What Is Asthma

Hurrah, it's summer, and a good reason to celebrate the chance to scoot your children outdoors for some clean, pollen-free fresh air. This is especially important if your child has asthma, the lung condition that causes a variety of breathing problems.

Asthma is one of the most widespread chronic diseases of childhood, affecting up to one in four urban children. In fact, in the U.S., children miss more than 14 million days of school every year because of this lung ailment. It's also one of the common reasons children younger than 15 years of age need hospital care.

Childhood asthma on the rise

The American Lung Association reports that childhood asthma has risen nearly 100% in the last 20 years. Four million children suffered an asthma attack in 2003, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

No one knows for sure why the number of children with asthma is increasing, but asthma experts have suggested a number of reasons.

For one, children today spend more time indoors. They are exposed to more indoor allergens like cigarette smoke, pets, mold and dust and fumes from toxic household cleaners.

Children today are also exposed to fewer viruses and bacteria than they were many years ago because of improved living conditions. Our sedentary lifestyle has led to overweight youngsters who exercise less, conditions that may contribute to asthma breathing problems.

What is asthma?

Asthma is a condition that affects the airways - the small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. When a person with asthma comes into contact with an asthma trigger, the muscle around the walls of the airways tightens so that the airway becomes narrower. The lining of the airways becomes inflamed and starts to swell. Often sticky mucus or phlegm is produced, causing the airways to become narrower and irritated - leading to the symptoms of asthma.

Asthma causes are different for everybody
The causes of asthma are not the same for everyone. Some people develop asthma because of the way their bodies react to infection - mainly viral infection.

Other people have asthma because they have allergies to certain substances in the environment.

Reduce triggers that make asthma worse

Asthma symptoms (like coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath) are usually "triggered" by something that irritates your lungs. Some common triggers are:

o Dust

o Smoke from cigarettes

o Strong smells from household cleaners or perfumes

o Mold or mildew

o Colds or flu

o Dogs, cats or other animals with fur

o Cockroaches

o Pet birds

o Pollen from trees, grasses and weeds

o Cold or warm air

Here's what you can do: improve the indoor air quality

A person's breathing problems, which can range from mild to life threatening, can usually be controlled with a combination of drugs and environmental changes.

In particular, improving the indoor quality of air in your home seems to help asthma sufferers. Wherever possible, get rid of the common allergens in your home.

A child's immune system is under-developed

Children are more susceptible than adults to environmentally caused asthma, which appears to be on the rise. Because a child's immune system is not yet fully developed, he or she cannot flush out environmental toxins--such as those found in some household cleaners--the way an adult can.

Link found between cleaning products and wheezing

Is there a link between wheezing (an asthma symptom) in toddlers and prenatal exposure to some household cleaning products? Research seems to suggest so.

In a report published in the journal Thorax, scientists at the University of Bristol followed a group of 7,000 children from birth to age three and a half to examine health patterns. For this study researchers asked pregnant women how many times they used household cleaning products such as bleach, disinfectant, carpet and window cleaners in the home.

After the children were born the researchers recorded how many times they wheezed and compared their exposure to chemical products while in the womb. Researchers found the higher the exposure to the chemicals, the more likely the children were to wheeze, even taking into account other factors such as parental smoking, contact with pets and damp housing.

Dr. Andrea Sherriff, who led the study, said "We can't say the products caused the wheezing. We can only say we observed an association."

Children more susceptible than adults

The study reminds us that children are more susceptible than adults to environmentally caused illnesses. You only have to know what goes into many home cleaners--to realize that most cleaning chemicals are not good for you or the environment. Citrus, which is a terpine, is a common example of a supposedly natural ingredient that is found in many household detergents and all-purpose cleaners. It is an allergen and can degrade indoor air quality.

Now for the good news. You can buy a new variety of household cleaning products that will not cause allergies or degrade indoor air quality. One such product is Zero-Tox (http://www.zerotoxcleaner.com), a 100% safe, non-toxic cleaning alternative. Because Zero-Tox contains no terpine, chlorine, petroleum, or ammonia, it is safe for safe for asthma sufferers, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems. So you can enjoy a cleaner house, and a cleaner conscience.

So, breathe easy. Your children will too. Now get them outside and enjoying the rest of the summer.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a condition that affects the lungs. It develops from damage of airways becoming obstructed. Medical conditions that can be given the term COPD include emphysema and bronchitis. These can show up together or separately.

When COPD occurs the airways in the lungs progressively narrow and make it very hard to breathe. This is very different from asthma because the damage cannot be reversed. In the case of emphysema, the air sacs in the lungs lose their elasticity and constrict. This makes it really hard to breathe. If the COPD is characterized as bronchitis then a persistent cough with a lot of mucous is present for 3 months of the year, for more than 2 years in a row. This persistent cough causes the airways in the lungs to become inflamed and results in damage to the lung tissue.

COPD is not a medical disorder that shows up overnight. The symptoms show up gradually and continue to worsen over time. The most apparent sign is a shortness of breath that worsens during exercise. A person with COPD will also feel fatigue because the body is not getting the required amount of oxygen. Other symptoms that can show up are cough, wheeze, loss of weight, headache, blue lips and excessive mucous.

COPD does not appear for just any reason. It is usually caused by damage we do to our own bodies. Smoking is the biggest cause of COPD because the chemicals in a cigarette cause damage to the airways in the lungs. Second hand smoke, fumes from chemicals and pollution are also to blame for causing COPD. The likelihood of getting COPD is amplified by your age, genes, frequency of smoking cigarettes and how long you have been smoking for. These factors can put you on a list for developing severe COPD.

If you think that you might be dealing with COPD then go visit your doctor. They will want to know about your history of smoking and will perform a complete physical exam. They will run several tests before determining whether you are suffering from COPD or not.

If COPD is the diagnosis then you should strongly consider stopping smoking. You may need to either take medication or use a portable oxygen cylinder to assist you in breathing. If you are looking to stick with a natural regimen then you should discuss this with your doctor first. Kali mur is a natural ingredient that helps the respiratory system to do it's job and eases wet coughs. Kali Sulph will help to make phlegm coughs more tolerable and lower the congestion in your sinuses.

Cough Variant Asthma is a type of asthma that gets its name from its only symptom. With other types of asthma there is a set of asthma symptoms that are very typical. The difference with all asthma types is not usually in what symptoms you have, but what causes those symptoms. However, there is no typical list of causes, even for the same type of asthma.

Cough Variant Asthma Is Different

Instead of the usual four symptoms, with cough variant asthma coughing is the only symptom. And instead of the usual asthma cough, this cough is a very dry cough with no mucus being expelled. This cough can also last for a long time, perhaps for many weeks. It can also be a loud cough, what is called a barking cough. Since there are no other symptoms like wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath, this type of asthma often goes undiagnosed.

What is Asthma

Having any type of asthma, such as cough variant asthma, means that your airways or breathing tubes going to your lungs are very sensitive to specific things. These things are called your asthma triggers. Coming into contact with any of these things will cause your airways to get really upset. And when the airways of a person with asthma get upset, there is a very predictable list of things that usually happen.

• There is swelling on the inside of your airways which makes them smaller.


• The muscles on the outside of your airways try to squeeze the airways shut, making them even smaller.


• The inside of your airways create gunk (plegm or mucus are other words used) which clogs up the airways even more.

With cough variant asthma, your airways do get irritated but not with the same results. They don't become so small so that you have trouble breathing and the muscles around the airways don't appear to tighten up so you don't feel the tightness in the chest. There is also no gunk being produced inside of the airways. The only symptom is the very persistent cough.

Asthma Triggers

If you have cough variant asthma, your asthma causes or triggers responsible for your chronic cough are similar to the triggers for other types of asthma. If you have asthma, you will have your own personal list of things that your airways really hate. If you come in contact with or do any of those things on your list, your airways will get really irritated. In the case of cough variant asthma, the result will be your chronic cough. The following things are a partial list of possible asthma triggers that might be on your list:

• Specific foods - could pretty much be anything


• Different types of air pollution


• Aerosol sprays - like hair spray or deodorants, etc


• Pet dander - all pets give off dander


• Cockroach droppings


• Dust mites - in your bedding, carpets, etc


• Allergens - like grass or pollen, etc


• Mold - both indoor and outdoor


• Smoke - all types


• Weather - could be certain types of weather or changes in the weather


• Stress - or other strong emotions


• and the list goes on

Anything on the above list could could be one of your asthma triggers. In fact, you could have any number of those things on your list. You might even have a trigger that is not on that list. Everybody has their own list and the way that you are affected by something on the list will be different from the way that it affects somebody else. Some people with asthma have their airways get irritated all the time while others only see the problem every once in awhile.

Asthma, or more specifically called as respiratory asthma, is a chronic disease that cannot be cured; however, its symptoms can be alleviated and prevented. During asthma attacks, there is a constriction or narrowing of the airways causing uneasiness in breathing. There is also stiffness in the muscles of the airway causing chest tightness and wheezing.

The wheezing sound heard when breathing is called asthma breathing. It is the characteristic sign of asthma. Other signs include uneasiness in breathing, chest tightness, coughing, fast breathing, and fast heart beats.

If you are an asthmatic or if you are the parent of children with asthma, here are some pieces of advice on what to do during an asthma attack:

Let your child leave the area where asthma triggers are visible or present. Some triggers include tobacco smoke, strong perfumes, pet animal hairs or dander, plants, and pollens.

Make sure that an asthma inhaler is always available; it will enable an asthmatic's constricted or narrowed airways to open. These inhalers are prescribed by doctors to those who are asthmatic for use during asthma attacks.

Calming down and sitting may help. If your clothing is too tight, loosen them. Asthma attacks could also be due to emotional stresses, so calming down tremendously helps.

Try taking one puff of your asthma inhaler every minute until the symptoms of asthma begin to disappear and your condition begins to improve.

Most asthma attacks usually disappear in five to eight minutes. If you notice no improvement in your body, call 911 or go to the hospital straight away.

Never stop puffing your asthma inhaler until the paramedics or any health care provider is within your reach.

Some home remedies of in preventing asthma attack include:

Eating foods which are a great source of Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 that can be found in eggs, dairy products, and meat. Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 are known to decrease the swelling of the lungs.

Eating foods high in Vitamin C. These boost the immune system, making the body fight well against infections and diseases.

Drinking a glass of warm milk with a teaspoon of turmeric powder before bedtime. This provides relief from frequent asthma attacks.

Taking gingko biloba, a medicinal herb shown to decrease the recurrence of asthma attacks

Having your chest and back massaged with a minimal amount of camphor oil mixed in mustard oil three times a week

Drinking licorice tea once a day

Taking salmon oils. However, as with everything else, the key is moderation. Eating salmon at least twice a week is advisable.

Asthma is a type of severe lung infection in which the airways of your lung get broadened up and inflamed. Various types of diseases are caused by Asthma such as tightness of Chest, breath shortness and coughing for a long time. I am quite sure about the fact that none of you intend to see your near and dear ones suffering from this kind of severe disease.

So, if there are any written action plans for the asthma infected people, you can recover easily from the sudden bout of asthma. Here are some of those active steps that are certified by the doctors and proved to be really helpful for the patients.

Education about the symptoms and preventions of asthma bouts is considered to be one of the strongest weapons in the arsenal of people combating asthma. This is a health ailment that requires the patients to be completely aware of the elements that can cause sudden bouts of asthma and also a strategy to counter the same. The strategy to counter the problem of asthma cannot be restricted to the doctors only and the patients also have to understand the bigger onus for the same lies with them. They are the ones who have to prevent themselves from the disease, so they have to get complete knowledge about the disease. A complete cure is only possible if you know about the disease inside out.

Asthma is a very painful disease, so you have to consult your doctor even if you doubt a little about experiencing the symptoms. Cure in the early stages is much faster than the advanced stages.

If you suffer from asthma, you often live in fear of not being able to breathe properly at any given time. Perhaps you control it with medication and inhalers, but what happens when you are exposed to something that sets it off unexpectedly or if you reach for your inhaler and it is empty? More than likely, you will start to panic and your panic will increase your difficulty to breathe.

Fearing that your lungs are totally shutting down is more than enough reason to set off an attack. Research conducted in Switzerland found that asthma sufferers are almost five times more likely to suffer from panic attacks than those who do not have asthma. The study looked at young adult asthma patients and followed their health and asthma attacks over the next 20 years of their life. About 600 people in all were involved in the study and the resulting asthma induced panic attacks found in many of them led to the findings.

The good news is that with the results of this study and many others that examine the signs and symptoms of asthma and panic attacks, doctors are taking a look at the two conditions as a combined health issue and considering how to treat both conditions at the same time. This is becoming more critical as medical studies are now starting to find that panic attack sufferers are actually developing asthma. Their condition is somehow making them more susceptible to asthma which is a very serious concern for anyone with panic attacks.

Some doctors are expressing concern that this relationship may however actually be a misdiagnosis and some of the symptoms could be easily confused. Something like hyperventilation is common in both conditions. If doctors are not aware that their patient is suffering from chronic panic attacks, they may misdiagnose the case as actually being asthma when that is not the case.

Anyone suffering from either of these conditions should consult with their health care practitioner to ensure that the original diagnosis is correct and that they are getting the proper treatment for their condition. Putting the cases of misdiagnosis aside, it only makes sense to have some sort of treatment that will help these conditions simultaneously. Asthma is usually treated with drugs and people with frequent panic attacks are also usually given drugs as well. But with the side effects of these drugs adding another concern to the picture, seeking alternative approaches to managing asthma and panic attacks makes a lot of sense.

If you discover that you have asthma after your twenty-first birthday, you have adult onset asthma. Almost half of all asthma cases are diagnosed before the age of ten years. Another 30% are discovered before the age of forty, and the rest occur in later life. There is a slight increase in womens' diagnosis after menopause. Whatever age you are when you find you have asthma, this diagnosis will change your life.

Asthma is a condition that causes the airways of your lungs to narrow, restricting the airflow and leaving you short of breath. This can happen because of inflammation from an allergen, an inhaled irritant or because of a spasm of the muscles around the bronchi- the small airways in the lungs.

The most well known symptom of asthma is a sudden onset of wheezing and difficulty getting your breath. These attacks can be very severe, causing hospitalization, or mild and well controlled by medications.

Once the initial diagnosis of adult onset asthma is made, the next step is to discover what type of asthma you have. Allergic asthma is caused by sensitivity to specific substances in your environment. Eliminating these substances is the first step to controlling your asthma.

Idiopathic asthma has no specific cause, but factors such as stress, cold weather and strenuous work or exercise could be factors that influence the frequency of attacks.

You could also discover that you have a combination of both types.

You can keep an ongoing list of things that trigger your attacks. Also, keep a diary of your symptoms and medications to assist your health care professional to develop an effective asthma management plan for you.

Good nutrition plays an important role in the management of adult onset asthma symptoms. A good multivitamin and mineral supplement, in addition to eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables will help your body resist asthma attacks. Researchers have found that low levels of Vitamin C and zinc can cause increased bronchial spasms and wheezing.

Working with your health care professional to develop an asthma management program, and giving extra attention to nutrition will help you keep the symptoms of adult onset asthma under control.

Symbicort is made up of two drugs. The first is a manmade corticosteroid named budesonide, and a long lasting beta-adrenoceptor agonist named formoterol. It is prescribed for those with bad asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It acts to reduce airway inflammation in the lungs and also by causing the bronchial smooth muscle to relax. While this combination medication might help many patients, do not be fooled by the smiling happy people portrayed in the many pharmaceutical ads, which more resemble a J. Crew catalog than real life.

There are many possible side effects that may come along with this medication. It all depends on the individual. While one patient may react fine to any given medication, others invariably suffer side effects. While minor side effects are usually tolerable, a cascading barrage of the many possible Symbicort side effects can quickly become debilitating.

Here some side effects will be listed, but this is by no means a complete listing. Some of the common issues are aches and pains, the chills, coughing, fever, sneezing, sore throat, headache, stuffy nose, and feeling tired or weak and in some cases totally drained of energy with the inability to get out of bed in some people. Other less common but very real side effects are very bad heartburn or acid reflux, muscle spasms, upset stomach, belching (burping), stomach pain, bladder pain, frequent or painful urination, nausea, vomiting, shaky hands or feet, swallowing trouble, and sweating. Rarer but again very real side effects consist of blurry vision, dizziness when rising from a seated or lying position, ravenous hunger and thirst, increase frequency of urination, skin rash, itchy skin, change in the taste of food, feeling of constant anxiety on the level of a panic attack sometimes with symptoms of depression, mood swings, a feeling of dread or foreboding, chest pain, headaches, increased pulse rate with pounding heart, sleeplessness, and in others a profound sleepiness which makes getting out of bed a problem. Symbicort can also affect menstrual bleeding in women, and many of the side effects perfectly mimic the symptoms of early pregnancy.

As you have read, the possible indications listing is very long, and I have personally observed one person close to me who has had MOST of those symptoms during a 2-3 month period on the inhaler. Seeing someone in this state is very difficult, especially if they are someone who is close to you. If you suffer from enough of these symptoms and take Symbicort, speak with your doctor about switching to another medication to control your asthma.

Medical studies have reported that cases of severe to mild forms of asthma are on the rise. More than 20 million Americans suffer from this debilitating disease, even though scientific research spends billions every year searching for the ideal prescription medication. While these heavy drugs have helped individuals that need to combat many of the symptomatic effects of asthma, certain healthcare providers have turned to natural homeopathic methods and asthma home remedies as a way to circumvent the ongoing problem.

Treating the Disease With Prescription Medications

Many individuals who suffer from the disease take heavy doses of prescription medications every day. At times when these medicines struggle to work, some asthma sufferers need to use an inhaler just to be able to take a deep breath. In reaction to the medicine's ineffectiveness, physicians generally tend to up the dosage or try a more harmful drug in an effort to find something that works for their patient. Every heavy medication an individual takes causes some type of mild to severe side effect. Some of the reactions the body has to the medication can be minimal, doing little damage to the liver or kidneys at the cellular level. Other medications have found to cause severe side effects over time, many of which are irreversible.

The Effects of Long-Term Steroid Use

Individuals who have a history of long-term use of their inhaler typically deal with debilitating side effects, including an increased appetite resulting in excessive weight gain, loss of hair, severe acne, blood glucose problems, and stunted growth. Patients that use inhalers over the long arc of their life can develop severe osteoporosis due to the heavy dose of steroids in the medication.

Is There a Cure on the Horizon?

To date, there seems to be no cure for those suffering from asthma. While the most severe cases of this chronic inflammatory disorder require heavy doses of medications, mild-case asthma sufferers are beginning to search for alternative medicines and asthma home remedies for another way to control their disease. Though every individual case is unique, not everyone needs to take heavy doses of prescriptive medications to manage their ongoing asthmatic condition.

Natural Alternative Treatments

In the last decade or so, many herbal remedies for asthma have been developed. Additionally, many homeopathic physicians are taking an approach that is different from those of medical doctors and are working to treat the root cause of the problem instead of the symptoms, allowing the body to heal itself. Aromatherapy is also used for treating asthma, harnessing the healing powers from the extracted oils found in plant life.

Acupuncture has been used as a tool to control asthma in some patients with surprisingly positive results. Placing needles at certain locations on the skin causes the stimulation of natural chemical reactions in the body. There is a number of asthma home remedies that have proven to manage the disease effectively.

Finding the right solution, through natural homeopathic alternatives, asthma home remedies, oil extracts and herbal remedies, has provided some individuals the opportunity to live an asthma-free life. Until a cure has been found, every avenue should be explored to treat the symptoms of those that suffer from asthma.

When it comes to asthma home remedies be careful about which ones you choose. If you are looking for natural home remedies on the net, be careful and study each one before attempting them yourself, look for testimonials from other asthmatics that have similar symptoms to what you may be experiencing. Another good tip to remember when trying to prevent attacks, is to try and cover you nose and mouth when going out into the cold air, because the cold air will likely cause symptoms for you.

Besides, it is a good idea to stay away from dairy products such as milk and cheese, because they can increase the amount of mucus that comes with an attack. Natural home remedies that actually work can be something that is hard to come by so do your research before trying any asthma home remedies.

Natural Home Remedies for Asthma

There are a lot of natural home remedies out there and finding the one that is both perfect for you and actually works can be a difficult experience, so here are some natural home remedies that might make that experience a little bit easier. Today one of the most popular natural home remedies for asthma would be honey. Yes, you read that right, regular honey right out of your kitchen! It is said that by smelling the honey it can actually reduce your symptoms.

A lot of people who suffer from nocturnal asthma know how difficult the night time hours can be, but vitamin C may very well be the answer. Vitamin C is said to help prevent those symptoms that occur during the night and early hours of the morning, so by taking vitamin C before bed could help reduce some of your night time symptoms. Sometimes out of all the home remedies there is just nothing better then good old-fashioned fresh air, simply setting outdoors can help reduce your asthma symptoms, but be careful to avoid dust and cold weather.

Garlic is also considered to be an effective part of the group of natural asthma home remedies. Another popular theory for curing or reducing symptoms would be to boil garlic in milk. This is said to help in many asthmatic symptoms. There are also many home remedies involving grapes this may sound a little strange but some people swear that it is effective. The theory is that you should soak fresh grapes with seeds, in water then place them in a cool place. Then chew the grapes before bed. This helps prevent symptoms. Again, none of these home remedies have been scientifically proven to be true. They are simply home treatments that others have tried. Some may work while others may not, it is up to you to decide for yourself if these treatments actually work.

Remember that if you are thinking about trying any of these, ask your local physician to see if it will be safe for you to try out these home remedies. Never forget that a lot of the home remedies for asthma out there today are just suggestions by people who have asthma or know someone with asthma. When you are looking for remedies online, be careful to choose web sites that are legitimate, and that provide facts about asthma and treatments. Be sure that the home remedies you try are all natural. So, play it smart and choose wisely when it comes to asthma home remedies.