Nocturnal Asthma And Children
Asthma is more common in children than in adults and is the most common chronic disease in children worldwide. Accurately diagnosing and treating nocturnal asthma in children is especially important because the effects of nocturnal asthma, like loss of sleep and daytime sleepiness, are associated with behavioral and developmental difficulties.
Unfortunately, nocturnal asthma often goes undiagnosed in children because they tend to underestimate or not report their nighttime symptoms. For this reason, its helpful for parents to monitor and report back to the doctor any concerning symptoms in children. These symptoms may include wheezing, disturbed sleep, daytime sleepiness, and difficulties concentrating at school.
What Are The 3 Types Of Asthma
There are 3 different types of asthma: Reactive Asthma The most common type of asthma and is usually triggered by an allergen such as pollen or pet dander. An asthma attack is usually caused by an overreaction of the bodys immune system. Continuous Asthma This type of asthma is caused by chronic inflammation and swelling in the airways. Occupational Asthma This is caused or exacerbated by the irritants in the air at work..
Side Effects Of Asthma Medication
If you are worried about possible side effects from asthma medication, speak to your doctor. Do not stop or reduce doses of medication for your child without speaking with your doctor. Common side effects from inhaled asthma medication:
Preventers
- sore mouth and throat
- fungal throat infections.
Using a spacer reduces the risk of these side effects. as does rinsing the mouth with water after using an inhaler.
Relievers
- fast heart beat.
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Bronchodilation And Bronchoprovocation Tests
These tests gauge how well the lungs respond to either a quick-relief asthma medication or an intentional disturbance to normal airflow. They usually are done if spirometry is normal in spite of asthma symptoms.
- Bronchodilator responsiveness testing: A bronchodilator is a fast-acting medication that provides quick relief of asthma symptoms. This test involves administering a bronchodilater and, 10 to 15 minutes later, repeating an initial spirometry test and comparing the results. If the medication brings about an increase in airflow of 12%, it is an indication that asthma is the cause of symptoms.
- Bronchoprovocation challenge testing: This test involves inhaling either aerosolized chemicals or cold air, or performing exercises, to see if it induces asthma symptoms. By measuring lung function after exposure to these triggers, a doctor may be able to diagnose asthma.
Asthma Action Plans For Children
An asthma action plan is a clear written summary of instructions for when your childs asthma symptoms change. Everyone with asthma should have a personalised asthma action plan written by their doctor.
Your childs asthma action plan will tell you:
- how to recognise when your childs asthma is getting worse or an attack is developing, and the steps you should take to manage it
- symptoms that are serious, indicating a need for urgent medical help
- your childs asthma triggers.
Make sure you understand and can follow the asthma action plan from your doctor.
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Is It Something In My Workplace
Some adults who have asthma are sensitive to something in their workplace. You might suspect this if your asthma flares up when youre at work. Another clue is if some of your coworkers also have asthma symptoms. Perhaps your asthma is bad at work, but fine on weekends or vacations. Your doctor can help determine trigger. When you find out what that is, try to remove or avoid it.
Side Effects Of Steroid Tablets
Oral steroids carry a risk if they are taken for more than three months or if they are taken frequently . Side effects can include:
- muscle weakness
With the exception of increased appetite, which is very commonly experienced by people taking oral steroids, most of these unwanted effects are uncommon.
However, it is a good idea to keep an eye out for them regularly, especially side effects that are not immediately obvious, such as high blood pressure, thinning of the bones, diabetes and glaucoma.
You will need regular appointments to check for these.
Read further information:
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Why Asthma Can Be Worse In Winter And Steps To Manage Attacks
Asthma is a chronic condition that affects nearly 25 million people in America. Its a respiratory disease that makes breathing difficult and often comes with lung spasms, wheezing, and chest tightness.
Your lungs are made of bronchi that transport air to and from your lungs. If you have asthma, your airways are easily inflamed. Inflamed airways swell, closing your breathing passages and making it hard for air to reach your lungs.
Changes in your environment like weather, dust, and smoke can make your lungs extra sensitive. For many asthmatics, winter weather brings more frequent asthma attacks. The doctors at Wasatch Peak Family Practice can help you find an asthma treatment plan that works with your lifestyle.
One of the best things you can do to prevent and manage asthma attacks in winter is to understand your triggers and know your treatment plan. Let us help you understand your asthma and how to control it.
Can You Outgrow Asthma
Those who have asthma are aware that the condition is incurable. However, there may be stretches of times where asthma attacks and other symptoms dont flare up. While these are nice periods of relief, this doesnt mean your asthma has disappeared. Instead, going months between episodes is a testament to your asthma management plan. Avoiding asthmatic triggers, taking your medication or a combination of the two is working well for you.
You may have heard of instances where children with asthmatic symptoms seemingly stop experiencing their symptoms, out of the blue. The children dont report any further breathing difficulties and go on with their lives. Is there some reality to this or is it just a myth? It is possible to outgrow your asthma? If so, how? Does everyone outgrow their asthma or is it just certain people? Why?
In this article, well answer all those questions and more.
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What To Expect When You Visit The Doctor
Your doctor may ask whether you have any family history of asthma, eczema or hay fever.
In children, doctors assess the severity of the asthma based on the pattern and frequency of the symptoms.
Lung function tests are difficult to perform in children younger than 5 years and so are usually only used to diagnose and assess severity in children 5 years and older.
It is recommended that a paediatrician or paediatric respiratory specialist diagnose and manage asthma in infants under 12 months. If your infant is wheezing your doctor should refer to you one of these specialists.
Why Does My Asthma Get Worse When It Rains And How To Avoid
Rain is essential for humans as well as survival of living being and vegetation on earth. Rainy season is a favorite season for almost everyone, because it comes after hot summer in many parts of world. However, for people suffering from asthma it may be a nightmare. This is because in many asthmatics the symptoms become worse with rain and thunderstorm.
Asthma is a chronic disease characterized by inflammation of air passage . Asthma is caused due to genetic inheritance or can be triggered by allergies. Common allergens include pollen, dust, molds, weeds, grass, animal dander etc. Weather change, especially rainy season can also trigger a surge in number of acute bronchospasm cases. Let us know the reasons for worsening of asthma in rainy season among asthmatics.
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Why My Asthma Is Getting Worse
If your asthma isnt being properly managed, or you dont have the right medication for your specific symptoms, this can of course mean that your asthma will start to get progressively worse.
You may find that your flare ups start to become more frequent each asthma attack lasts for longer youre having to reach for your blue inhaler more often or even that your blue inhaler starts to become less effective each time you take it.
If you dont nip this progression in the bud before it gets really bad, then the end results could even prove fatal.
Today, Im going to take you through all of the possible reasons as to why your asthma could be getting worse.
These are the most common reasons for asthma getting progressively worse, and you may find that your reasons differ depending on your symptoms and circumstances.
Whatever the case, you will need to consult with your doctor or asthma nurse so they can help you to solve the issue before it gets too bad.
Lets take a look at everything we need to know about why asthma could be getting progressively worse!
More Sleep Hygiene Tips
I realize that not everyone is going to want to try taping their mouth shut, at least at first blush. Thats why Ive enlisted my wife Emma, a reformed insomniac, to share whats helped her sleep better.
Since the best way to treat asthma is through lifestyle changes, improving your sleep hygiene in general might have a bigger impact on your symptoms that youd expect!
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Your Chest Constantly Feels Tight
Minor chest tightness is common for people with asthma. But frequent and intense chest tightness can mean your severe asthma is getting worse.
Chest tightness is often the result of the muscles surrounding your airways contracting in reaction to asthma triggers. It may feel as though theres something squeezing or sitting on top of your chest. If you experience unusually intense chest tightness, particularly while sitting still, speak with your doctor.
Additional Treatment For Asthma And What To Expect
If your asthma has been getting worse, you may need to speak with a doctor and consider additional treatment options to help get your symptoms under control. Luckily, most individuals experience relief from their more severe symptoms after a few days of receiving proper treatment.
Treatments for asthma when your symptoms progressively get worse include:
- Bronchodilators: This medication helps relax the muscles surrounding the airway, allowing for increased airflow.
- Anti-inflammatory medicines: These medications aid in reducing inflammation and expelling mucus from the airways, which can make breathing much easier when experiencing a flare-up.
- Breathing treatments/inhalers: If your symptoms persist, you may have to start undergoing breathing treatments. Additionally, if you do not already use an inhaler, your doctor may recommend adopting one into your daily routines to help manage symptoms.
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Common Causes And Prevention
Individuals can experience asthma flare-ups for a variety of reasons. Fortunately, you can easily prevent most of the causes of your increased asthma symptoms by taking proactive measures to avoid specific triggers.
The most common causes of asthma flare-ups and their corresponding steps for prevention include:
- Allergies: Things like dust, pollens, mites, weather changes, and mold can significantly aggravate an individualâs asthma and cause more severe symptoms. You can prevent allergies by avoiding dust mites, staying inside when pollen counts are high, and controlling indoor humidity levels.
- Exercise: While light cardio and aerobic exercises can be beneficial for people with asthma, more strenuous exercises should be avoided to prevent the chance of flare-ups.
- Smoke from Tobacco or Wood: If youâre living with asthma, this one is probably a no-brainer. Avoid exposing yourself to any form of smoke or risk experiencing increased symptoms.
- Sinus Infections and Common Colds: Contracting an infection or cold can also lead to harsher asthma symptoms. If you are sick and experiencing an asthma flare-up, take medications, use your inhaler, and monitor your symptoms closely.
Why Is My Asthma Worse In Fall
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After awhile, we pick up patterns about our asthma, and notice how our asthma changes as the seasons do. For me, Fall is probably among my better seasons, free of the dry cold of Manitoba Winters and the humidity, heat and lingering Spring dust in the Summer. For others, though, Fall can be a hard time with asthma. Here are some things to consider if you feel your asthma worsening this Fall.
So, while the cooler temperatures may improve asthma for some, its certainly not an easy time for everybody. Remember, as well, to start thinking about getting your flu shot. Winter is right around the corner
Do you know of anything else that causes your own asthma to be worse in the fall? Share with our community belowit could be the mystery another member is trying to solve!
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Do You Suffer From Allergies And Asthma
Dont let allergies run your life. Talk to a Columbia Allergy clinic today to find relief.
Monica H.First time at allergy specialist they really care about my kids lifestyle they care more about their patients that their wallet. Now days that’s a keeper.
David W.Adam and the staff were great at considering my concerns, explaining my results and listening to my questions. Plus everyone was on time and things moved swiftly.
What Is The Best Way To Live With Asthma
The key to good living with asthma is developing a strong partnership between patients, caregivers, and physicians. Practical steps include the following:
Make an asthma care management plan with your physician. An asthma management plan helps you understand what to do when specific situations arise. Each time you visit the physician, talk about your plan, and make any necessary changes.
Educate yourself. Stay informed about the latest developments in asthma and allergy care and treatment. Ask your physician about new medications or research findings that may relate to your care.
Get regular medical care. If you have asthma, you should see your physician at least once a year, even if your symptoms are under control. When you become sick, or if you have significant changes in your health, you should also talk with your physician about how your asthma could be affected.
Take your medicine. Your asthma medications will make you feel better and sometimes people think thats the time to stop. Its not! Use your medications as prescribed.
With good management, asthma symptoms can be controlled. Most people who develop adult onset asthma are able to lead normal lives. Expect success!
Recommended Reading: Asthma Action Plan American Lung Association
Caring For Your Mdi And Chamber
For most MDIs, remove the canister and rinse the plastic holder with warm running water once a week to prevent the holes from getting clogged. Shake well and let air dry. There are some medications in which the inhaler cannot be removed from the holder. These usually need to be cleaned by wiping the mouthpiece with a cloth or cleaning with a dry cotton swab. Refer to the patient instructions that come with your inhaler.
Clean the chamber about once a week. Remove the soft ring at the end of the chamber. Soak the spacer in warm water with a mild detergent. Carefully clean and, rinse, and shake off excess water. Do not hand dry. Allow to completely air dry. Do not store the chamber in a plastic bag.
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What Happens During An Asthma Episode
During normal breathing, the airways to the lungs are fully open. This allows air to move in and out of the lungs freely. Asthma causes the airways to change in the following ways:
These changes narrow the airways. Breathing becomes difficult and stressful, like trying to breathe through a straw stuffed with cotton.
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How Do I Know If My Asthma Is Severe
Asthma Severity should be determined by a physician, but there are several home and office measures that can serve as useful indicators of asthma severity, as well as predict future asthma attacks. A physician can take a formal patient history and perform a physical examination, but home and office measures can serve as useful adjuncts to the physicians examination..
When Should I Go To The Er
Don’t be embarrassed to get medical help if you think you need it. These situations call for emergency care:
- You take your asthma medicine and your flare-up doesn’t get any better.
- You feel a little better after taking your medicine, but your symptoms come back quickly.
- You have frequent wheezing, a lasting cough, or chest pain.
- Your lips and fingernails are bluish or grayish.
- You have trouble breathing, talking, or walking.
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How Asthma Is Treated
While there is no cure for asthma, there are a number of treatments that can help control the condition.
Treatment is based on two important goals, which are:
- relieving symptoms
- preventing future symptoms and attacks
For most people, this will involve the occasional or, more commonly, daily use of medications, usually taken using an inhaler. However, identifying and avoiding possible triggers is also important.
You should have a personal asthma action plan agreed with your doctor or nurse that includes information about the medicines you need to take, how to recognise when your symptoms are getting worse, and what steps to take when they do so.
These symptoms are often worse at night and early in the morning, particularly if the condition is not well controlled. They may also develop or become worse in response to a certain trigger, such as exercise or exposure to an allergen.
Read our page on the causes of asthma for more information about potential triggers.
Speak to your GP if you think you or your child may have asthma. You should also talk to your doctor or asthma nurse if you have been diagnosed with asthma and you are finding it difficult to control the symptoms.