Asthma Information - Special Types Of Asthma

A few types of asthma are special because they are caused due to certain special conditions. There are mainly four such special conditions that are well recognised by doctors. These can be described as:

Exercise Induced Asthma: As the name suggests this is the difficulty in breathing and asthma like situation induced after heavy exercise. The intensity and duration of any exercise depends upon the endurance and the physical conditioning of an individual. Many asthmatics are capable of exercising for longer durations of time as well as even during an attack. But others must stop immediately at the onset of the attack. This would therefore depend completely on individual discretion.

During the normal exercise routine the bronchial tubes open or dilate to improve the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. This is mainly attributed to release of adrenalin into the system because of the exercise. This is because during exercise a person mainly needs more oxygen, but when a person suffering with asthma exercises exactly the opposite situation manifests.

The bronchial tubes tighten and constrict instead of dilating. So within a very short span of exercising the asthmatic person starts to cough and wheeze. In some cases it is seen the person develops the symptoms of coughing and wheezing only after several hours of exercising. This is called delayed exercise induced asthma. It is seen that most of the exercise induced asthma attacks subside within a few minutes even if they are left untreated. The maximum duration of an attack lasting is generally not more than thirty to sixty minutes.

Several factors influence exercise induced asthma. These may be the type of exercise and also the type of weather conditions that are there. It is seen that the disease troubles people more when they exercise in cold and dry climates. Running may be a more troublesome activity than swimming and bicycling.

Hidden Asthma: Everyone who suffers with asthma may not have more obvious symptoms of coughing and wheezing. Sometimes people only have shortness of breath, tightness of chest or just a nagging cough. Many people suffer with undiagnosed cough and it is seen that one in three of them has undiagnosed asthma.

This is called cough variant asthma. This kind of cough is different from normal cough. It is usually more irritating. It gets triggered off with cold weather and exertion due to exercise. It is very nagging in nature and can wake a person from deep sleep. Most people with hidden asthma sooner or later develop symptoms of full blown asthma.

Patients of hidden asthma may have difficulty in getting their condition diagnosed and treated properly. Very often they are treated with antihistamines, cough medicines, decongestants and antibiotics. This is mainly because their cough is not accompanied with wheezing. Patients with hidden asthma usually respond quite well to the basic asthma medications. Usually the most important symptom here is coughing during sleep and exercise. Wheezing may not be a symptom at all. So if someone coughs repeatedly during sleep and upon exertion it is best for him to get himself checked for hidden asthma.

Aspirin Sensitive Asthma: Some adult patients of asthma react badly to the most frequently taken drug in the world that is aspirin. They have ten times more possibility of developing an allergic reaction to it. The patients with aspirin sensitive asthma generally have a situation of runny nose at the start of the disease. The nasal discharge is generally very heavy and continues for about one or two years.

Thereafter patients lose the sense of smell or taste and develop grape like growths called the nasal polyps in the nose. In due course of time they develop full blown asthma and most of them experience a very serious attack just after taking aspirin. The patients who are diagnosed with nasal polyps should therefore be very careful and avoid the use of aspirin completely. They should not wait for their body to react before they take measures to avoid aspirin. Aspirin sensitivity is very rare in children.

Drugs that are similar to aspirin in nature or function are also best avoided by such patients. These drugs are generally termed as non steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). These are non steroidal drugs that reduce pain and inflammation. These are widely used to treat musculo-skeletal disorders. If a patient does need them they have to be first desensitized by taking very small monitored doses of aspirin. This has to be done under the supervision of doctors.

Occupational Asthma: Asthma that is caused by substances that are present in one's workplace is called occupational asthma. It is a disease that is a by-product of development of industry and modern sciences. The triggers of occupational asthma are of both allergic and non-allergic types. Some factory workers develop the disease soon after reporting to work on a Monday morning. They may often start coughing and wheezing and may also develop flu like situations. This condition is often termed as Monday morning blues. Some workers may develop symptoms only after a few days of the week pass or towards the end of the week.

More about → Asthma Information - Special Types Of Asthma

Asthma Symptoms and Treatment in Adults

Asthma in young adults, those in their twenties and thirties is very similar to the childhood asthma. In fact most of the young adults who develop evident symptoms of asthma are those who have remained undiagnosed and therefore untreated in their childhood. Many children who have susceptibility towards chest infections and other bronchial disorders are often termed as "bronchial" children. They may be having asthma which does not get diagnosed. As adults they show signs and symptoms that can no longer be denied.

When asthma strikes a person in his or her middle ages it is a very different kind of disorder with very different kinds of symptoms and repercussions. Like when a person in his forties gets diagnosed with asthma it is usually non-hereditary and inheritance through the family history plays no role. Generally it is seen that in this stage in life asthma is usually of intrinsic or non-allergic type. Adult asthma is considered to be also more serious than the childhood asthma.

This is because it is more difficult to control and also because the unpredictability factor is very high. Also it strikes the women much more than the men, so there are clear indications that the disease is gender biased. Adults with asthma are more susceptible to allergy of aspirin and related drugs. In fact many times the adult asthma may remain hidden and then one day strike with full fury after getting an allergic reaction to aspirin. Also sulphite reactions, other allergies, chronic sinus problems and nasal polyps are also more common in adults.

Asthma is extremely common in the people as the age advances. In fact there are distinct indications that the frequency of asthma is rising with the advancement of age. Sometimes people do not show symptoms till they are well over sixty five years of age. But it is generally believed that such incidents are rare. Nearly one-third of all asthma cases begin in childhood and the early teens.

There are not many studies to confirm the exact statistics but it is believed that most people who get diagnosed with asthma at a later stage in life may not have been properly diagnosed earlier for asthma. This is because in adults especially in senior citizens the symptoms of coughing and wheezing are also associated with so many other diseases as well.

Another reason for this diagnostic failure in elderly is that the main perception of symptoms of asthma in senior citizens is that of chronic cough with production of mucous, while they may only show sudden bouts of wheezing. And this may be associated with emphysema or chronic bronchitis. But with breathing tests they show clear indications of asthma and respond well to conventional treatments of asthma.

Asthma triggers are very difficult to zero down to, in adults. As the age advances pin pointing them keeps getting more and more difficult. These triggers are also mostly associated with respiratory tract infections and air pollutants. As the age advances considerably there is a lot of confusing signals given out by the patients that may make the diagnoses difficult further still. Asthma symptoms may also be manifesting in the form of tightness in the chest, shortness of breath or cough.

They are also many times misinterpreted as cardio-vascular problems. The disturbance in the patterns of sleep that is associated with asthma may also be confused with urinary tract disorders. But many of the patients who are given a confirmed diagnoses for asthma after the age of fifty also are believed to have shown distinct symptoms earlier in their life, which may have either gone unnoticed or undiagnosed and untreated.

After the diagnosis is complete the next step is to take adequate precautions so as to not get caught unawares with the fury of an asthmatic attack. Most young people respond very well to conventional treatments. These coupled with some regular precautions and disciplined changes in the lifestyle make them lead healthy, happy and perfectly normal lives. Since they are in the prime of their lives and sexual activity is also important, it is advised to them to use a puff or two of inhaler before indulging in any sexual activity.

This is because the exercise factor involved in any normal sexual activity is equivalent to walking about six kilometres in an hour or can be compared to climbing about two to three flights of stairs in a few minutes. This may be very hectic for a person suffering with asthma. It is also worth mentioning that some of the drugs especially some corticosteroids taken for asthma may cause impotency or temporary decrease in sexual desires.

Asthma treatment in the elderly people my have several difficulties. There are many drug interactions with conventional asthma treatments. Glaucoma or high blood pressure medications such as beta blockers may enhance the symptoms of asthma. It is also seen that because of multiplicity of treatments in elderly people for various diseases happening all at the same time, the asthma medications may be required in smaller dosages. An average dose for a young adult may prove to be a toxic dose for an elderly patient.

More about → Asthma Symptoms and Treatment in Adults

How to Manage Asthma Through Diet

Asthma is a manifestation of an allergic pattern called atopy. These disorders are connected to hay fever and eczema. Food allergy can result to immediate or delayed patterns of asthma. These food reactions lead to dramatic, sudden and life-threatening asthma. Thus, it is important to know how to manage asthma through diet.

If food allergy has delayed patterns, chances are chronic asthma and bronchitis are the neglected causes. One must know how to manage asthma through diet and revise the diet in order to remedy chronic asthma.

Other patients have tested positive to inhalant allergies which are caused by hay fever. They may also have skin reactions to the food. To know how to manage asthma through diet, foods that are produced in significant positive skin tests should be avoided in the diet of a person who has asthma. However, if there are signs that the food does not show skin reactions, then the attention must be directed to the more obvious inhalant.

The three basic treatments in knowing how to manage asthma through diet are:

1. Removing the cause of asthma

2. Providing remedy to the symptoms

3. Altering the patient's lifestyle making him more tolerant to the surrounding causes.

Patients with food-induced asthma recognize the symptoms of food allergy that show within a matter of few hours upon eating food that triggers the hay fever. Eczema and asthma are attributed to atopic patients with food allergy.

Food challenges include laryngeal edema, dyspnea, wheezing and laryngeal edema. Gastrointestinal is also connected to the problem therefore one of the solutions is to relate the connection of the allergy to the food intake and asthmatics must know how to manage asthma through diet.

This disease is often overlooked. However, the side effect is that it may result to a worse case of asthma that has a high mortality rate regardless of the improvement in drugs. It is also overlooked because asthma is said to be an illness associated to the respiratory and not the digestive system.

Therefore, while food allergens travel to the digestive tract and toward the lungs, these must be situated in the blood stream. They provide the immune complexes which trigger the release of the immune mediators into the blood stream.

These chemicals cause symptoms such as the constriction of the bronchial muscles which result to an asthmatic attack. Because the airflow has been decreased by the bronchial muscles, not much air can enter.

Good news regarding this discovery is that by knowing how to manage asthma through diet and revising the diet, the remission of chronic symptoms is also allowed. Asthma seems to have been originating inside the body because of food allergies. With the studies conducted by the Alpha Nutrition Program, those who have been diagnosed with food allergy will have an easier time figuring out what must they eat to solve their health problem.

Food holidays are beneficial. This is tested on 10 days. Patients who follow the Alpha Nutrition chart can say that they experienced a reduction or the total clearing of the asthma symptoms. They are also not as vulnerable to the acute attacks. The attacks still occur though but not as much as before, all because they are able to regulate their food intake to effectively learn how to manage asthma through diet.

Diet must include pasta, bread, muffins, eggs, cheese, yogurt, beef, poultry, salads, and fruits. Drink coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Avoid alcoholic beverages because this will only make you sick.

Stick to this diet and take note of the frequency of the asthma attacks. If it is not as frequent as before, obviously you are eating the right food and learning to know how to manage asthma through diet.

Aside knowing how to manage asthma through diet, did you know that you can manage asthma naturally without drugs? Are you sick of suffering from allergy and asthma drug side effects? The truth is, you really don't have to take drugs at all. Asthma can be controlled and managed and asthmatics can live normally.

Did you know that you can have an asthma attack free life? Do you want to be free of your asthma and allergy symptoms? Do you hate asthma and allergy drug side effects? You and your loved ones never have to suffer a potentially life-threatening asthma or allergy attack again. To find out how to treat your asthma visit Asthma & Allergy Cure -drug Free at Asthma Information Page

More about → How to Manage Asthma Through Diet

Fight Asthma With Vitamins And Over The Counter Products

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by episodes or attacks of inflammation and narrowing of small airways in response to exposure to environmental stimuli. Asthma attacks can vary from mild to life threatening. The main symptom of Asthma is shortness of breath as the result of the bronchial passages becoming narrowed through exposure to some type of stress, either physical (allergy) or psychological.

During an asthma attack, histamine and leukotrienes are produced by respiratory system, which results in a rapid constriction of the smooth muscle of the bronchial tubes. The bronchial tubes narrow and reduces the amount of air that can pass.

Asthma is a seriously debilitating and sometimes life-threatening disease that affects more than 8 million adults in the United States. The incidence of asthma cases has surged in recent years, although researchers are not sure why. Asthma is the most common chronic pulmonary disorder in the United States. Asthma prevalence has been increasing to epidemic levels, especially in areas with high urbanization. More than 5,000 deaths are attributed to asthma attacks each year.

Asthma is experienced during the life span of approximately 10% of the population, resulting in morbidity and mortality costing a substantial economic burden on individuals and on society. Although the research in asthma has advanced rapidly in recent years, the etiology of asthma remains unclear. Asthma is not contagious, and although it appears to follow some genetic pattern. Researchers have found that an asthma attack can be caused by heredity, air pollution, food allergy, infections, emotional disturbances, and dozens of other factors.

Almost 5% of adult-onset asthma cases were recognized as having work-related symptoms. A worker reporting improvement of symptoms after being gone from the workplace over the weekend or after a vacation and then reporting a worsening of symptoms upon returning to the workplace is labeled as having work-related asthma.

Among the various risk factors of asthma, those of occupational origin are gaining more importance with time due to use of various chemicals in industries which potentially induce hypersensitivity and predisposition to asthma. In addition, there has long been evidence that physicians do not adequately assess the work-relatedness of many diseases, including asthma. It appears that providers seldom recorded information about occupation in notes on asthma unless they considered the symptoms triggered by workplace exposures.

Although prescription medication for the treatment of asthma are abundant and are improving in effectiveness, there are inherent risks and side effects with most of them. Despite many newer drugs for asthma, people are dying more frequently from this illness. It is apparent that asthma is not well controlled in many individuals.

Common Vitamins and over the counter products can help with treating Arteriosclerosis such as Vitamin C, Beta Carotene, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Butterbur, Vitamin A, Pantothenic Acid, Glucosamine, Manganese, Omega Smooth and Flavonoids.

Vitamin C is nature's protective nutrient, essential for defending the body against pollution and infection and enhances the human body immune system.

Beta Carotene protects the mucus membranes of the mouth, nose, throat and lungs. It also helps protect Vitamin C from oxidation, which enables it to perform at optimum efficiency.

The Journal of Clinical Investigation report published in December 8, 2005 revealed that taking Vitamin D supplements could help improve the effects of steroid drugs used to treat Asthma.

Vitamin E protects the lung tissue from inhaled pollutants and aids in the functioning of the immune system.

Butterbur is a common herbal extract that is highly effective asthma therapy. As far back as the 17th century, butterbur was used to treat cough, asthma, and skin wounds.

A number of studies have suggested that taking antioxidants such a Vitamin A reduces the risk of bronchoconstriction associated with asthma. Vitamin A is stored in the liver and fat cells of the human body and can reach toxic levels. DO NOT take more than the recommended dosage of Vitamin A.

Many find pantothenic Acid to be very helpful against asthma symptoms. It is another form of non-toxic Vitamin B.

Glucosamine is an anti-inflammatory and may give some relief from asthma symptoms.

Magnesium has been employed in the treatment of acute asthma, but its use has not become universal, nor has it been studied for the treatment of chronic asthma. Manganese has been found deficient in bronchial biopsies of asthmatic patients, indication manganese replenishment could aid in the treatment of asthma.

Omega smooth is a delicious tasting liquid that is derived from fish oil. Regular fish comsumption has been associated with a reduced risk of children having asthma attacks.

Flavonoids are the brightly colored pigments found in most fruits and vegetables. When consumed, they have antioxidant properties and have been associated with improved lung junction.

Always consult your doctor before using this information.

More about → Fight Asthma With Vitamins And Over The Counter Products

What Can Be Done To Asthma Symptoms And Signs

The most effective way to deal with asthma is to recognize the fact on how to prevent the asthma attack. When you have asthma, you will find that there are many symptoms and signs that take place. Mainly you will find hard time breathing after you participate in certain events and certain things in life will trigger an attack of asthma symptom.

Are you able to recognize it?

If you are able to recognize the signs from the early stages of the asthma attack, it will be easier for you to re-arrange your life and to begin immediate treatment. You do not want to have a sudden asthma attack and not know why it happens and not know what to do to stop it.

What is the main problem?

Of course, the main problem with diagnosing asthma is that a typical asthma symptom and sign is easily confused with a symptom caused by a common cold or flu virus. If you suspect that you or your child may have asthma, or if you or your child are displaying any of the following symptoms, it is imperative that you immediately see your doctor.

What is the best treatment for asthma?

Prevention and early intervention are the best treatment for asthma. Therefore, knowing what are the main characteristics of asthma might clearly indicate to you that you are on the way to having an asthma attack.

Those signs may be different from one individual to another, but the main signs are common. They should be easily recognized and taken care of immediately through the right medication.

Even if you think something is just a cold, for safety's sake, you should see your doctor and rule out asthma. Should you ignore any asthma symptoms and signs, doing so can have serious repercussions, especially in regard to your child's health. As with most things, a typical asthma symptoms can vary from one person to another.

What are the things to look out for?

However, there are specific things to look out for. These include wheezing, in which you whistle when you breathe in or out. If this happens to you or your child at night or when you have just gotten over suffering a cold, it could mean that you are developing asthma. Of course, it could also mean that you are developing or suffering from a lung infection, which is dangerous in its own right. Either way, see a doctor immediately.

They can range from colds to allergies. There can even be particles in the air. If you are diagnosed with this, and you are a smoker, you will need to quit. A problem with the lungs is not good to combine with the smoke of a cigarette. This can cause you to have a serious attack.

Many toxins that affect the airways by overwhelming the other neutralizers of the body cause asthma. Extremely irritating, those toxins damage the delicate structure of the airway tissues, and therefore, causing the abundant secretion, the edema and the spasms are the main parts of the asthma attacks.

Make sure you pay attention to what the asthma symptoms and signs are. You or someone you know could have asthma. This is a life threatening disease of the lungs in which your capillaries close off and does not allow enough oxygen to the body.

It's very important you take care of the situation. The good part is, if you have symptoms and find out you have asthma, you can control it. Controlling the problem will help you to control your life. It will keep you happier and keep you active in your daily life.

Even though you may know what are the various asthma symptoms and signs and what triggers them, with all these information available of no use, action is power when applying knowledge which will then free yourself the agony of having asthma again.

You should never add to, or alter any component of your current asthma treatment without first consulting your physician. Even you may consult a doctor, however without a proper asthma management system, there will not be much asthma free lifestyle to hope for.

More about → What Can Be Done To Asthma Symptoms And Signs