What Is Asthma

An asthma effect is a change which has come about as a result of an action. The effects of asthma usually come about when one is exposed to conditions that trigger an asthmatic attack. There are many causes of asthma such as smoking, allergy, environmental pollution, viral infection and eczema. These causes usually are triggered by different conditions.

If one has an allergy, and is exposed to an allergic element these can bring about the symptoms of asthma. These include, coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, tightness of chest and heavy breathing. There are various triggers of this condition such as pollen, smoke, food, molds, fungi, animals, house dust mites, colds and viral infections.

Therefore, a patient with asthma that has been caused by an allergy should avoid these conditions that could cause their asthmatic attack because of being exposed to them. The change of weather is also an asthma effect and can trigger an attack. In times of cold weather for instance, it important for asthma patients to keep warm and not to expose themselves to risky situations that could cause the trigger.

Environmental pollution is also another trigger of asthma effect. One should make sure that the environment they are in is clean, fresh and not polluted. Polluted air will definitely bring about an asthmatic attack. This may include smoking or even if the patient is not smoking but is exposed to smoke, this can bring about an effect that will result in an attack. Like the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. It is therefore of importance preventive are taken to avoid an attack.

While there is no cure for asthma, there are many healthy eco-friendly ways to reduce or eliminate symptoms. The ideas presented here cannot replace your medical doctor's orders, but are a culmination of asthma prevention research.

Although Asthma can start at any age, it most often strikes in early childhood. Asthma is the number one chronic childhood disease believed to impact approximately 15% of all children.

In order to consider prevention or remission of symptoms, it is important to understand briefly how asthma works and why it occurs. Asthma results when air passages become inflamed and narrow, making it extremely difficult to breathe out. The inflammation swells the airways impeding, or in worse cases, completely blocking airways.

Impeding airways causes wheezing, which is the noise air makes as it is breathe out through inflamed [narrowed] tubes. If an individual's airways become too narrow, they wont be able to get oxygen into their blood and they might turn blue; get medical help immediately.

Many factors contribute to getting Asthma, including family history, cigarette smoke, allergy, stress, reaction-to-food, infection, etc. Equally there are ways to combat, lesson or eradicate Asthmatic symptoms. It is probably no surprise that asthma prevention includes modifying your environment to oppose the most common contributing factors listed above. Here are 5 basic steps you can take to begin asthma remediation;

1. Remove or reduce obvious triggers from the house and the child's environment

2. Eliminate and remove as much dust as possible

3. Use excellent air filters at home, in your car and while traveling

4. Avoid common allergens

5. Eat unprocessed healthy foods

Preventing asthma symptoms does not cure asthma, but preventing symptoms helps people, especially children, live healthier lives.

If a child has been diagnosed with asthma and if the parents do not want him to rely merely on traditional asthma treatments, they could incorporate vitamins and herbs into his daily diet. Discuss with him what triggers his asthma and user some natural remedies for asthma.

Many individuals are turning to the traditional medications in search of natural remedies for asthma in children in order to cure their disorder. The medicines cure the disease but they do not treat the causes. The person starts feeling better as soon as he takes the medication but later on, he comes up with some of its side effects.

Fortunately, there are few natural remedies for asthma that work wonders. Here are some of the most common and vowed natural treatments for asthma:

• The Bowen Technique - it is a mild and soft touch treatment that is very famous in Canada, Australia, and UK. This natural remedy for asthma in children balances the nervous system and cures the causes of asthma as oppose its symptoms. Many studies have reported that its use reduces the asthma attacks and the usage of an inhaler by 80% and even in some cases; it has abolished the need of medication.

• Acupressure - it is a traditional remedy to treat an ailment in a natural way. Asthma is a result of a blockage in the lungs or spleen meridian and it can be cured by unblocking the path. Acupressure helps in unblocking the energy path.

• Chinese Licorice Root - it is a very powerful herb used to treat asthma. It is normally consumed in the form of a drink and should be inhaled 3-4 times in a week. It is necessary to consult a physician before consuming any herb.

• The Alexander Technique - It is a way through which one can change or improve his way of breathing and hence have a profound outcome over the asthma patients. However, it does not provide instant effect but after enough practice, it can reduce asthma symptoms.

• Homeopaths - These are proven and tried natural remedies for asthma in children caused by allergies. As per a research conducted by the University of Glasgow, the patients taking homeopathic treatment experience less symptoms of asthma within a week of treatment.

Anyone can use the above natural remedies for asthma for treating their ailments. It is always better to consult an expert physician for the right treatment in children.

There are many natural asthma treatments that you might consider if you are looking for ways to avoid using the medications. Many of these natural treatments include garlic, turmeric, mustard oil, and ginger. Treating asthma with steroids and other medications can cause unwanted side effects of excessive weight gain and other things. Natural treatments are designed to eliminate the need for medication and help you overcome the problems with asthma.

It is very common for people to have problems with asthma medications. The problem is that they need the medication or some type of treatment to stay alive if their asthma is too bad but the side effects of the medications may make life miserable. Here are a few natural treatments that you can use to treat your asthma so you don't have to take as much or anymore medication.

Garlic is a natural treatment in the body for many different things. Garlic is used for asthma. When you use garlic to treat asthma you will boil it with milk and then drink it upon the first signs of an asthma attack. This does mean that you would have to store the boiled milk and garlic in a container. Obviously, if you feel an attack occurring you won't have time to pull out a pot and begin boiling milk and garlic. This is one of the asthma natural treatments that is considered to be effective for treating the symptoms associated and can relieve the inflammation.

Turmeric is another herb that is used to treat the onset of an attack if you are asthmatic. This is one of the asthma natural treatments that is considered to be very valuable. The best way to be sure that turmeric is the most effective is to mix one teaspoon with a glass of milk. You should drink this two times a day and it will help prevent asthma attacks from occurring.

Mustard oil is another one of the herbal natural treatments for asthma. You do not drink the mustard oil as you do turmeric or garlic but instead you use this as massage oil into the chest of the person that suffers with chronic asthma. The mustard oil will work when inhaled to keep the air passages open and clear. It also works to loosen congestion build up in the chest cavity.

Ginger is a natural herbal treatment for asthma also. All you do with ginger is make some tea. Add crushed garlic to the ginger tea and drink this twice a day. This is extremely effective in relieving the symptoms and maintaining total control over them also.

There are many asthma natural treatments you might consider if you are having problems with the medication prescribed by the doctor or you are just not comfortable with prescriptions. The cost may even be causing problems for you too. Many of the herbal treatments that you can try include making drinks with garlic, turmeric, and ginger. You can even massage mustard oil into your chest to relieve the symptoms.

Asthma is a respiratory disease that narrows the airways. The condition is usually caused by a person's exposure to allergens, cold air, emotional stress or exercise. A person who suffers from the disease experiences wheezing, shortness of breath, tightening of the chest, and coughing. The disorder causes the airways to hyperactively produce mucus in reaction to various stimuli. The symptoms can be mild or life-threatening. Taking medications or changing one's lifestyle can help control the problem.

Symptoms

When the problem of asthma arises, it is referred to as an asthma attack. Whenever a patient suffers from an attack, he displays a number of symptoms such as shortness of breath and wheezing. A cough, which may be accompanied by clear sputum, may also be present during the attack. Attacks usually come without warning. They may be accompanied by a pain in the chest and breathing becomes very difficult.

Whenever a person experiences an asthma attack, there is an alarming increase in heart rate. Audible lung sounds are heard through the stethoscope, too, caused by rapid breathing and an over-inflation of the chest. During an asthma attack, there is a tightening of the muscles in the respiratory area and the ribs, which causes the body to struggle for more air. The patient may even lose consciousness during this time

Diagnosis

The first step in diagnosing an asthmatic patient is to check on his medical history. Having a family history of asthma puts a person at high risk for asthma attacks as well. Testing someone with a peak flow meter, which measures the restriction of the airways, can determine if he is suffering from asthma. If a clear diagnosis cannot be determined through this test, a formal lung function test may be conducted.

Long before there were inhalers or tablets, doctors relied on herbal medicine to help asthmatics. This is not surprising since many asthma drugs originated from medicinal plants. Theophylline, for instance, comes from the herb Datura stramonium while Amni visnana is the source of cromolyn sodium.

The high cost of pharmaceuticals has recently revived public interest in herbal medicines. This is not bad if the herbs in question are effective and safe like their modern counterparts.

Unfortunately, herbal medicine leaves a lot to be desired, mainly because the industry is not regulated and manufacturers don't have to prove that their products are safe or effective.

Below are some herbs which are being promoted as "treatments" for asthma. Don't make the mistake of using them or you may suffer later.

Chickweed (Stellaric media) reduces the thickness of mucus in the lungs but has no effect on asthma. Large amounts can cause temporary paralysis.

Damiana (Turnera diffusa) is a bitter herb that can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and frequent urination.

Ephedra/Ma Huang contains the stimulant ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. First used by the Chinese over 5,000 years ago, this became the basis of the first "modern" oral bronchodilator.

Today's newer medicines, however, have made ephedrine a poor choice for asthma in view of its many side effects which include blood pressure elevation, increased heartbeat, headache, nervousness, and nausea. Other adverse effects are palpitations, dizziness, insomnia, chest pain, memory loss, and stroke.

This herb was restricted in Ohio in 1994 when a high school student died after taking an over-the-counter ephedrine herbal product. Another death was reported in Texas after a woman took an ephedrine and caffeine herbal supplement.

Forskolin (Coleus forskohili) is used extensively in traditional Indian (Ayuverdic) medicine and is a potent bronchodilator. The bad news is that it is short-acting and may affect your heart.

Ginger (Zingibber ofticinale) is a popular herb that belongs in your kitchen - not in your lungs. Large doses can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and liver damage in animals.

Gingko (Gingko biloba) comes from a giant tree which has been with us since the time of the dinosaurs. Extracts of the gingko leaves have been used in China for more than 5,000 years to treat asthma but this has yet to be confirmed by more studies. What we do know is that large doses (more than 120 milligrams a day) of this drug may cause gastrointestinal disturbances, headaches, allergic reactions, restlessness, and mood swings.

Nettle (Urtica dioica) is rich in protein, minerals and vitamin B but has a doubtful effect on asthma. It can cause upset stomach, burning sensations in the skin, difficulty in urination, and bloating,

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Remember there is only one way you can get asthma. Asthma during sleep is also as simple. When the human body becomes horizontal, the resistance to deeper breathing is reduced. Ie it is a lot easier to breathe more deeply when you are lying down. As soon as you become unconscious, your breathing gets deeper and deeper, simply because of the horizontal position.

Some people, particularly children, will develop asthma within 2 hours of going to bed. The night cough often starts at this time, because the CO2 is low and mucus production has increased.

The other common time for problems is between 3:30 and 5:00 am, when the body is at it's deepest point of sleep, which also causes the breathing to be greater at this time. You may notice that people start to snore, or they wake with full bladders, or, if children, they may 'wet the bed' at this time. These are all associated with low CO2 that is caused by overbreathing.

Snoring is simply your body attempting to reduce the airflow by swelling the throat and reducing the size of the pipe. Obstructive sleep apnea is a more severe defence of this type.

In terms of bladder problems, these are usually caused in sleep by spasms of smooth muscle in response to low CO2. The same smooth muscle which lines the airpipes and bloodpipes, also lines the bladder.

When CO2 is low, it will constrict making the bladder feel full. This will wake an adult, but a child may simply urinate.

Sleeping is a danger time. The majority of heart attacks and strokes occur at the time of deepest sleep and therefore the deepest breathing.

Asthmatics will very commonly wake feeling constricted or coughing after deepest sleep.

What Can We Do About It?

The first point is that the better our breathostat is set during the day, the less problem we will have with sleep. So simply by doing our shallow breathing during the day, the better our nights will be.

More practical steps include not sleeping on your back. It is far easier to breathe more deeply on your back, as there is less resistance. Lie down and test it. If you rest on your side, it is physically more difficult to take a deep breath. This is easily seen in people who snore. They often only do so while on their back. Rolling them on their side usually stops or reduces the noise.

So step one is to sleep on your side not your back. This will not make your breathing good, only less bad. We already know the effect of food on breathing as it increases it. If you lie down after eating a large meal, you will have a double whammy.

Your breathing will be increased by the food and by your horizontal position.

Do not have meals or high protein snacks [like warm milk or hot chocolate] or alcohol before going to bed.

Your Mouth, Possibly the greatest factor in nocturnal asthma is the fact that while asleep you have no conscious control over whether or not you breathe
through your mouth or nose. Your mouth can just drop open.

Asthma inhalers are a lifesaver to asthma sufferers. Asthma inhalers provides a safety net for people with asthma and is used whenever an asthma attack is imminent.

The most common asthma inhaler is a canister that deliver asthma mediation via a nebulizer in the form of a mist.

Asthma inhaler has been used for nearly a hundred years and has improved a lot in recent years to deliver greater absorption and potency. The basic principle is still the same although the medication has changed over the years.

When an asthma person suffers an asthma attack, the muscles in the bronchial tubes becomes constricted and thus makes it difficult for the person to breathe. An asthma inhaler helps to relax the muscles enabling the person to breathe normally. Doctors also recommend asthma sufferers to use inhalers before going to bed at night and also when they wake up in the morning.

First use users of asthma inhalers may find it difficult to use at first. Although it looks simple, timing is very important. The mouthpiece is placed in the mouth and with a press of a button, you should breathe in hard at the same time so that the asthma medication can go into the lungs.

After the inhaler is released, you should exhale just as hard. It is important to get it right as during an asthma attack, a person may not have much time to think about it and should be able to do this instinctively.

By doing this in one motion, the full dosage of the medication is delivered to the lungs and you stand a better chance of recovering from an asthma attack.

There is no current cure for asthma and asthma inhalers are a very valuable lifesaver that has helped save many people's lives.

For men who love to participate in sports or any strenuous activities, getting diagnosed with exercise induced asthma is probably one of the most devastating or irritating news that they can get. This means limited and monitored activities, regular checkups, medication and constant caution in order to prevent unwanted circumstances.

Exercise induced asthma can occur at any age and is equally common in children and adults. In actuality exercise induced asthma is prevalent in children because of the more active lifestyle that they have. Symptoms include shortness of breath, tightness of the chest, cough, and wheezing caused by the constriction of the bronchial tubes due to inflammation. Typically, most asthmatics do not feel the symptoms during the actual exercise itself, and it is only about 5 to 10 minutes into the exercise and the same time after which exercise induced asthma (EIA) reaches its more severe point and creating distress.

Research has also found that without treatment there are cases where the attack steadily wears over the next 30 to 45 minutes. So does this meant that if you have EIA you should stop exercising? Of course not! The benefits that exercise can bring for asthmatics cannot be punctuated enough. Exercise can strengthen the respiratory as well as the immune system preventing any other ailments from setting in and making things worse.

Taking extra precaution before, during and after exercise can minimize the chances that you will be running into problems anytime during your regimen. But in case your asthma does flare up here are a couple of things which can help you to stop things from getting worse and take care of the problem just within a few minutes:

Rapid-Acting Bronchodilator: Inhalation of a rapid acting bronchodilator (approx. 2 puffs from your albuterol) during attacks can prevent the progress of asthma and give you relief just within a few minutes after inhalation.

Steam: If anytime during your exercise you start to experience the symptoms of asthma and you're without your emergency/rescue medication you can use steam as an alternative in order to get quick relief. Try running the shower the fullest it can go and wait for the steam to rise. Once the room is misty enough get into the shower and start inhaling deeply. You'll find that within a few minutes your symptoms will start to dissipate.

Exercise induced asthma in men, can be very manageable and controllable. As long as you have all the information that you need, you wouldn't need to worry about flaring up or getting any attacks while in the middle of your exercise regimen. Take time to learn more about exercise induced asthma so that no matter what happens you will never be caught off guard.

There are two main types of asthma inhalers or sprays. They include long lasting preventative type asthma sprays and fast acting or relieving asthma inhalers. They both have their place in modern medicine, each serving very different purposes.

This article specifically looks at the fast acting type of inhalers. It addresses the long term side effects of using this particular drug over many years.

A Ventolin or Salbutamol puffer or inhaler is the most common drug for managing asthma around the world. Its sole purpose is to relieve an acute asthma attack. It does nothing to prevent asthma attacks from occurring in the first place. It actually works against your body's own natural defence system and therefore creates dependency; worsening asthma in the long term.

Many asthmatics believe that the corticosteroids that they take are much more harmful to their health than the fast acting relieving inhaler they use. Therefore, they may skip doses of the preventative drug here and there and still require the rescue inhaler. This is a mistake. Corticosteroids administered in the correct dose are much less damaging to your health than the rescue drug Albuterol, Ventolin or Salbutamol.

The long term effects of Ventolin are alarming! Any asthma sufferer who is heavily reliant on Ventolin to control their asthma symptoms is doing great damage to their health and should consider addressing their asthma management plan YESTERDAY! Seriously "what are you waiting for!"

In fact clinical trials have proven that Ventolin can cause side effects to:

• Respiratory


• Ccardiovascular


• Musculoskeletal


• Metabolic


• Psychiatric Health