This disorder is a chronic inflammatory condition in which the airways develop increased responsiveness to various stimuli and are characterized typically by bronchial hyper-responsiveness, increased mucus production, intermittent airway obstruction and frequent inflammation.

Diagnosis of asthma

If you are suffering from any of these symptoms you should visit the physician for proper diagnosis. Asthma is strongly suspected if a patient suffers from eczema or several other allergic conditions and already has a family history of asthma.

However diagnosis of asthma involves the following factors:

In children it begins with developed breathing problems, history of nasal stiffness [rhinitis], itchy eyes [allergic conjunctivitis] and eczema.
For adults it involves listening to the lungs with stethoscope and examination of nasal passages.
Blood tests and sputum studies are also great ways to diagnosis for asthma.
Spirometry is breathing test, which measures the amount, and rate at which air can pass through airways.
Exercise challenge tests and metacholine inhalation tests are also great procedures to evaluate airway responsiveness.

Asthma and pregnancy

Asthmatic women can face serious problem during pregnancy. If they do not take proper care, asthma can attack both the mother as well as the fetus inside the mother. Therefore uncontrolled asthma in pregnant women often lead o complications like premature birth, low birth weight and maternal blood pressure changes.

Following are brief ways pregnant women can take care of their asthma:

The expectant mother should remain active and sleeping throughout the night.
Pregnant women with asthma should do some regular exercises under the supervision of their physicians.
The pregnant mother should avoid medications like iodides, aspirin or ASA products, tetracycline, sulfonamides and antihistamines.

Treatments for asthma

Asthma can be treated with two types of medicines that include quick-relief medicines and long-term control medicines. While quick relief medicines should be taken during the first signs of asthma, the long-term medicines are taken every day usually over long periods of time to prevent symptoms and asthma attacks.

Following are the various treatments for asthma:

Children with moderate or severe asthma should know to use a peak flow meter to help keep asthma under control.
Medicines are the best treatments along with inhalers. However, medicines like beta-blockers used for treating high blood pressure and glaucoma, nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs and aspirin should be avoided.
Regular physical activity is important to reduce asthma.

You should manage your asthma to remain fit and healthy in life.

About the Author:

Barney Garcia writes about many different allergy and asthma topics. For more info on allergies and asthma visit allergies and allergy relief and asthma

Written By: Barney Garcia

Want to enhance your health in surprising ways? Drink green tea.

We’re not talking about a new health discovery here. This beverage has been used for thousands of years by the Chinese. It has proved itself for centuries as worthy of beingincluded in our diet for its health properties.

Not only has this drink been endorsed for ages, but modern science also has discovered astonishing facts about whatit may be able to do for your health.

There are a lot more benefits to drinking green tea than are listedbelow, but here are seven:

1. Drink it to help shed extra pounds.

A study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in November, 1999, is encouraging. It shows that this drink may enable people to burn more calories.

2. This ancient brew may help combat signs of aging.

That’s because it contains large amounts of vitamins E and C which are antioxidants. Antioxidants have the reputation of being able to combat free radicals that damage cells. Cancer, heart attacks and diabetes can result from damaged cell membranes.

In April, 1999, researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland revealed that green tea may ease the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

3. This drink may help asthma sufferers.

Because it contains theophylline (a muscle relaxant), it can help the muscles surrounding bronchial tubes to relax. This helps asthma sufferers to breathe with less restriction.

4. Green tea may help lower blood pressure.

High blood pressure makes you susceptible to heart attack and stroke. This ancient brew may also keep blood clots from forming.

5. Green tea has been reported to help in the fight against cancer.

Doctors from the prestigious Mayo Clinic found that green tea extract given to four leukemia patients seemed to help three of them experience regression of the disease. And even the fourth patient showed some improvement. The reason the doctors tried green tea extract is that a 2004 test tube study showed that leukemia cells were killed by the extract.

By the way, in Japan there are fewer reported cancer deaths. Could it be because the Japanese drink a lot of green tea?

6. Drinking this beverage my help lower cholesterol.

Lowering cholesterol with no side effects has been reported in studies using green tea. Your ability to fight heart disease and ward off stroke is tied in with your cholesterol count.

7. This brew may help your body fight infections.

The New York Times reported in April of 2003 that the immune system’s ability to fight disease may be strengthened by drinking green tea. Microbiologist Milton Schiffenbauer, professor at Pace University (New York) stated, “Our research shows tea extracts can destroy the organism that causes disease. If we can stimulate the immune system and at the same time we are destroying the organisms then it makes sense to drink more tea.”

Now that you’ve learned 7 ways green tea has been shown to help your health, why not give it a place in your daily diet? It’s not a magic cure, but this proven ancient beverage may just help you to be healthier.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Patricia Wagner offers informative tips and a newsletter to help you live a more energetic lifestyle. Check out A to Z Wellness at http://www.a-to-z-wellness.com/healthy-foods.htm

Written By: Patricia Wagner

There is a huge variety of these triggers that have been reported by patients including dogs, cats, tobacco smoke, cold air, exercise, being upset, anxiety, and stress, taking aspirin, dust, fumes and even laughter.

However, particularly severe attacks which can lead to hospital stays usually occur following a virus infection in the nose or chest.

It is important that an asthmatic and their doctor identify the one or more triggers that can make their asthma worse and limit exposure to them through daily management of the disease.

The most common triggers for asthma include:

Allergens

*The skin, hair, or feathers of animals, such as cats, dogs, etc.

*Dust mites found in house dust.

*Cockroaches.

*Tree and grass pollen.

*Mold.

Irritants

*Cigarette smoke.

*Air pollution .

*Drastic weather changes

*Changes in air temperature, for example, if you move from warm indoor air to cold air outdoors.

*Cooking or paint oders

*Scented products, candles, air fresheners, etc.

*Allergens that you are exposed to at your place of work such as chemicals, dusts, smells, etc.

Others

*Breathing tests. Just as the faster breathing in exercise can bring on attacks, the faster and deeper breathing you have to do for most breathing tests can bring on quite a noticeable narrowing of air passages, and can bring on an asthma attack.

*Histamine or methacholine aerosols are used in medical tests to produce a minor and controlled asthma attack to determine the extent of the disease. In the test, the amount of asthma produced is small and very bearable, and it wears off quickly. The result gives a measurement of the irritation in the patient’s airways that can be very useful to the doctor.

*The inhalers used to treat asthma can causes symptoms. Some powder inhalers can cause tightness in the chest and the lubricants in pressurised aerosol inhalers can cause irritation of air passages, and can bring on an asthma attack.

*Some medicines such as aspirin or other painkillers and beta blockers that are used for high blood pressure or heart disease.

*Sulphur dioxide was previously used as a preservative in soft drinks and wine. This can cause chest tightening within seconds of drinking, or even breathing the air above such a drink.

*Sulphites in food and drink such as sodium metabisulphite (E220-227) may trigger asthma, but not via an allergic reaction. It can be found in wine, home-brewed beer, fizzy drinks, prepared meats and prepared salads.

*Gastro-oesophageal reflux, where stomach acid rising up the gullet or more commonly, acid reflux . This causes heartburn and can worsen asthma symptoms, especially at night.

*Infections of the lining of the breathing passages, such as colds and flu.

*Laughing or crying.

*Exercise.

*Strong emotional stress. People with asthma often say that their asthma gets worse if they are upset, crying, or under stress.

About the author:

Learn More About How You Can Treat and Live with Asthma at A sthma-Explained.com/asthma-treatments.html

Written By: Mike Herman

Claritin-D is used to relieve hay fever and allergy symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose, and red, itchy, tearing eyes. Claritin-D is in a class of medications called antihistamines. It works by blocking histamine, a substance in the body that causes allergic symptoms. Claritin-D may cause less drowsiness than other antihistamines.

Clarinex is an antihistamine used to relieve the symptoms of hay fever (seasonal allergic rhinitis). Clarinex contains a long-acting tricyclic histamine antagonist with selective H1-receptor histamine antagonist activity.

Allegra is indicated for the relief of symptoms associated with seasonal allergic rhinitis in adults and children 6 years of age and older. Symptoms treated effectively were sneezing, rhinorrhea, itchy nose/palate/throat, itchy/watery/red eyes.

Zyrtec prevent sneezing, runny nose, itching and watering of the eyes, and other allergic symptoms. Zyrtec is used to treat allergies, hives (urticaria), and other allergic inflammatory conditions.

Decongestants can help you to relieve congestion from swollen nasal tissues. Remember that Over-the-counter sprays should not be used for more than three or four days in a row, although prescription ones can be used longer. Those with high blood pressure or heart disease should not use decongestants because it can raise blood pressure and cause rapid heartbeat.

Flonase can relieve multiple nasal symptoms of congestion, sneezing, and itchy, runny nose. Flonase Nasal Spray is for topical administration to the nasal mucosa by means of a metering, atomizing spray pump.

Nasacort is FDA approved for the treatment of the nasal symptoms of seasonal and year round allergies such as nasal congestion, itchy runny nose, and sneezing. Nasacort Nasal Spray is an unscented, thixotropic, water-based metered-dose pump spray formulation unit containing a microcrystalline suspension of triamcinolone acetonide in an aqueous medium.

You should also consider Anti-inflamatory Agents. These medications help fight the inflammation that typically results from allergy and asthma. They include nonsteroidal medications, which are topical, as well as topical and oral corticosteroids.

Nasonex is a nasal allergy spray for the treatment of seasonal and perennial allergy symptoms. Nasonex helps relieve itchy, runny noses, sneezing and congestion caused by dust mites, pet dander and tree and grass pollen. Nasonex Nasal Spray is a corticosteroid demonstrating anti-inflammatory properties. The Corticosteroids have been shown to have a wide range of effects on multiple cell types.

About the Author

J. Zorro owns http://www.epharmacypremium.com

Written By: J. Zorro

Green lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus) is a New Zealand shellfish most commonly found growing in the clean water sea off the coast of New Zealand.

GLM (Green lipped mussel) contains many vitamins, especially the B complex group and a broad range of minerals and trace elements. It is rich in protein, provides essential amino acids and is an excellent well balanced nutritious dietary supplement.

New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel use can help with: 1. Arthritis 2. Asthma 3. Menstrual pain 4. Multiple sclerosis 5. Skin problems

GLM contains Omega 3 Fatty Acids which are known for reducing inflammation. It also contains Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulphate which are important building blocks for joint cartilage, and may assist in the repair of joint structures. Green Lipped Mussel is thought to work by affecting the inflammatory pathway of prostaglandin and leukotriene metabolism, inhibiting inflammatory responses.

Common reasons for using Green Lipped Mussel: Can be used to relieve the pain of arthritis Can be used to reduce joint inflammation associated with arthritis Can be used to reduce swelling associated with arthritis Can be used to Assist in the management of arthritis

Green lipped mussel may even help in the treatment of joint inflammation and osteoarthritis in animals.

How much Green Lipped Mussel? The daily dosage of Green Lipped Mussel will vary greatly depending on the age of the person and the severity of symptoms. Talk with your doctor, pharmacist or health professional about how much Green lipped mussel you should take. The amount depends on the strength of the medicine and the reason you are taking Green lipped mussel. Do not take more Green lipped mussel or take it more often than what is written on the directions.

Known Side Effects of Green Lipped Mussel? Before Using: Tell your doctor if you… are taking medicine or are allergic to any medicine (prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) or dietary supplement) are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medicine are breast feeding have other health problems, such as high blood pressure or heart or blood vessel disease

Side Effects: Stop taking your medicine right away and talk to your doctor if you have any of the following side effects. Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing, or rash. Upset stomach and gas Asthma Skin rash You may retain fluid while taking Green lipped mussel

About the author:

Healthy 1020 was established in New Zealand during 1994. Their aim is to supply the public with the highest quality, chemical free, natural health products. These are sourced from reliable & responsible producers world wide, supported by competent, knowledgeable staff, with professional backup from qualified practitioners. Find out more information on Green Lipped Mussel at www.newzealandgreenlippedmussel.co.nz.

Written By: Healthy 1020

Wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness are some of the symptoms caused by the narrowing or obstruction of the airways. Airway inflammation, a condition which makes the airways in the lungs turn red, swollen and narrow is one of the causes of narrowing or obstruction of the airways.

Herbal asthma aid is a natural product that is formulated with the medicinal herbs which is one of the most effective natural asthma remedies. Garlic, ginger and mustard are said to prevent the accumulation of mucus in the lungs and hence these are taken as natural asthma remedies. Herbs such as licorice have the tendency to expel the mucus from the lungs. This is used to clear the lung of mucus accumulation.

The ingredients of these products contain the herbs like Elecampane, Ginger, Garlic, Mustard and Licorice. The herbs mentioned above have medicinal properties that appose asthma symptoms. Licorice is an herb that clears the mucus accumulation from the lungs. If the patient is having high blood pressure he should not use licorice separately.

Before choosing any herbal remedy for asthma the patient has to consult a doctor to perform several diagnostic tests to confirm that he is having asthma. After the confirmation the patient can choose an herbal remedy for asthma in consultation with the doctor. The choice of the remedy depends on the condition of the patient.

Most of the people prefer an herbal remedy for asthma as it is known fact that they are more effective on a person without any side effects. It is the choice of a patient to choose an herbal remedy for asthma in consultation with a medical practitioner. They should consult a doctor before taking up any herbal remedy for asthma.

Visit : http://www.natural-treatment-guide.com/asthma/herbal-remedies-for-asthma.html or http://www.natural-treatment-guide.com/asthma/herbal-remedy-for-asthma.html for more information about Asthma prevention.

** Attention Webmasters / Site owners ** You can reprint this article on your website as long as you do not modify any of the content, and include our resource box as listed above with all links intact and hyperlinked properly.

Written By: Balaji B

Just like with high blood pressure or high cholesterol, you need a test to help tell if you have a hidden breathing problem or poor control of a condition like asthma.

Two reliable and objective tests for measuring how well the lungs are working include spirometers and peak flow meters. A spirometer is a simple, and often computerized, device that measures how well air can flow in and out of the lungs. A doctor or a respiratory therapist typically performs a spirometry test. A peak flow meter is a hand-held device that measures how fast air can be blown out of the lungs. If recommended by a doctor, asthma patients should use a peak flow meter at home on a daily basis and monitor the results.

Both tests are simple, noninvasive, and easy to use — patients simply blow as hard and as fast as possible into the devices (as directed) and, in the case of peak flow meters, record their results.

“Spirometry often reveals that lung function is far worse than many patients and their physicians perceive it to be, says Homer Boushey, M.D., president-elect of the American Thoracic Society. Without the benefit of this test, the severity of a condition like asthma might be under-diagnosed and patients would not get the most effective treatment.”

Without a lung function test, you may not know if your asthma is being managed as well as it could be. Poorly managed or undiagnosed asthma can put you at risk for severe symptoms, asthma attacks and lasting lung damage. Properly managed asthma means that you have fewer asthma symptoms and can do more of the things you enjoy.

Ask your doctor or health care provider about whether you should get a lung function test. Experts recommend that people with asthma get tested at least once per year or more often if asthma is severe.

Remember . . . check your lungs, and breathe your best!

For more information on asthma and lung function testing, please log onto www.respiratoryinstitute.com.

About the author:

Courtesy of ARA Content

Written By: ARA