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Natural Asthma Treatment: Identify The Causes

Asthma is a respiratory disease that causes the airways to constrict, cutting off the ability to breathe. Most people who have asthma have to refrain from certain activities and locations because there are certain triggers that set off an asthma attack. Of course, there are medicines people can take. Usually, these medicines come in the form of inhalers that a person uses when they feel the onset of an asthma attack. However, these medicines can be expensive if you don’t have insurance. Therefore, more and more sufferers of asthma are researching natural asthma treatments.

Stay Away From Those Triggers

The best natural asthma treatment is to stay away from the triggers that bring on attacks. These triggers, or causes of asthma, include smoking, certain plants and fungi, extremes in hot or cold air as well as many others. It all depends on the severity of the person’s asthma but staying away from the causes of asthma is the best natural asthma treatment.

If smoking tends to trigger an asthma attack, you’ll want to refrain from smoking, of course, but you’ll also want to refrain from breathing in second hand smoke. If a person you live with smokes, ask them to do it outside or in a separate room with plenty of ventilation. If extremes in temperature, such as cold air, bring about an attack, you’ll want to refrain from cold air activities, such as skiing or sledding. The natural asthma treatment of staying away from activities and locations that bring upon attacks may take some getting used to but it’s worth it when you consider your health, and possibly your life, is at risk. You likely know what thing bring an attack on and refraining from those things can save your life.

Lead A Long, Normal Life

People who suffer from asthma can lead long, normal lives. They should follow the natural asthma treatment, however, of refraining from the things that cause their asthma attacks. If the asthma is too severe, this natural asthma treatment may not work and medicine may be the only resort. However, if the asthma is only in its mildest form and it seems to only come about when you’re around certain elements, use the natural asthma treatment of staying away from the causes of the asthma. Your lungs will thank you for it and you’ll feel much better when you’re actually able to breathe normally, just like everyone else.

What you Should Know About an Asthma Attack

An asthma attack is a very serious thing, although it is incredibly misunderstood, and many asthmatics don’t even know much about an asthma attack, which is actually an incredibly dangerous factor.

What Happens During an Asthma Attack?

Wheezing is what usually happens at the start of an asthma attack, and if after the asthma attack progresses further, the wheezing stops, then this usually indicates that many bronchioles have become completely blocked, and this is an incredibly serious condition and must be taken into note. However, it should also be taken into consideration that not all asthmatics wheeze, and therefore not everyone will wheeze before having an asthma attack.

Symptoms of an asthma attack include that of the following: severe wheezing when breathing in and out, coughing that won’t stop, very rapid breathing, chest pain or pressure, tightened neck and chest muscles, difficulty talking, feelings of anxiety or panic, pale and sweaty face, blue lips or fingernails, and worsening symptoms despite the use of the proper medications.

It is incredibly important to treat an asthma attack properly, as without immediate treatment, breathing will become more labored, and the wheezing will also get worse. As well, as the lungs continue to tighten up, it will become harder and harder to breathe, and gradually, the lungs will tighten so much that there will not be enough air movement to even produce wheezing.

If one does not receive immediate and adequate treatment during an attack, they will eventually be unable to speak and will also develop a bluish color due to this. The changing in color of the skin basically means that you have less and less oxygen in your blood, and without immediate and incredibly aggressive treatment you will lose consciousness and eventually could die.

The best way to determine when an attack is coming on is by learning about and understanding the warning signs, such as: frequent cough, especially at night; reduced peak flow meter readings; losing your breath easily or shortness of breath; feeling very tired or weak while exercising or completing other forms of physical activity; wheezing or coughing after exercise; feeling tired, moody, or grouchy; trouble sleeping; and signs of a cold or allergies, which includes anything from a runny nose and cough to nasal congestion and a sore throat. It is incredibly important to take these early warning signs into consideration, as recognizing these signs before the attack actually happens will obviously save you in the end.

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The Various Available Methods of Asthma Treatment

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a non-curable yet controllable disease, and the first step in asthma treatment is that of environmental control, as the environment is considered as being one of the most primary causes of asthma attacks. There are certain symptoms of asthma, including: tightness in the chest, wheezing sound, shortness of breath, persistent cough, and increased pulse or heart rate.

What are the Available Methods of Asthma Treatment?

In regards to the asthma treatment that is available today, there are basic steps that are advised by most physicians in order to attempt to at least avoid attacks, which are: clean the house at least once a week, avoid any pets with fur or feathers, wash the bedding weekly in hot water, encase the mattress and pillows in dust-proof covers, consider replacing any upholstered furniture with leather or vinyl, consider replacing carpets in your home with hardwood floors or tile, and remember to keep the humidity in the house as low as you possibly can.

The most important form of asthma treatment if for asthmatics to take their proper medications properly and as prescribed. Asthma treatment in relation to this involves that of the monitoring of lung function, especially with the use of that of a peak flow meter, which is used to gauge lung function. This is incredibly important because lung function decreases dramatically before the actual symptoms of an asthma attack, and if the meter results in indicating that the peak flow is down by 20 percent or more from your usual best effort, then generally an asthma attack is on its way.

There are also anti-inflammatories which are often used, and which work by reducing the number of inflammatory cells in the airways and by preventing blood vessels from leaking any fluid into the airway tissues. However, the unfortunate part of this is that there are some people who cannot control the symptoms of asthma even when avoiding the triggers and using the proper medication, and for these people, there is the option of immunotherapy. This type of therapy involves the injection of allergen extracts in order to desensitize the person, and this treatment in particular begins with injections of a solution of allergen given typically five times a week to start, and then the strength will be gradually increased as time goes on.

Herbal and homeopathic asthma treatments are also considered as being quite positive, and depending on the severity of the asthma itself in the person, herbal and homeopathic treatments can reduce or even eliminate the need for synthetic drugs, and even inhalers, and they can also safely be used to complement that of the more conventional treatments of asthma.

Grateful for any Natural Asthma Remedy

Already a breath of hope comes when considering that a natural asthma remedy exists.

What is a Natural Asthma Remedy?

Webster says that natural is “being such by nature”. That’s a good place to start – in nature. Fortunately for us, in this modern age of internet search engines and instant information retrieval, we can look up just about anything. What we find in our search is that among thousands of ancient remedies that are some also suitable as natural asthma remedy.

Of course there are lots of other considerations, but let’s take a few minutes and explore a few of these alternative, complementary and natural asthma remedies.

Ayurveda

Coming out of India and centuries of exploration is Ayurveda and Ayurvedic medicine. Ayurvedic medicine seeks to identify and treat the root cause of disease, chronic and acute illness. Problematic in its application as a natural asthma remedy is that our present day environment is filled with pollutants and it is not possible to remove all or even most of the problem.

Nevertheless, Ayurveda offers herbal treatments to be used with corresponding exercises in the treatment of asthma. Results vary but general health improvements have their own effect on alleviating suffering.

Acupuncture

Next, we’ll look at Acupuncture as a natural asthma remedy. Again there are more than a thousand years of experience with acupuncture – mostly in Asian culture, but more recently in the West. Modern acupuncture has treatments for all sorts of modern-day ailments, including techniques to aid those attempting to quit smoking. Acupuncture as a natural asthma remedy has also come forward, making a strong presence in the last two decades.

Acupuncture has only recently been recognized by the allopathic medical communities as a useful co-treatment. We expect to hear lots more about this in the coming years.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy as a natural asthma remedy has come to light along with other popular remedies – Bach Flower Remedies, Essential Oil Treatments and Herbal Essence Therapies. The homeopathic practitioner (homeopath) identifies specific symptoms and treats them with very potent minute doses – the idea being to reduce stress caused by the condition with severe side effects, allowing the body time to rejuvenate itself and act in a more holistic way.

Healthy Lifestyle

Finally, a discussion on natural asthma remedy has to include healthy living as a component. Although still considered subjective, elements of a healthy lifestyle should be looked at – diet, stress, environment, exercise and applied attention to happy living.

Ayurveda, Acupuncture and Homeopathy are all useful tools, especially within a larger program of Healthy Living – not a cure-all but definitely a natural asthma remedy.

How Asthma Inhalers Work

What are Asthma Inhalers?

Asthma inhalers are devices which are used for treating asthma, and they are considered as having truly transformed asthma treatment. Asthma inhalers allow for both children and adults who suffer from asthma to be able to deliver the medicine that they require directly to their lungs, and there is a variety of asthma inhalers available, with the two most common being that of the metered-dose inhalers and the dry powder inhalers.

Metered-dose asthma inhalers are those which use a chemical propellant in order to push the medication out of the inhaler, and the medication itself may be released either by squeezing the canister or by that of direct inhalation. The dry powder asthma inhalers, on the other hand, are ones which don’t use that of a chemical propellant to push the medication out, but rather the medication is released by the patient inhaling more rapidly than they would with a traditional metered-dose inhaler.

These inhalers can be used to deliver that of a wide variety of different medications, with the most common being: short-acting bronchodilators, long-acting bronchodilators, corticosteroids, cromolyn or nedocromil, and corticosteroid plus long-acting bronchodilator.

Dependant upon which type of inhaler you are dealing with, either the more traditional metered-dose or the dry powder inhaler, will result in the instructions and basic working methods that you will have. For instance, with the metered-dose inhalers, and these work by including that of a pressurized canister which contains measured doses of medication inside of it, and by squeezing the top of the canister for use you will then convert the medication into a fine mist, which goes down the throat.

The dry powder inhalers, on the other hand, work by requiring the patient to place their lips on the mouthpiece and then inhale extremely rapidly, and in fact, some people find these types of inhalers easier because of the fact that hand-lung coordination is not required with the dry powder inhalers, but it is with the metered-dose inhalers.

However, one factor that is incredibly important and yet surprisingly overlooked, is the importance of using the inhalers properly. Many people find it difficult to take their asthma medication regularly, and however it should be known that even though it may be difficult, for one not to take their asthma medication regularly means that they may have more serious problems later on. If necessary, you can always consult your physician and ask them for a demonstration on how to use the inhaler properly.

Learning About Asthma Prevention

There are several factors that can influence asthma symptoms and make them greater in sufferers of the affliction. Learning about asthma prevention can help with those symptoms and decrease their harmful effect on the body of the sufferer, helping to overcome the affliction and live a life despite the conditions. Asthma prevention is, effectively, a lifestyle change that alters the way in which a sufferer handles their condition and handles their life outside of the condition. This can change all of the facets of life into something different and can affect the way life is lived in general.

To many, asthma can be a frustrating condition that can stop people from living normal lives and from being as active as they would have wished. With a little bit of awareness and care, most asthma sufferers can handle the condition to a certain degree and can enable a sort of healing in a sense that living a life properly becomes more of a possibility. This type of asthma prevention is based on simply changing the mind of the sufferer and changing the type of suffering. It involves a minor change in mindset and a major shift in lifestyle choices that affect the way the disorder manifests itself.

Lifestyle Changes

For starters, reducing general exposure to environmental triggers of asthma can be an important piece of the puzzle. Staying away from pollens, molds, animal dander or fluff, and tobacco smoke are important parts to keeping asthma prevention at the forefront of a health strategy. Keep the home or living space cooled to a certain temperature; most physicians recommend a temperature of around 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit for asthma sufferers. Providing air filtration systems that take care of filtering out harmful components from the air is also a good option for asthma prevention.

Wearing a mask when clearing out any outdoors areas is a good idea as this prevents any dust or dirt from entering the lungs. A good idea is also to add a mold inhibitor to paint, especially in areas more susceptible to dampness such as a washroom. This prevents the growing of any problematic mold pockets that are harmful to asthma sufferers. For asthma prevention, the key component is to prevent the problems from spreading around the home and creating a home that is air-friendly. The main factor in prevention is being prepared for anything that could come up, so sparing no expense should be considered.

Is an Asthma Diet Important?

The word ‘asthma’ means ‘panting’ in Greek. This refers to its main symptom -breathlessness. This is an ailment, which attacks the respiratory system whereby the airways constrict as a result of inflammation, causing the patient to gasp for air. Asthma is the result of an allergic reaction of the airway in two stages. The initial stage is when the airways constrict in response to certain allergens or triggers blocking the airways. And the second stage is when the reaction worsens causing inflammation, fluid retention and mucus formation.

Does an Asthma Diet Play Any Role?

Food has always been a very important factor in the overall health of a being. People say that the way you feel depends on what you eat. The asthmatic patient does not have too many restrictions in food. However, it has been observed that there are some foods that may cause as asthma attack, and/or aggravate it. An asthma diet would exclude such foods.

Some examples of food not part of an asthma diet would include curd, cucumber, vinegar, tomato sauce and foods which contain preservatives sometimes, trigger asthma. Often this is because the person is prone to a cold, and these foods enhance the effect. The good part is that once the trigger is removed, the asthma will subside to normal, unless the exposure is for a long and consistent period.

Be aware that asthma starts many times as an allergy. Hence, if you feel uncomfortable after eating anything, you should immediately make a note of it and avoid it in the future. It would be excellent if you have a small dairy where you can jot down all such things that irritate your asthma, whether this is food, smells, places and so on. In this way, sooner or later you will know exactly what is likely to bother you and you can avoid that.

The asthma diet has another advantage – once you have identified all the triggers, it makes it easier to keep your asthma under control. You would also be able to identify the exact allergy factors and possibly be treated to become immune to them. Without the triggers, any person suffering from asthma can behave as a completely normal person.

Hence, it is worth identifying and putting together your list for a complete asthma diet so you could enjoy as close to a normal life as possible.

The Effects and Causes of Childhood Asthma

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic and presently non-curable disease, which is able to be treated with certain forms of medication, such as beta-agonists, which are products that are used to stimulate beta-receptors, and which are able to relax smooth muscle, thus allowing the airways to open back up during an asthma attack. There are many different forms of treatment available for asthma even though there is as of yet no definitive cure, and so it is important to remember that the most important step of all in the dealing with asthma is that of prevention.

What are the Effects of Childhood Asthma?

Childhood asthma is in fact considered as being the most common chronic disease among children, and childhood asthma is a disorder which includes that of genetic dispositions, as well as that of a strong allergic component.

What are the Causes of Childhood Asthma?

The presumed causes of childhood asthma are basically identical to that of asthma in adults, as inflammation of the airways is the most common finding in both cases. In fact, recent studies show that inflammation of the airways is virtually always causative in the asthmatic condition of all people, and that this type of inflammation is usually caused by allergies, viral respiratory infections, and airborne irritants, for example.

There are certain signs and symptoms which can be looked for in a child in order to determine whether or not the chance that they may have asthma is there, such as the fact of wheezing, which is highly common among asthmatics. As well, any child who has frequent coughing or respiratory infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis should immediately be evaluated for asthma.

Other symptoms that may occur are a shortness of breath and/or tightness in the chest area, and there can also be a combination of two or more of any of the possible symptoms. There are certain triggers that your doctor will notify you about if your child does have asthma, which should be avoided as much as possible, including: exercise, infections, allergies, irritants, weather, and strong emotions such as stress.

Exercise, for example, is considered to be able to trigger an asthma attack in over 80 percent of the children with asthma, and although exercise can be completed even if your child has asthma, you must make sure to check with your family physician first, who will be able to let you know exactly what can and cannot be done in this regards.

What an Asthma Allergy is and How it can be Treated

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic disease which is non-curable, and which affects the respiratory system of the body. With asthma, what happens is that the airways constrict and become inflamed, and are then lined with excessive amounts of mucous, which is in response usually to triggers, which are factors that irritate or even cause an asthma attack. Triggers can include anything from cold weather, weather changes, stress, emotional anxiety, pet dander, even chalk dust.

In other words, asthma is a recurring inflammatory conditioned disease which causes the airways to develop increased responsiveness to various stimuli, and is a disease which is primarily characterized by that of inflammation, increased mucous production, intermittent airway obstruction, and bronchial hyper-responsiveness.

What is an Asthma Allergy?

It is considered that an asthma allergy – as well as allergies and asthma separately – is the most prevalent of all chronic diseases, and that it affects millions of people every day. An asthma allergy basically consists of anything that causes or triggers that of an asthma attack, and it is incredibly important for all asthmatics to understand and determine what their own personal triggers are, or what their primary asthma allergy is. As well, the specific type of medical treatment which is recommended to a patient will depend on the severity of their condition, and the most common types of treatments for asthma are broadly classified as relievers, preventers, and emergency treatment.

How can an Asthma Allergy be Treated?

Again, the most effective and positive type of treatment for any type of asthma trigger or allergy is that of prevention. In other words, if you are an asthmatic, especially if your condition is severe, you must recognize and determine the factors that trigger attacks with your asthma, and then try to avoid these factors as much as possible, or desensitize yourself completely, if possible. If there is no way that you can do either of these recommendations, say you have a pet that is affecting your asthma but you don’t want to get rid of it, then the best idea is to consult your physician and ask them what you should do about the situation.

There are however also forms of relief medication available, and typically every asthmatic is required to take some form of medication on a frequent basis, even if they do not experience attacks all that often.