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By: Rodger Bailey, MS
What is Asthma? Asthma is a disorder of the respiratory system. It is very ordinary with both children and adults. Its symptoms involve shortness of breath, coughing, chest tightness, and wheezing. Asthma manifests itself in repetitive episodes, often brought on by a variety of factors. Those who suffer from asthma are ordinarily sensitive to things like cold air and stress. They frequently have an assortment of disorders similar to the common cold. Many health care associations have focused their attention on asthma, because more than twenty five percent of urban children are affected by a variety of forms of this disease. What Do We Know About Asthma From History? From an historical perspective, asthma was described for the first time in Homers Iliad in 450 BC. In the 2nd century AD, Galen wrote some studies about it but he didnt provide solutions. His writings on this topic were based mostly on personal observations. In 1190 a discourse about asthma was authored by a Jewish doctor, he provided some approaches for prevention and a range of remedies. Later in the 18th century an Italian, Bernardino Ramazzini, wrote about the relationship between dust and asthma. The first effective treatment was introduced in 1901 when bronchodilators were used for the first time. And, even though they showed up in the beginning of the century, antiinflammatory medication was finally included in the asthmatics course of therapy in 1960. Asthma Symptoms Asthma has many indicators. The most general involves recurring respiratory difficulties. These assaults are usually triggered by the factors previously mentioned. Other triggers can cause inconveniences depending on each individuals susceptibilities, for instance, general irritants like airborne allergens and air pollutants can bring on an crisis. Acute asthma attacks can make someone turn blue in the face and even cause loss of consciousness, because for some, the pain can be severe. Diagnostic Process Any doctor can give a diagnosis if he/she knows the patients health history and the family background. Asthma is considered to be hereditary. It is difficult to diagnose a small child with asthma, because they dont have a very long health record and studies may be needed to confirm the suspicion of asthma or not. Depending on the intensity of the difficulty, asthma can be classified as mild intermittent, mild persistent, or the more serious forms as moderate persistent and severe persistent. Techniques For The Treatment Of Asthma Do I have to take my asthma meds every day? If you have asthma problems maybe youve wondered if its really necessary to take your meds every day. This is especially true if symptoms are not often interrupting your daily activities. Maybe you have minor symptoms a couple of times a week, and you are asking yourself, Should I change my daily asthma regimen? Doctors have considered the same thing and after much research they have reached an encouraging decision. The research shows them that for some people who suffer from the easier forms of asthma dont have to rely on daily treatment, especially if their symptoms dont affect their daily regimen. Only your doctor can decide if this is right for you. Asthma treatment products Depending on the case, asthma remedies are designed to provide solutions for bronchoconstriction, airway inflammation, or breathing tubes tightening. Other asthma treatments involve some medication for each of the stimuli that could trigger symptoms, and additional symptom-reducing medication could be taken as needed. Bronchodilatators are normally prescribed for quickly opening the airways which effectively stops any momentary crisis. Anti-inflammatory medication is recommended because it helps prevent the inflammation of the airways. Beta-agonists and inhaled corticosteroids are the solution for most of the asthmatics. These drugs dont deal with the cause of the problem, they simply get rid of the symptoms. These asthma treatments are life saving for anyone who suffers from severe crises. They act directly on the affected area: relaxing the lung muscles and helping to get rid of the fear of asthma attacks. Reducing daily medications? Reducing medication is only a good idea for a person who suffers from mild asthma. A specialist needs to determine if you are a good candidate for reducing your daily asthma medications. Dont even think about giving up your asthma therapy in case of a severe health condition. About 35 percent of people that are prescribed asthma medication rarely renew their treatments. This means that they use the medicine only when they feel trouble is around the corner. You may have the option to modify your daily asthma daily treatment, just be careful to discuss your treatment options with your doctor. Failure to do so, could lead to severe set backs. If you are thinking about changing your medication regimen, you need to discuss it with your doctor. Controlling an asthma crisis Reducing the rate of asthma crises is the aim of any asthma treatment. But, before beginning a serious medication regimen, you might try a more personal solution and see if it helps you. You must keep a diary or journal with everything you ate, the places you have been, and any other factor relevant to your health. After a crisis, you can search your diary entries and see where you have been, what you have eaten or drunk, and what else occurred. Many people have reactions to certain foods or chemicals. Many people are affected by airborne particles or smells (airborne chemicals). Your diary can help you determine if there are patterns to your asthma events. You might be able to use your diary entries to determine what specific factors are the ones to which you are reacting. You might be able to change your way of doing things and dramatically reduce your symptoms. There Is No Cure Asthma is a recurring disease for which the medical profession has no cure. The medical profession believes that if you get asthma, you have it for a lifetime. Because the medical profession has not developed a cure, doctors concentrate on providing ways to prevent events and reduce the severity and duration of these events. Many people, particularly in urban areas, are affected by asthma every day and science still struggles to come up with a solution. Editors note: In my opinion, when a medical doctor tells us there is no cure, this means that there is no known cure. If you want to search for a solution for yourself, you probably need to search outside the modern medical paradigm. It looks like Asthma may be one of these situations. Explore the alternative methods in our product & services page. You may find relief, which modern medicine cannot provide.
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The Asthma 101 blog has many articles about various aspects of living with asthma. On its products-services page, there are links to a variety of alternative providers who can help.
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