

The caffeine in black or green tea and coffee is believed to help treat asthma. It works similarly to the popular asthma medication theophylline, which opens up the airways.

A 2010 research review, the most recent available, found that caffeine may slightly improve breathing function in people with asthma for up to 4hours.

Still, there isnt enough evidence to show whether caffeine can improve asthma symptoms.

Will Medicine Help Me Sleep Better

Yes, if you have nighttime asthma symptoms. Many people wake up with asthma symptoms such as coughing or wheezing. You can control nighttime symptoms by taking asthma medicines as directed by your doctor.;

Removing triggers where you sleep may help you sleep better. Many people are allergic to dust mites and mold found in bedding materials. Using mattress or pillow encasements can help contain those allergens. Dehumidifiers can also be helpful to reduce the humidity in your home that dust mites and mold need to exist. Using air cleaners in your bedroom may also help reduce your exposure to allergens and irritants .;

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If You Have Asthma Your Healthcare Team Will:

• Explain how you can keep your asthma under control by avoiding your personal triggers
• Prescribe medication that will help minimize your symptoms
• Show you how to take your medication properly, checking your inhaler technique
• Work with you so you have a written;Asthma Action Plan
• Recommend that you visit on a regular basis so that your symptoms can be monitored and your treatments adjusted if necessary

Do Asthma Medicines Have Side Effects

Yes. All medicines have side effects. Tell your doctor how you are responding to the treatment and if you have any side effects. Follow up often with your doctor so you can control your asthma with the least amount of medicines and with the fewest side effects.;

Medical Review: June 2021 by S. Allan Bock, MD; Maureen George, PhD, RN, AEC, FAAN; and Sumita Khatri, MD, MS

References1. Bonds, R., Asawa, A. and Ghazi, A. . Misuse of medical devices: a persistent problem in self-management of asthma and allergic disease. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 114, pp.74-76.e2.

Asthma Action Plan

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Which Complementary Treatments For Asthma Have Evidence To Show They Work

When it comes to natural and complementary treatment approaches for asthma with high-quality evidence to back up their use, exercise stands out as the intervention with the most data behind it. Although,;per the American Lung Association, exercise can sometimes trigger asthma symptoms , research has shown regular exercise when done safely can help improve asthma control, too.

If we look at exercise training, theres strong evidence that it improves cardiovascular fitness, and that it improves quality of life, says David G. Hill, MD, the director of clinical research at Waterbury Pulmonary Associates in Connecticut and a member of the American Lung Associations national board of directors.

A;Scientific Reports found that for mild to moderate asthma, a 24-week exercise plan involving aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes three times a week, plus strength-training and stretching, helped improve asthma control and reduced shortness of breath.

In another Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, researchers found exercise helped improve asthma control when compared with breathing exercises among people with moderate to severe asthma.

On days when the air quality outdoors is unhealthy, its best not to break a sweat outside, the American Lung Association;says.

How To Notice The Signs Of Asthma In Your Child

There are various signs your child may have asthma, and these signs may also be found in unrelated illnesses. Pay attention to the following breathing-related issues, and make an appointment with your doctor to get a professional diagnosis.

• Breathlessness Look for fast breaths and body movements that indicate forced breathing.
• Coughing A recurring cough thats usually experienced in the morning or late at night.
• Wheezing Wheezing is a whistling sound that accompanies each breath.
• Chest Tightness This usually involves stomach or chest pains.

Notice and record when these signs of asthma are occurring. Symptoms are usually found in the morning or at night. There may also be an obvious trigger such as pollen that can indicate allergic asthma. If these symptoms keep on coming back, you must speak to your doctor.

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Increasing Your Treatment Dose

Your GP will probably try you on an add-on treatment before increasing the dose in your usual preventer medicine. This is so you can continue on a low dose of steroid medicine and avoid side effects.

They may consider trying a different inhaler device that may be easier for you to use, before increasing the dose.

If youre still having symptoms, even though youre taking add-on treatments or have tried a new inhaler device, your GP may consider increasing the dose of your preventer. They would start with an increase from a low to a medium dose.

Whenever your medicines change you should have another appointment with your GP or asthma nurse within four to eight weeks, either in the surgery or over the phone, to see if the change is working well for you.

Ask your GP or asthma nurse to update your asthma action plan with any changes to your medicines.

Beat The Heat: 9 Tips For Managing Your Asthma In The Summer

by Asthma Canada | News & Updates

Theres beautiful weather, and then theres melt your ice cream, instant sunburn kind of weather. Changes in temperature like heat waves are known to trigger asthma symptoms in some people.

Knowing how to manage your asthma in these conditions will help you avoid asthma symptoms and enjoy even the hottest summer days. Here are some tips to get you through even the worst summer scorchers.

1. Plan Ahead

Dont let the heat catch you off guard. There are many ways you can get ahead of the hot weather, such as by checking the Pollen Count and your local Air Quality Health Index before venturing out and starting your day. If there is poor air quality or a high pollen count, it may be best to stick to indoor activities.

2. Be Prepared

When temperatures soar and you find yourself experiencing asthma symptoms, you want to have your reliever medication on hand. No matter the weather, keep your asthma reliever with you. You never know when asthma symptoms may strike, especially in extreme heat.

3. Be Smart

If you know youre going to be outside when its stifling out its best to be smart about it. Keep your asthma medications out of direct sunlight and out of places known to get too hot, such as the glove compartment of your car. Your medication should stay close by and cool.

4. Stay Cool

5. Stay Inside

6. Have an Action Plan

7. Be Early

8. Stay Hydrated

9. Have A Chat

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Signs Symptoms And Complications

How often;signs;and;symptoms;of asthma occur may depend on how severe, or intense, the asthma is and whether you are exposed to allergens. Some people have symptoms every day, while others have symptoms only a few days of the year. For some people, asthma may cause discomfort but does not interfere with daily activities. If you have more severe asthma, however, your asthma may limit what you are able to do.

When asthma is well controlled, a person shows few symptoms. When symptoms worsen, a person can have what is called an asthma attack, or an exacerbation. Over time, uncontrolled asthma can damage the airways in the lungs.