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Asthma Key Points

03 Jun

Posted by admin as Asthma

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  • Asthma is a chronic disease that affects your airways, the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs.
  • In asthma, the inside walls of your airways are inflamed, or swollen. The inflammation makes them very sensitive, and they tend to react strongly to things that you are allergic to or find irritating. When they react, they get narrower and less air flows through to your lungs. This causes symptoms like wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and trouble breathing, especially at night and in the early morning.
  • Asthma cannot be cured, but most people with asthma can control it so that they have few and infrequent symptoms and can live normal, active lives.
  • When your asthma symptoms become worse than usual, it is called an asthma episode or attack. In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close so much that not enough oxygen can get to your vital organs. People can die from severe asthma attacks.
  • Taking care of your asthma is an important part of your life. Controlling it means working closely with your doctor to learn how to manage your condition, staying away from things that bother your airways and bring on asthma symptoms, taking medicines as directed by your doctor, and monitoring your asthma so you can respond quickly to signs of an attack. Ask your doctor for a written daily asthma self-management plan and an emergency action plan for asthma attacks, and make sure you understand and know how to use them.
  • Researchers still do not know what causes asthma, although they do know that if other people in your family have asthma, you are more likely to develop it. Being exposed early in your life to things like tobacco smoke, infections, and some allergens may also increase your chances of developing asthma.
  • Some of the more common things that bring on asthma symptoms include exercise, allergens, irritants, and viral infections.
  • Common asthma symptoms include coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and faster or noisy breathing.
  • Doctors find out whether you have asthma by looking at your family history of asthma and allergies, exploring the things that seem to cause your symptoms or make them worse, and giving you a test, called spirometry, that measures how much air you can blow out of your lungs after taking a deep breath and how quickly you can do it. They may also perform tests to find out if you have allergies, to see how your airways react to exercise, to find out whether you have gastroesophageal reflux disease or sinus disease, and to rule out heart disease and other lung diseases.
  • Asthma is treated with two kinds of medicines: quick-relief medicines to stop asthma symptoms and long-term control medicines to prevent symptoms.
  • Short-acting inhaled beta-agonists are the preferred quick-relief medicine. The most effective, long-term control medicine is an inhaled corticosteroid, which reduces inflammation in your lungs. Most long-term control medicines must be taken daily, even when you do not have symptoms.
  • Other long-term control medicines include inhaled long-acting beta-agonists, leukotriene modifiers, cromolyn, and theophylline.
  • Most asthma medicines are inhaled. As a result, they go straight to your lungs where they are needed. It is important to learn how to use your inhalers correctly.
  • Many people with asthma need to monitor their condition with a peak flow meter. This is a hand-held device that measures how well your lungs are working. A peak flow meter can help you detect early changes in your condition, especially if you change your medicines, and warn you of a possible attack even before you feel symptoms.
  • Parents of children with asthma need to help them manage their asthma, including making sure the child uses his or her medicines properly and watching for any signs of an attack.
  • Older people with asthma may need to adjust their treatment because of other diseases or conditions that they have. Some medicines that many older people take can interfere with asthma medicines or even cause asthma attacks.
  • It is especially important for pregnant women with asthma to control their asthma. Uncontrolled asthma can limit the supply of oxygen to the fetus. Doctors recommend that it is safer to take asthma medicines during pregnancy than to take the chance that you will have an attack.
  • Regular physical activity is just as important for people with asthma as for the rest of the population. If exercise brings on your asthma symptoms, talk to your doctor about the best ways to control your asthma when you are active.

    • Living With Asthma

    03 Jun

    Posted by admin as Asthma

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    If you have asthma, it is important to learn how to take care of yourself. Work with your doctor on a daily asthma self-management plan that you are both happy with.

    • Tell your doctor about all other medications you are taking, in case one of them affects your asthma.
    • Follow your asthma self-management plan and have regular checkups.
    • Learn to use your medication correctly. Ask your doctor to teach you how to use your inhaler. This is very important. If you do not use your inhalers correctly, less medication will get into your airways.
    • If you are having problems taking your asthma medicine, let your doctor know right away.

    You need to know what things bring on your asthma symptoms. Then do what you can to avoid or limit contact with these things.

    • If animal dander is a problem for you, keep your pet out of the house or at least out of your bedroom, or find it a new home.
    • Do not smoke or allow smoking in your home.
    • If pollen is a problem for you, stay indoors with the air conditioner on, if possible, when the pollen count is high.
    • To control dust mites, wash your sheets, blankets, pillows, and stuffed toys once a week in hot water. You can get special dust proof covers for your mattress and pillows.
    • If cold air bothers you, wear a scarf over your mouth and nose in the winter.
    • If you have symptoms when you exercise or do routine physical activities like climbing stairs, work with your doctor to find ways to be active without having asthma symptoms. Physical activity is important.
    • If you are allergic to sulfites, avoid foods (like dried fruit) or beverages (like wine) that contain them.

    Be alert for warning signs of an asthma attack.

    • Watch for symptoms (for example, coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing) and use your quick-relief medicine as directed by your doctor.
    • Use your peak flow meter as directed to monitor your asthma.

    If your asthma is not under control, there will be signs that you should not ignore. The following are some signs that your asthma is getting worse:

    • You have asthma symptoms more often than usual.
    • Your asthma symptoms are worse than they used to be.
    • Your asthma symptoms are bothering you a lot at night and making you lose sleep.
    • You are missing school or work because of your asthma.
    • Your peak flow number is low or varies a lot from day to day.
    • Your asthma medicines do not seem to be working very well anymore.
    • You have to use your short-acting quick-relief, or “rescue,” inhaler more often. (Using quick-relief medicine every day or using more than one inhaler a month is too much.)
    • You have to go to the emergency room or doctor because of an asthma attack. You end up in the hospital because of your asthma.

    If your asthma seems to be getting worse, see your doctor. You may need to change your medicines or do other things to get your asthma under control.

    Helping Your Child Live With Asthma

    Children with asthma need the help of parents, other caregivers, teachers, and health care professionals to keep their asthma under control.

    You can help your child with asthma keep it under control. For example, you can:

    • Take your child to the doctor for regular checkups and treatment.
    • Make sure your child has an asthma self-management plan and that you know how to follow it.
    • Help your child learn about asthma and how to control it.
    • Help your child learn what things cause his or her asthma symptoms and how to avoid them, if possible.
    • Protect your child from tobacco smoke by not smoking and not allowing people to smoke in your home.
    • Find ways to reduce your child’s exposure to allergens that bring on asthma attacks, like pollen, dust mites, cockroaches, or animal dander.
    • Make sure your child knows how to take asthma medicines correctly (if your child is old enough to use an inhaler without your help).
    • Make sure that your child uses a peak flow meter to help monitor and control asthma.
    • Encourage your child to take part in physical activity. Work together to keep his or her asthma under control. Your child can be active.
    • Talk to your child’s other caregivers, teachers, or coaches about his or her asthma; give them copies of your child’s asthma self-management plan.
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