Dec 28
2007

Over 17 million Americans have asthma. Boost your awareness with this brief introduction to the disease.
What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic condition that affects both children and adults. It is characterized by inflammation of the lungs, causing an inability to breathe properly. Certain triggers cause changes in the lungs of an asthmatic; airways restrict and may also become filled with fluid, which can lead to wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. Asthma affects 5% to 10% of the worlds population, with the United States having record numbers of cases. Currently, more than 17 million Americans have been diagnosed with asthma, and asthma is one of the number one reasons for missed work and emergency room visits in the country. Asthma can be a serious, life threatening condition, but is manageable with proper medical care, medications, and education.

What are the symptoms of asthma?

The most common symptoms of asthma are coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath, but these are not the only symptoms that asthma can cause. Rapid breathing, irritation of the nose and throat, frequent sinus infections, allergies, excessive thirst, chest tightness and pain, productive and non-productive persistent cough, allergies, difficulty breathing while exercising, and waking at night with a feeling of being suffocated are all symptoms and possible signs of asthma. An asthma attack is usually marked by beginning with a noisy wheeze experienced while exhaling and rapid breathing. Panic can increase the severity of an asthma attack, which is an unfortunate thing, as an asthma attack itself can cause one to panic. I have noticed during my own asthma attacks that I experience chills, tremors, and a cold, clammy perspiration before and after an attack, along with marked weakness in my limbs. It is important to remember that each persons symptoms may differ from those of others.

Who gets asthma?

There are many different criteria for determining who gets asthma. The two most at risk groups for developing severe asthma are the elderly, and the urban poor. In the United States, 6.1% of African-Americans develop severe asthma compared to 5% of Caucasians. Also, African-Americans are three times as likely to die from severe asthma as are Caucasians. Childhood asthma occurs most often in boys, but after puberty reports show that cases of asthma are diagnosed most often in young women. Women run a much greater risk of death from asthma than do men, and the numbers are increasing steadily, especially in elderly women. 90% of all asthma deaths in the United States occur in the elderly.

Workers in certain occupations, such as farmers, hair dressers, and those in the textile industry, are at greater risk of developing asthma. Some known workplace allergens that may cause asthma include polyurethane, paints, steel, electronics, western red cedar, oak, redwood, mahogany, metal salts, vegetable dusts, and certain red dyes, and people that work with these substances on a regular basis have a greater risk of developing asthma.

Lifestyle also plays a major role in deciding who gets asthma. Studies have shown that those who are obese run a far greater risk of developing the disease than do people who maintain their recommended weight. On the other side of the coin, highly trained athletes, such as long distance runners, bear an increased risk as well.

It is also believed that environment can be a risk factor for those who live in heavily polluted areas of the country, such as large cities, industrial areas, and those who live near congested roadways.

Heredity can also bear a part in risk factors. Asthma seems to run in families, and an asthmatic couple wishing to have children should discuss their own risks for passing on the disease with their doctors. Asthmatics with children should also be on the lookout for signs of the disease in their children, as it can become quite severe if allowed to progress unnoticed.

What can trigger asthma attacks?

There are many things that can trigger asthma attacks, and they are different for each individual. However, some of the more common triggers include primary and second-hand cigarette smoke, food and plant allergies, allergic reactions to insect bites and stings, certain chemicals such as chlorine and ammonia, certain medications such as aspirin and beta-blockers, exposure to extreme hot or cold air, extreme emotion, colds or respiratory infections, mildew and mold, dust, and intense exercise. In 40% to 90% of people with asthma, intense exercise will trigger coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath.

It is important to note that strong emotion, such as anxiety, fear, or panic, can trigger asthma attacks. When suffering from an asthma attack, the victim should be kept as calm as possible to avoid compounding or prolonging the attack by becoming distressed or frightened. My most severe, life-threatening attack happened after a car accident, and if I had not had a compassionate individual on hand to calm me, my condition could have ended up very bad indeed.

What are the consequences of asthma?

Asthma can be a serious illness that results in death, but most fatalities that are caused by asthma are preventable by seeking proper treatment from a medical professional. All that aside, asthma is still a frightening and debilitating disease that carries a myriad of problems along with it. Sleeplessness is one common problem suffered by asthmatics. In fact, 40% of all asthmatics lose at least 11 days of work or school per year due to difficulties caused by sleeplessness or lack of quality sleep. Between 17% to 30% of all asthmatics also develop chronic sinusitis and continuous nasal drain.

How can asthma be treated?

There are many options when discussing the treatment of asthma. Bronchiodilators are one of the most common treatments prescribed, and may come in the form of liquid, pills, or inhalers, such as Albuterol. Steriods are also used in order to beef up lungs and make them stronger, thus more able to resist asthma flare-ups. Certain exercise regimes may be recommended in order to build lung capacity, as well as an education plan in order to avoid triggers which may cause asthma attacks. Before undergoing any treatment plan you should always consult with your personal physician.

About the Author

Deanna J. Jones is a freelance writer, wife, and mother. She is also a self-proclaimed history buff who spends her free time building web sites and working on her first novel.

Written By: Deanna J. Jones

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Oct 26
2007

Asthma is a chronic lung disease, which is caused by an increased reaction from the airways to various stimuli. It is a persistent inflammatory condition with acute specific exacerbations. If asthma is not properly managed or treated, it can become a life-threatening disease.

A person in middle age or older can at times develop asthma and this is called adult onset asthma. A careful diagnosis of asthma is very significant, because very often the symptoms can be confused with other very similar illnesses of middle age such as specific types of heart disease chest ailments or cough.

It’s been discovered that Asthma in adults is often a recurrence of childhood asthma. Sometimes a child’s asthma persists into adulthood, or very often childhood asthma disappears only to recur later in life as adult onset asthma. Therefore an appropriate diagnosis is essential.

Asthma symptoms:

The usual asthma symptoms in adults are as follows,

* Wheezing
* Breathlessness
* Cough
* Tightness of the chest
* Production of mucus.

Asthma triggers in adults:

Cigarette Smoking: –
Bronchial asthma is a very common disease and is an important cause of morbidity amongst both children and adults. Tobacco smoking, which is both active and passive, can have dire effects on asthma.
Bronchial irritation is often caused by exposure to cigarette smoking and can precipitate acute episodes of Asthma. It also increases bronchial receptiveness and causes airway sensitization to some occupational allergens.
For any asthmatic, smoking will always increase their disease severity and is the probable cause of irreversible Airway’s obstruction and also the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. (COPD)

You can see that there’s practical value in learning more about Asthma. Can you think of ways to apply what’s been covered so far?

Smoking is frequently associated with
* Increased asthma symptoms,
* Respiratory infections,
* Acute episodes
* And the frequent hospitalization of children.
* It also increases bronchial responsiveness and any specific airway sensitization.

Similarly, uteri exposure to maternal smoking is often independently responsible for early onset of asthma. Exposure in adult asthmatics to cigarette smoking by their spouses, siblings or colleagues is equally worrying.

Similar triggers
A person with adult onset asthma is also sensitive to the same types of triggers, which precipitate symptoms in younger people suffering with asthma. Therefore it stands to reason that adult onset asthma can be managed by limiting the amount of exposure to specific particular triggers, which include: –

* Cigarette smoke
* Allergens such as pollen or mould
* Infections
* Fumes and strong odors
* Dust mite allergen
* Specific Exercise
* Medications such as beta-blockers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Asthma in adults is a permanent condition. If you suffer from Asthma as an adult, you will probably need constant medication to keep your symptoms under control for the rest of your life!

Regular medication for Adult Asthma.
As people get older, their lungs become much less capable which makes the efficiency of the other organs of the body that much harder. Adult onset asthma in someone middle-aged or older can accelerate any worsening lung function they may be suffering from.
Adult onset asthma should be managed correctly because once the lung functioning has deteriorated it never recovers. It is very important preventive medication is prescribed and taken on a regular basis to protect lung function at all times.

Things to remember

a) Adult onset asthma is often a recurrence of childhood asthma,
b) Symptoms can often be confused with other illnesses of middle age, such as heart disease or other chest conditions.
c) People with adult onset asthma usually need to take preventive medication to protect their lung function on a regular basis.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what’s important about Asthma.

About the author:

Please visit MyHealth-Info.com for more information on asthma in adults.

Written By: Masni Rizal Mansor

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Feb 28
2007

Ready for another round of allergies?

My daughter recently had a bout with asthma. The strange thing is, she hadn’t had any problems for a couple of years. In looking at the possible triggers – She had a new batch of puppies at her dad’s. While the 2 dogs didn’t seem to bother her, the addional puppies seemed to put her over the edge.

To make matters worse, since we hadn’t had problems for a couple of years, I had become lax in some of the cleaning that I would have done when she had problems every year.

Once I realized what her problem was, I immediately started cleaning for asthma. That means thoroughly vacuuming walls, behind furniture, matresses, pillows, upholstery, screens, and vents, and dusting every crevice – including things like behind the tv and stereo inside the cabinet, the backs of furniture.
I normally dust the ceiling fans and blinds, but if you kinda skip those, you need to pay more attention if you have any allergies or asthma in your home.
A quick carpet clean and changing air filters and furnace filters finishes up the cleaning job.
You also want to change your hand towels everyday, just in case it is a virus triggering the response.
If you have pets, keep them clean and brushed, and their living areas cleaned. Keep pets out of the bedrooms of affected people.

The things that typically trigger asthma is actually pretty long…

House dust mites found in carpeting, mattresses, bed linens, toys, upholstered furniture, dampness, poor ventilation, unvented cooking, humidifiers
Animal-derived allergens from dogs, cats, rodents, and birds.
Mold found in carpeting, walls, and windows, caused by leaks, poor ventialtion, water damage, or dampness.
Nitrogen oxides produced by space heaters or gas-fueled cooking stove, used with poor ventilation.
Wood Smoke from wood stoves or fireplaces, used with poor ventilation, or faulty equipment causing fumes to come back into the room.
Fumes from cleaners, aerosols- like hairsprays, perfumes and even air fresheners, pesticides, formaldehyde found in some older household products.
Viral respiratory infections – exposure to infected people
Endotoxins from bacteria growing in soil, humidifiers, and other moist places.
Cockroach allergen
Tobacco smoke
Excess weight.

If there is one thing you can do to minimize allergy or asthma suffering- it is to become a vacuuming fanatic. The more you get into that bag, the less you have floating around in the air. It’s healthier, and you’ll have less dusting to do.

About the Author

Carole is the author of Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak. If you Love a really clean home, but Hate cleaning it, You’ll want a copy of her secrets for yourself- Get it now at http://CleanFreak.CommonSenseLiving.com

Written By: Carole Pagan

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