Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss And Asthma Control
The first study investigating the effect of surgically induced weight loss on asthma was published by Macgregor and Greenberg in 1993. Forty morbidly obese patients with asthma who had gastric restrictive surgery more than two years earlier were examined, and they found that 48% had complete asthma remission, defined as no symptoms and no use of asthma medication overall, 90% of the patients experienced improvement in asthma symptoms. Objective assessment of airway function was not included in the study. In keeping with this, Murr et al reported a 100% remission rate after an average 30 months after bariatric surgery in a very small group of morbidly obese asthmatics older than 50 years, although it should be taken into account that asthma status was not the main outcome variable of interest.
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What You Can Do To Avoid Triggers
In addition to properly managing your asthma with medications, its important to know what your asthma triggers so that you can avoid them.
- Speak with your doctor about having an allergy test done. Write down what you are allergic to and learn how to avoid or reduce your allergen exposure.
- Use an Asthma Action Plan and an asthma diary or journal to keep track of your asthma symptoms and what triggered them. Review your findings with your healthcare provider to determine your asthma symptoms.
Once you have a clear idea of the things that make your asthma worse, take action and make plans to control your exposure to these triggers. Some triggers will be difficult to avoid , but many of them are avoidable. Start with your own home, and its indoor asthma triggers many of us spend a lot of time at home and its environment is under your immediate control.
Here are some tips for controlling your home environment:
Here are some tips for avoiding triggers outside your home:
What Are Animal Allergens
Animals can be a big asthma trigger. The animal parts that can trigger asthma symptoms are dander , saliva , urine , and feathers.
If your pet is an asthma trigger for you, these tips might help:
- Keep pets outside. At the very least, keep them out of your bedroom.
- Have someone else wash and brush your pet every week.
- Play with your pet, but try not to hug or kiss it.
- Ask other people in your household to wash their hands after touching your pet.
- If you have an animal that lives in a cage, keep it in a room that you dont spend time in. Someone other than you should clean the cage daily.
- Consider getting cold-blooded pets, such as fish, which are OK for kids with asthma.
If you try all these things but still have lots of asthma flare-ups, you may need to find another home for your pet.
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Am I Having An Asthma Attack
The signs of worsening asthma can be uncomfortable but should still be easy enough to manage until youre able to see a doctor.
If you experience a more sudden and severe onset of symptoms that deviate from your normal symptoms, you may be having an asthma attack or exacerbation. This can include extreme difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness, cough, and shortness of breath, among other symptoms.
If you or someone around you experiences symptoms of an asthma emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency department.
How Does Asthma Affect The Lungs
The lungs are made up of many tiny tubes. These tubes are called bronchioles. The bronchioles carry air in and out of the lungs. In a normal airway, air moves freely through the bronchioles and breathing is easy.When asthma is not under good control, three things change in the airways that make it hard to breathe:
- The airways become swollen. The walls thicken and make the airways smaller.
- The airways make more mucous. Mucous is a thick liquid that your body makes. Mucous normally protects the nose, throat, and airways. When you have asthma, your body makes too much mucous. This mucous can plug the airways.
- Muscles around the airways squeeze tight. Your airways have muscles around them that are usually loose. When you have asthma, these muscles can tighten.
These three things all make the airways smaller. When the airways get smaller it is hard to get air in and out. This can cause wheezing, coughing and trouble breathing.
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How Can I Avoid Irritants
If you notice that a household product triggers your asthma, ask your family to switch to an unscented or nonaerosol version of it. If smoke bothers you, people smoking around you will be a trigger. But a fire in the fireplace or woodstove can be a problem too.
If outdoor air pollution is a trigger for your asthma, running the air conditioner can help. Check air quality reports on the news to see which days might be bad for you. When outdoor air quality is very bad, stay in air-conditioned comfort, whether it’s at your house or the mall.
About Chemical Irritants And Asthma
Chemical irritants are found in some products in your house and may trigger asthma. Your asthma or your child’s asthma may be worse around products such as cleaners, paints, adhesives, pesticides, cosmetics or air fresheners. Chemical irritants are also present in schools and can be found in commonly used cleaning supplies and educational kits.
Chemical irritants may exacerbate asthma. At sufficient concentrations in the air, many products can trigger a reaction.
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What’s An Asthma Trigger
“Trigger” is a funny word for something that makes your asthma worse.
For example, petting your aunt’s cat or playing outside after the grass is cut are things that might “trigger” your asthma symptoms. You might get an asthma flare-up , which can make you cough, wheeze, or have trouble breathing.
People with asthma have different triggers. Some people have one or two, while others have a bunch. Triggers may change from winter to summer.
What About Medicines For Blood Pressure
Beta-blockers, used to control blood pressure and heart disease, can make asthma worse. This group of drugs includes propranolol, atenolol and metoprolol. If you have started taking a beta-blocker and your asthma gets worse, tell your doctor.
ACE inhibitors are another type of medicine given to treat blood pressure, heart disease and, sometimes, diabetes. Drugs such as captopril, enalapril and lisinopril are included in this group. These medicines appear to be safe for people who have asthma. However, some people develop a cough when taking ACE inhibitors. If you start coughing while youre taking an ACE inhibitor, remember that the cough might not be caused by your asthma. If the cough is caused by the ACE inhibitor, it will usually go away a week or so after you stop taking the medicine. If you develop other problems that make your asthma worse, call your doctor to see if you should stop taking your ACE inhibitor.
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What Is The Role Of Inhaled Steroids In Asthma
Inhaled steroids, also called inhaled corticosteroids, are considered to be the most effective medications for controlling asthma when taken regularly. They work continuously to reduce swelling of the airways. It can take weeks for an inhaled corticosteroid to reduce the inflammation in your airways, so be patient.
Dont Let Steroid Hunger Win
If youre taking steroids in the long term, its common to feel hungrier than usual, which can lead to weight gain.
The answer is to eat foods that are high in fibre and lean protein at each meal to keep you feeling fuller for longer, says Dr Andy. Also, make sure that you stay well hydrated, because your body can often mistake thirst for hunger.
Next review due February 2022
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How To Stop Asthma Cough
This article was co-authored by Shaun Berger, MD. Dr. Shaun Berger is a board certified Pediatrician based in the San Diego, California metro area. Dr. Berger provides comprehensive primary care for newborns, children, and adolescents, focusing on preventive medicine. Dr. Berger earned a BA in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego and an MD from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Berger then completed a residency at the UCSF/Fresno Community Medical Centers/Valley Childrens Hospital where he was elected Chief Resident. He has been awarded the UCSF Foundation Award and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.There are 16 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 76,283 times.
Many people are familiar with common asthma symptoms like tightness in the chest and difficulty breathing. Coughing is another troublesome symptom of asthma, the inflammatory lung disease which narrows the breathing airways. To stop an asthma-related cough, identify and avoid your triggers, take medication to treat your asthma, and make yourself comfortable.
Stay Away From Asthma Triggers
Asthma triggers – stay away from Asthma triggers – avoiding Reactive airway disease – triggers Bronchial asthma – triggers
It is important to know what things make your asthma worse. These are called asthma triggers. Avoiding them is your first step toward feeling better. The most common asthma triggers are respiratory tract infections caused by viruses, such as the flu and common cold. Other triggers are cold and dry air, mold, pets, dust, grasses, pollen, cockroaches, odors from chemicals, and smoke from cigarettes.
To help decrease the amount of dust mites encase mattresses, boxsprings, and pillows with mite-proof covers. Further methods consist of washing bedding once a week in hot water, and dusting with a wet cloth once a week. Carpets can be a significant source of dust mites and should be vacuumed weekly with a vacuum cleaner containing a HEPA filter. Wooden and leather furniture is also another way to reduce the dust mite population in the home.
A HEPA filter can remove the majority of harmful particles, including mold spores, dust, dust mites, pet dander and other irritating allergens from the air. Along with other methods to reduce allergens, such as frequent dusting, the use of a HEPA filtration system can be a helpful aid in controlling the amount of allergens circulating in the air. HEPA filters can be found in most air purifiers, which are usually small and portable.
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How To Control Things That Make Your Asthma Worse
You can help prevent asthma attacks by staying away from things that make your asthma worse. This guide suggests many ways to help you do this.
You need to find out what makes your asthma worse. Some things that make asthma worse for some people are not a problem for others. You do not need to do all of the things listed in this guide. Look at the things listed in dark print below. Look for the ones that you know make your asthma worse. Ask your doctor to help you find out what else makes your asthma worse. Then, decide with your doctor what steps you will take. Start with the things in your bedroom that bother your asthma. Try something simple first.
About Cockroaches Other Pests And Asthma
Droppings or body parts of cockroaches and other pests can trigger asthma. Certain proteins are found in cockroach feces and saliva and can cause allergic reactions or trigger asthma symptoms in some individuals.
Cockroaches are commonly found in crowded cities and the southern regions of the United States. Cockroach allergens likely play a significant role in asthma in many urban areas.
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How Do You Know If You Are Having An Asthma Attack
An asthma attack happens when the body is exposed to a triggerlike pollen or smokethat causes the airways to become inflamed and swollen.
Asthma attacks are uncomfortable to experience and can be frightening, especially for children. If you or someone you know is having any of the following symptoms, they may be having an asthma attack:
- Difficulty breathing
- Chest tightness or pain
- Coughing or wheezing
An asthma attack may go away after a few minutes with proper treatment, but symptoms can last longer and become life-threatening if untreated. Seek medical attention immediately if you or someone you know is having a severe asthma attack with one or more of the following symptoms:
- A feeling of panic about the asthma attack
- Pale and sweaty face
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Research For Your Health
NHLBI-supported research on asthma has led to more and better treatment options to improve the health of people who have asthma. Through our current research, we hope to better understand how our genes and the environment we live in affect our risk for developing asthma.
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How Can I Avoid Allergens
Avoiding allergens is the first step. It isn’t possible to avoid everything, but here are three tips to try:
Your doctor can give you other ideas. If you have allergies that make your asthma worse, you might need to take allergy medicine or have allergy shots. Your doctor will let you know.
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What Are The Symptoms Of An Asthma Flare
Common symptoms are coughing, shortness of breath , a feeling of tightness in the chest and wheezing. It’s important to watch yourself every day for symptoms of asthma. You may have only one or two of these symptoms.
Another clue that your asthma is flaring up is that you have to take extra doses of your quick-relief asthma medicine more than twice a week because of these symptoms.
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Sinusitis And Other Upper Respiratory Infections
Much like asthma causes inflammation in the lining of your airways, sinusitis causes inflammation in the mucus membranes that line your sinuses. This makes the membranes put out more mucus. If you have asthma and your sinuses get inflamed, your airways may too. Prompt treatment of a sinus infection can relieve asthma symptoms.
How Can I Cope With Weather Changes
Wind can stir up pollens and molds. Rain can wash pollen from the air, so the pollen count might be lower right after it rains. But lots of rain can make the trees and grasses produce more pollen later on. Very cold or very hot weather may trigger asthma. So can humidity or very dry air.
If you know that some kinds of weather make your asthma worse, follow the forecast. Take steps to protect yourself if you know the weather is going to cause problems for you. Your asthma action plan should say what to do.
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How Asthma Affects The Lungs
Normally, the bodys immune system helps fight infections. But it may also respond to other things you breathe in, such as pollen or mold. In some people, the immune system reacts strongly by creating inflammation.
When this happens, the airways swell, narrow, and may create more mucus. The muscles around the airways may also tighten. This can make it even harder to breathe. Over time, the airway walls can become thicker.
To understand asthma, it helps to understand how the lungs work.
Can I Take Antihistamines For My Allergies
Antihistamines are usually safe for people who have asthma to use, but they can cause side effects. Some antihistamines cant be taken with certain other medicines. Like any other medicine, read the warnings and instructions on the label and check with your doctor before you start taking an antihistamine.
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What Causes Asthma Symptoms To Flare Up
Your asthma can flare up for different reasons. If youre allergic to dust mites, pollens or molds, they can make your asthma symptoms get worse. Cold air, exercise, fumes from chemicals or perfume, tobacco or wood smoke, and weather changes can also make asthma symptoms worse. So can common colds and sinus infections. Gastroesophageal reflux can also cause flare-ups. You can help yourself by paying attention to the way these things affect your asthma. Your doctor might test you to find out if youre allergic to something. Then your doctor can help you avoid the things that bother your asthma.
What Makes Asthma Worse Or Better A Pulmonologist Explains
In this article:
Asthma is a chronic respiratory ailment that can be quite debilitating and even life-threatening if not managed properly.
When you breathe in an irritant, an inflammatory response is triggered in the respiratory tract, which causes your airways to swell up and produce extra mucus. Consequently, the flow of oxygen is constricted, leading to the classic symptoms of shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, and wheezing.
It is important to identify the triggers in order to avoid them and improve the symptoms.
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