State of the art: Asthma treatment effects on airway remodeling

In this month’s issue, Durrani, Viswanathan, and Busse take a look at what we know – and what we don’t know – about the effects of asthma therapy on airway mesenchymal-epithelial remodeling in asthma (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2011;128:439-448). After summarizing the current information about remodeling mechanisms, Durrani et al. discuss the effects of specific asthma drugs.

Airway remodeling is known to occur in some asthma patients, but the authors point out that it is not linked to any clinical indicators. While remodeling is considered to contribute to the pathology of asthma, the causal relationship has not been confirmed. Typically, remodeling has been considered a response to chronic inflammation and dysregulation of repair mechanisms in the lung, so it has been suggested that treatments aimed at reducing inflammation would impact remodeling. Durrani et al. note that this concept has not held out, in light of evidence that suggests remodeling occurs in parallel with inflammation, as well as clinical data that traditional therapies, such as ICSs, are not effective for all asthma patients. Of interest, they comment that there is new evidence that remodeling is a direct response to increased inflammation during asthma exacerbation, supporting the idea that remodeling and inflammation are concomitant. The authors then focus their review on what is known about effects of asthma therapies on aspects of remodeling, such as airway smooth muscle (ASM) hyperplasia, subepithelial fibrosis, and goblet cell hypertrophy.

Inhaled corticosteroids. Durrani et al. discuss several studies that have reported positive effects of ICSs on elements of airway remodeling, such as decreasing reticular membrane thickening, goblet cell hypertrophy, and vascular remodeling. They note that the same is not true of ASM hyperplasia and epithelial injury and detachment where both positive and negative effects have been observed.

Combination treatments. The authors discuss in vitro studies that have shown that ICS+LABA combination products are more effective than monotherapy with either on matrix deposition in human fibroblasts. Another study reported decreased airway wall thickness and epithelial growth factors in asthma subjects on combination product. The authors are cautiously optimistic about these findings, but note a paucity of research specifically evaluating the effects of ICSs+LABAs and LABAs alone on airway remodeling mechanisms.

Monoclonal antibody therapy. Reviewing studies on omalizumab, mepolizumab, and golimumab, Durrani et al. comment on the lack of direct evidence suggesting that mAb therapy mitigates airway remodeling, even though there are reports of mAb decreasing inflammatory cytokines, eosinophilia, and exacerbations, all of which have been associated with remodeling.

The authors briefly cover other therapies, such as leukotriene antagonists and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, before concluding that pivotal pathways in remodeling need to be identified prior to outcomes research on the clinical impact of remodeling to exacerbation and impairment in asthma.

We asked senior author William W. Busse, MD, from the University of Wisconsin, what he felt the most promising areas are for future research on airway remodeling:

Dr. Busse: As pointed out in our review, there are a number of complicating features which make it difficult to determine the best treatment for processes involved in remodeling. First, as noted, the mechanisms underlying remodeling have not been fully identified making the selection of a target intervention difficult. Second, it is likely for those patients in whom remodeling becomes a part of their disease processes, it begins early in life and is linked to other events in asthma, i.e., injury and repair. Given this information, it is likely that treatment most likely to prevent remodeling will need to begin early in life and in the development of asthma. Since two early life events that are key to asthma development include allergic sensitization and respiratory infections, these two areas are likely to be the best targets. Of these two events, allergic sensitization is emerging to be perhaps the most important and amendable to treatment and, perhaps, prevention.

how was the treatment of and the effects of diseases such as acute congestion changed since the 1880"s ?

Introduction
Acute congestions have changed a lot since the 1880′s. Diseases such as asthma, rhinitis, heart failure have changed over the years cures to these diseases have modernized. doctors have found cures for most of this diseases but some of them just don’t have any cure or people with these diseases have to learn how to live with this problems.

asthma disease
Asthma is a chronic lung condition that causes airway inflammation, the treatment goes on for a long time some people just have to learn how to leave with it. They have to stay on treatment for the rest of their lives. People have to use pumps which inside is made of a sort of oxygen that helps you breathe when you’re doing any kind of exercise asthmatic people don’t tend to do much exercise because of their respiratory system is not strong enough the way that they can fight it is by taking a controller medicine daily, you can have fewer asthma symptoms and fewer asthma attacks if you do not take any of the medications you’re needed . An asthma attack is like all your asthma symptoms coming together as one and it tights the muscles around your airways.

During the asthma attack, the lining of the airways also becomes swollen or inflamed and thicker that’s what makes you not breathe severe breathing and coughing

rhinitis disease
Rhinitis is also a respiratory disease I tend to experience it just never goes away you always have it specially on cold and hot weather. When you’re on cold weather your nose gets congested most of the time and you need a medication which is a liquid that goes into your nose that prevents you from bleeding. On hot weather you experience the same thing but without needing the medication your nose just need to be protected from the hot sunny days. It tends to hurt at first then you just start bleeding. . Instead of sneezing and dripping when you are around a huge amount of dust, your nose doesn’t react to a small amount of dust or whatever you may be allergic to. There is no cure for this disease you just have to learn how to leave with it Allergy is one of the diseases which can be controlled with medicine but can’t be cured by any medicine/operation. Try to find the causative factor & try to avoid it-but it is very difficult.

blindness
As you know There are different types of blindness, such as partial blindness, low visual problems, light perception , and total blindness. The worst one of this diseases is total blindness in which a person has no functional vision whatsoever. The damages that have left the eyes beyond repair can be treated with a surgical operation, which replaces the eyes with another the effectiveness of this operation it depends on the age of the person and at what time the damage of the person’s eye was inflected.

deafness
Deafness is the loss of ability to hear normally. These may occur in both ears or maybe just one. Conductive deafness is due to interference with the conduction of sound across the middle ear to the inner ear. deafness occurs either because the mother has not been immunized or has not previously had German measles. If the mother develops rubella in early pregnancy, there is a high risk of deafness occurring in the baby. Rubella is a common childhood infection. The doctor might want to remove the wax from your ears to see if there’s any possibility If there is no improvement, a referral to a specialist may be considered for sure.

heart failure
Heart failure is a cardiac condition that occurs when a problem with the structure or function of the heart impairs its ability to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the body’s needs. Heart failure can’t be cured. But they can be treated, often with improvement in symptoms. We tend to think of treatment as something from our doctors like a pill or a surgical procedure. That’s not the case with heart failure.

Conclusion
These diseases might sound horrible and you might think people are weird just because they have them but no these disease are part of their lives. Its alright nobody Is perfect and people shouldn’t judge those that are blind or deaf or cant breathe well. We should be happy that we are alive and that acute congestions cures have changed over the years and more cures have been invented and modernized.

Asthma Treatment And Medication

By Eugene Reynoso

Asthma can be triggered by cigarette smoke. People that have asthma are most often times very sensitive to it. You should take great steps to make sure no one smokes in your car, in your home, or around you anywhere. This will help you immensely when you are trying to avoid asthma attacks, and stay healthy in general!

Sometimes people think that a chronic cough is equivalent to having asthma. Learn the difference between asthma and chronic cough here: Chronic Cough in Adults Causes of Chronic Cough in Adults

If you are going to exercise, start very slowly. Sudden exercise such as taking off running can trigger asthma for most people. You can exercise, but do some warming up exercises that will gradually increase your heart rate until you feel comfortable with harder exercises. Do not force yourself to exercise if you feel you are going to have an asthma attack.

Make sure you breathe fresh air as much as possible. This means you should open the windows of your house everyday. Perfumes, incenses or strong smells can trigger asthma: do not lit any candles or wear too much perfume. Stay out of your house if you need to let smelly paint dry.

If you suffer from asthma, you might want to check if you have any allergies to certain foods or your environment. There are many things that could contribute such as pets, cleaning products, feather pillows or bed, even certain perfumes. Dairy products as well as refined foods like white flour and sugar likely causes.

If you enjoy using a vaporizer or a humidifier, you have to make sure it is clean before each use. These types of machines can build up a lot of dust and calcium, that you do not want getting into the air you breath. You need to be breathing the cleanest air possible, at all times.

Keep in close contact with your allergist to let him know if your medication is working correctly to control your symptoms. Make him aware if your medication seems to be not working as well as it once may have. Your dosage or medication may need to be changed in order to help you.

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Anxiety Relief How to Cure Yeast Infections

Employing Bronchoscopy To Guide Effective Treatment For Refractory Asthma

Using a bronchoscope to visually examine the airways and collect fluid and tissue can help guide effective therapy for difficult-to-treat asthma patients, according to researchers at National Jewish Health. Reporting in the March 2012 issue of the journal Chest, the researchers identified five distinct phenotypes among the refractory asthma patients, and successfully treated four of them, often with reduced asthma medications.

“While standard anti-inflammatory treatment with inhaled corticosteroids helps many asthma patients, there is a significant number of patients who need more personalized diagnosis and treatment,” said lead author James Good, MD, professor of medicine at National Jewish Health. “Bronchoscopy provides important clinical information that can help us better treat even the most difficult asthma patients.”

Most tests for asthma involve evaluation of a person’s ability to inhale and exhale air under varying conditions. A bronchoscopy provides a more direct examination of the lungs.

During a bronchoscopy, a physician inserts a small, flexible tube into the nose and threads it into the airways. The bronchoscope has a camera that allows visual inspection of the airways. Fluid can be collected from the airways, and a biopsy can retrieve small samples of lung tissue. The procedure is usually done with a patient under light sedation.

The research team examined 58 patients with difficult-to-treat asthma, which is generally characterized as needing oral corticosteroids for more than half the previous year or remaining symptomatic in spite of high doses of inhaled corticosteroids.

Twenty of the patients received standard guidelines-based treatment for four months, followed by a bronchoscopy and personalized therapy. Thirty-eight of the patients received personalized therapy based on the bronchoscopy results. The bronchoscopy included visual inspection of the upper and lower airway, bronchoalveolar lavage, endobronchial biopsy and brush.

The researchers identified five mutually exclusive asthma phenotypes, those with: 1) gastroesophageal reflux; 2) subacute bacterial infection 3) tissue eosinophilia 4) a combination of two or three of these phenotypes; and 5) non-specific phenotype.

Those with gastroesophageal reflux received intense medical therapy or surgery (Nissen fundoplication) for reflux in addition to their standard asthma therapy. Those with subacute bacterial infections received antibiotics, and those with high numbers of eosinophils received omalizumab, also known as anti-IgE. Those with nonspecific phenotypes received no specifically targeted therapy.

After 24 weeks of targeted therapy, patients showed marked improvements in both lung function and in the Asthma Control Test, a five-question survey widely used to evaluate asthma control. Overall, FEV1 (maximum amount of air exhaled in one second) rose from 58.9 percent of predicted (very low) to 74.3 percent of predicted (mild reduction). ACT test scores rose from 11.6 (poorly controlled asthma) to 18.5 (minimally uncontrolled). The test has a maximum score of 25. The 20 patients who received standard, guidelines-based therapy (control period) followed by targeted, bronchoscope-guided treatment, improved only after beginning targeted therapy.

“While our study will require additional studies to confirm the findings, it offers a promising step for doctors and patients who cannot get their asthma under control, ” said Richard Martin, MD, senior author, professor and chair of the National Jewish Health Department of Medicine.

How An Allergy Treatment PA Practice Can Help You With Your Allergy Problems

By Hassan J. Jewess

If you are suffering from allergy symptoms, it is important that your first step is to consult a board-certified allergist who has an allergy treatment PA practice. Since this is a doctor, it is likely that you will get the referral from a primary care physician or you will get feedback from a family member, friends or acquaintances that are already benefited themselves of the services an allergist. Depending on your insurance, you may or may not need an approval prior to seeing an allergy specialist, so make sure you do the request for referral process correctly to avoid any insurance problems.

Once you are in an allergy treatment PA office, the specialist will get your medical history and perform a physical examination, then assess whatever symptoms you may have. Other tests that may be conducted by your specialist to understand your problems better are x-ray tests and tests for lung performance. Aside from this, your specialist may test your skin and blood as well for possible allergies. Depending on how quickly lab results come back, you may be able to determine what is triggering your symptoms.

There are instances when the allergy tests will come back negative, and if that is the case, an allergy treatment PA specialist will still be able to help you in identifying the possible cause of your reactions or symptoms. They are generally well-trained to deal with not just allergies but also other immune system problems, such as non-allergic asthma, frequent infections and rhinitis, among others.

If ever your allergy tests came back positive, the next step an allergy treatment PA specialist will do is come up with a treatment plan to address your problems. The allergist will let you know about the food or things that trigger your allergies so that you can avoid them. Food allergies are simple to do away, but environmental allergens such as molds and pollen are not. When it comes to dealing with these environmental irritants, your specialist will help you by giving you recommendations on how to at least manage your exposure to them.

The above mentioned facts are just prevention as a form of treatment and may not usually be enough, which is why your specialist may recommend allergy medications to help you deal with your symptoms better and improve the quality of your life. Aside from the medications, your allergist may recommend allergy shots or immunotherapy if medications are not enough to handle your symptoms. Usually an allergy specialist is also a sinusitis treatment PA expert, so if you have conditions other than allergies, such as sinusitis, this particular specialist can help as well.

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Many further details and additional facts can be learned about the proper types of care that are available at allergy treatment PA or effective treatment for sinusitis PA.

Asthma - Types, causes and treatment

Asthma can strike at any age, half of all cases first occur in children under age 10; in this age group, asthma affects twice as many boys as girls. It is one of the leading causes of respiratory illness among children and young adults, however, this condition may progress a lifetime. It’s estimated 17-million Americans suffer from asthma.

Asthma is a reversible lung disease characterized by obstruction or narrowing of the airways. It may resolve spontaneously or with treatment. Its symptoms range from mild wheezing and shortness of breathe (dyspnea) to life-threatening respiratory failure. Symptoms may persist between acute episodes.

People with asthma do not have a problem inhaling, but rather, a problem exhaling. Airways open up during inhalation with the lowering of the diaphragm as the ribs move out making the lungs bigger allowing air to move around any obstruction. However, when the person exhales, as the rib cage relaxes the diaphragm slides up, preventing the air from getting around the obstruction.

TYPES AND CAUSES

Extrinsic asthma results from sensitivity to specific external allergens. In cases in which the allergen isn’t obvious, it’s referred to as intrinsic asthma.

Extrinsic asthma usually begins in childhood and is accompanied by other manifestations of atopy

A hereditary disorder marked by the tendency to develop immediate allergic reactions to substances such as pollen, food, dander, insect venoms, house dust or mold, kapok or feather pillows, food additives containing sulfites, or similar allergic conditions.

In intrinsic asthma, no external allergen can be identified. Most cases are preceded by a severe respiratory infection. Irritants, emotional stress, fatigue, exposure to noxious fumes, changes in temperature, and changes in humidity, may aggravate intrinsic asthma attacks. In many asthmatics, intrinsic and extrinsic asthma coexist.

Several drugs and chemicals may provoke an asthma attack. Examples of these substances include aspirin, various nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and yellow food dye (tartrazine). Exercise may also provoke an asthma attack. In exercise-induced asthma, bronchospasm may follow heat and moisture loss in the upper airways.

An asthma attack may begin dramatically, with simultaneous onset of many severe symptoms, or insidiously, with gradually increasing respiratory distress. It typically includes the following signs or symptoms or some conbination of them:

- progressively worsening shortness of breath

- cough

- wheezing

- chest tightness.

During an acute attack, the cough sounds tight and dry. As the attack subsides, thick mucus is produced (except in young children, who don’t expectorate). Between acute attacks, breath sounds may be normal.

The intensity of breath sounds in symptomatic asthma is typically reduced. A prolonged phase of forced expiration is typical of airflow obstruction. Evidence of lung hyperinflation (use of accessory muscles, for example) is particularly common in children. Acute attacks may be accompanied by tachycardia, tachypnea, and diaphoresis. In severe attacks, the patient may be unable to speak more than a few words without pausing for breath. Cyanosis (a bluish or purplish tinge to the skin and mucous membranes), confusion, and lethargy indicate the onset of respiratory failure.

TREATMENT

Treatment of acute asthma aims to decrease inflammation, coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath, bronchial airway swelling, and increase pulmonary ventilation. After an acute episode, treatment focuses on avoiding or removing precipitating factors, such as environmental allergens or irritants.

If asthma is caused by a particular virus, bacterium, toxin, or other foreign substance, it may be treated by desensitizing the person through a series of injections of limited amounts of the antigen causing the attack. The aim is to curb the person’s immune response to the antigen.

Natural Home Remedies for Asthma Treatment

Although there are many medical ways to help asthma sufferers breathe easier, experts recommend combining certain natural home remedies with prescription anti-inflammatories and bronchodilators. Here are some helpful remedies right from the kitchen.

Home Remedies From the Cupboard

Coffee. The caffeine in regular coffee can help prevent and control asthma attacks. Researchers have found that regular coffee drinkers have one-third fewer asthma symptoms than those who don’t drink the hot stuff. The reason? Caffeine has bronchodilating effects. In fact, caffeine was one of the main anti-asthmatic drugs during the nineteenth century. Don’t load up on java, though — three cups a day will provide the maximum benefit — and don’t give coffee to children with asthma.

Onions. Onions are loaded with anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown that these properties can reduce the constriction of the airways in an asthma attack. Raw onions are generally too irritating, but eating cooked onions may help to lessen asthma attacks.

Home Remedies From the Drawer

Cheesecloth. 

Put a fine cheesecloth over each room’s heat outlet. This homemade dust filter can help by catching dust, animal dander, and pollen before it’s recirculated into the air. Stick-on commercial filters are also available. And don’t forget the number one most effective home aid — scrupulous cleaning. It’s not easy, but being a bit obsessive about keeping a clean house goes a long way toward helping to alleviate asthma symptoms.

Home Remedies From the Refrigerator

Chili peppers. Hot foods such as chili peppers open up airways. Experts believe this happens because peppers stimulate fluids in the mouth, throat, and lungs. The increase in fluids thins out the mucus formed during an asthma attack so it can be coughed up, making breathing easier. Capsaicin, the stuff that makes hot peppers hot, acts as an anti-inflammatory when eaten.

Eating hot foods like chili peppers may help you breathe easier.

Orange juice. Vitamin C is the main antioxidant in the lining of the bronchi and bronchioles. Research discovered that people with asthma had low levels of vitamin C; eating foods that had at least 300 mg of vitamin C a day — equivalent to about three glasses of orange juice — cut wheezing by 30 percent. Other foods high in vitamin C include red bell pepper, papaya, broccoli, blueberries, and strawberries.

Salmon. Fatty fish such as sardines, salmon, mackerel, and tuna contain omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids seem to help the lungs react better to irritants in people who have asthma and may even help prevent asthma in people who have never had an attack. Studies have found that kids who eat fish more than once a week have one-third the risk of getting asthma, as compared to children who don’t eat fish. And researchers discovered that people who took fish oil supplements, equivalent to eating 8 ounces of mackerel a day, increased their body’s ability to avoid a severe asthma attack by 50 percent.

Yogurt. Vitamin B12 can alleviate the symptoms of asthma, and it seems to be even more effective in asthma sufferers who are sensitive to sulfite. Studies have found that taking 1 to 4 micrograms (mcg) works best as protection against asthma attacks. The current RDA for vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg for adults. One cup of yogurt has 1.4 mcg of the lung-loving vitamin.

Home Remedies From the Spice Rack

Peppermint extract. 
This is a folk remedy for a homemade vaporizer: Put 1 quart nonchlorinated water in a stainless steel, glass, or enamel pan, and put it on the stove. Add 10 drops peppermint extract or peppermint oil, and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for about 1 hour, until all the water is gone. The volatile oil will saturate the room air.

Home Remedies Do’s and Don’ts

Don’t overload your salt intake. Salt tends to make the airways more sensitive to triggers. 

Do consider a high-quality vegan diet. Getting rid of animal products in the diet helps asthma by eliminating many food allergens (cow’s milk, for example). Remember, though, that vegan diets can be deficient in protein and B12, which can be especially risky for kids and pregnant or lactating women. You might consider seeking the help of a nutritionist or dietician to help you plan a vegan diet.

More Home Remedies for Asthma

The key to managing asthma effectively is to prevent an attack before it occurs. By applying these home remedies and making some important lifestyle changes, you may be able to avoid the triggers that can exacerbate your asthma.
Kick the cigarette habit. Tobacco smoke can be an irritant that triggers asthma as well as an allergen that touches off an allergic response leading to asthma. Tobacco smoke is one of the worst irritants known: It paralyzes the tiny hairlike cilia along the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. It also reduces immune response and leaves a smoker much more susceptible to upper respiratory infection. In addition to preventing asthma attacks, quitting smoking will reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, and many other conditions, as well as save you money.

Nonsmokers who live with a smoker are no better off. Secondhand smoke is particularly harmful to children and teenagers. So if there’s someone in your household who won’t quit smoking, ask that individual to take his or her habit outdoors.
Weather the weather.Pay attention to how changes in the weather affect your asthma. You might even keep an “asthma journal” by recording the temperature, wind velocity, barometric pressure, and humidity on days when you suffer attacks. Knowing what types of weather conditions can leave you gasping for air can help you avoid problems. While each person responds to weather differently, some general trends may be noted.

For instance, people with asthma should stay indoors when it is very cold outside, since a rush of cold air can cause a spasm in the bronchial tubes. Stay indoors if the wind is strong, too. While gusts of wind can blow pollution and smog away, they can also blow pollen in your direction. If you enjoy walking in the rain, you’re in luck, because rain tends to wash away roving allergens, pollutants, and irritants.

People with asthma should stay indoors when it is very cold outside, since a rush of cold air can cause a spasm in the bronchial tubes.

Watch what you eat. The question of whether foods trigger asthma has yet to be answered. Some foods, such as nuts, shellfish, milk, eggs, chocolate, sodas, and strawberries, can result in an array of allergic responses, including asthma symptoms. Sulfites in wine can have a similar effect. An attack that’s precipitated by a certain food will most likely occur within an hour of ingesting it.

Existing scientific evidence suggests that food allergies are probably not a major trigger for chronic asthma in adults. Nonetheless, you may have noticed that certain foods worsen your symptoms. If so, it’s best to limit or avoid foods that aren’t necessary for a balanced, nutritious diet. (Ask your doctor if you’re not sure.)

Allergies to certain types of food, especially milk and wheat, are more often a trigger of asthma in children. If milk and wheat seem to be causing problems for your child with asthma, eliminate these foods from his or her diet. Check labels, and avoid foods that list milk, milk solids, casein, whey, or caseinate as ingredients. (Talk to your family doctor about alternate dietary sources of nutrients such as calcium.)

Eating away from home can sometimes be a problem. If you are invited to dinner and don’t know what meal will be served, eat something at home before you leave so you won’t be left hungry should the main course be a trigger food for you. If you are eating in a restaurant, inquire about the ingredients in the dish you want to order.

No matter where you have your meal, don’t overeat, don’t eat too fast, and don’t talk while you are eating. Steer clear of alcohol, too, especially if you are taking medications for your asthma. One final reminder: Avoid so-called cytotoxicity tests and similar methods that promise to root out hidden food allergies and cure asthma.

Protect your health.

A problem in the upper airways, such as a respiratory infection, can cause trouble in the lower airways (the bronchial tubes) and precipitate an asthma attack. While taking steps to avoid getting sick makes sense for everyone, maintaining good health can dramatically reduce the frequency and intensity of asthma attacks.

Stay away from people who have a cold or the flu, drink plenty of fluids, and avoid getting overtired; otherwise, you will be more susceptible to infections. It’s a good idea for asthmatics to get a flu shot each year. If, despite your best efforts, you do develop an infection, see your doctor; early use of antibiotics, when appropriate, can be quite helpful.

Avoid chemicals. Any number of chemicals can trigger an asthma attack in susceptible people, whether it’s chemical fumes, such as from paint or perfume, or chemical additives, such as the sufites that are used as preservatives in food. Keep your distance from these chemicals whenever possible.

Avoid aspirin and certain drugs. Some people with asthma are sensitive to some drugs, especially aspirin and nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Play it safe and avoid aspirin and products that contain it if you have asthma. Even if you have not experienced an asthma flare from aspirin in the past, it’s possible for one to occur at any time. Keep aspirin out of your medicine chest, and check labels on every over-the-counter drug that you purchase. Avoid those that list “aspirin” and those that contain the initials “ASA,” “APC,” or “PAC;” ask your pharmacist if you are unsure if the medication you want to purchase contains aspirin.

According to an expert report from the National Asthma Education Program, people with asthma should also stay away from certain NSAIDs (ibuprofen is one such medication) that have effects similar to aspirin’s. Opt instead for such “usually safe alternatives” as acetaminophen, sodium salicylate, or disalcid. For a list of precautions to take when using over-the-counter painkillers, click here.

You may also need to avoid tartrazine (yellow food dye #5), which is found in a number of soft drinks, cake mixes, candies, and some medications, if it aggravates your asthma.

Take a deep breath. Inhaling through the mouth often produces shallow, unsatisfying breaths that can resemble panting. Practice inhaling slowly through the nose in a controlled way, instead. Before you start breathing exercises, blow your nose to make sure that your air passages are clear of foreign matter. Then sit in a chair in a comfortable position. Take a deep breath and feel your breath going as far down as possible. Your abdomen should expand as you do this exercise. Exhale slowly, feeling your abdomen relax as your breath comes out of your nose. Repeat this exercise at least three times a day (but never right after eating and never in a hurry, which may trigger hyperventilation).

Exercise your options. For years, people with asthma have been told to avoid exercise because it would induce attacks. Research has shown, however, that getting regular aerobic exercise increases the amount of huffing and puffing an asthmatic can tolerate. Start by warming up with light exercise before a more vigorous workout. Begin with short workouts and gradually increase them.

At least at first, keep a bronchodilator with you. If you feel tightness in your chest and can’t work through it, use the device. If you are out in cold or dry air, wear a scarf around your nose and mouth to heat the air before breathing it in. Cool down with light exercise at the end of your workout. If one type of exercise still brings on attacks, try another form of exercise. You may not be able to tolerate running, for example, but you may be able to swim regularly.

Keep your weight down. Exertion causes overweight people to breathe more deeply, forcing their hearts to work extra hard supplying blood to the muscles and organs. If you are overweight, losing weight will ease your heart’s burden; unfortunately, asthma medications can cause you to pack on pounds. If you need to lose some pounds, you and your doctor should work together to establish a diet and exercise plan that will help you burn more calories and reduce your calorie intake without depriving you of necessary nutrients.
Mind your mind. The notion that asthma is “all in your head” has gone the way of many medical myths. However, doctors believe that asthma is an illness with both physical and emotional aspects. For example, asthma attacks can be triggered by emotional changes, such as laughing or crying, or by stress. While you may not be able to “think away” an asthma attack, keeping your mind at ease may prevent you from panicking at the onset of an asthma attack, which will make a bout with breathing trouble less scary. Develop an upbeat mind-set by committing yourself to feeling better. A positive attitude works wonders to enhance your other coping methods. In addition, be forthright about your asthma; others will respect your directness and, in most cases, try to make things easier for you.

Learn to relax.

Since stress and emotional upsets can trigger or aggravate asthma attacks, it may be helpful to set aside time each day, preferably the same time, to practice some form of relaxation.
In our final section, we will look at some natural home remedies for asthma that involve some of the common foods that are probably in your kitchen right now.

Source – discovery fit & health

Asthma: Part 2/2-- Emergency Treatment

Last post, we discussed generally the disease of asthma. Today, I’m going to focus on emergency treatment.

The three major problems with asthma are the airway constriction, the inflammation and the mucous production.

Therapy is targeted at reversing these issues.

Treatment starts as follows:

1. Connect the patient to the monitor, determine baseline oxygen level. Normal oxygen saturation is 90-100%. Anything less than 90% is considered hypoxic. If the patient’s oxygen saturation level is less than 90% then they should be placed on oxygen. Now, there are some caveats to this but for your novel, this should suffice.

Shay0885/Photobucket

 2. Give breathing treatments. Generally, Albuterol and Atrovent are given together in three back to back nebulizer treatments. This is a medication that is inhaled. Both act to relax the tightened muscles around the airways to ease breathing.

3. Give steroids. This targets the inflammatory response. Most often these are given orally in the form of a syrup (for the little ones) or pills if the patient can swallow. If unable to swallow, then it is given IV.

4. Keep the patient hydrated. This will help clear mucous. The thinner mucous is, the easier it is to cough up.

That’s basic treatment. Now, if the patient doesn’t improve with the above treatment then we will go further. Often times, we will place them on a continuous Albuterol nebulizer. There are also medications that can be given intravenously (IV) to relax the smooth muscle of the airways as well.

Remember, Albuterol is a stimulant. It will be normal for the patient’s heart rate to be elevated and for them to feel quite jittery. These are expected side effects of the medication and it is helpful to explain this to the family.

Asthma pearl: Doctors try very hard not to place an asthma patient on a breathing machine and it is generally considered a last resort to keep the patient from dying. This is a different viewpoint in treating a lot of different medical conditions because generally early intubation is preferred to stabilize the patient.

In respect to asthma, the endotracheal tube (ETT– the thing they stick in your throat) aggravates everything we are trying to reverse. The ETT can cause bronchospasm and increased secretions. Remember, the problem is air trapping. When a patient is on a ventilator– breaths are pushed into the patient via the machine (positive pressure ventilation). This can lead to more air being trapped in the lungs which puts the patient at risk for pneumothorax (which is when the lung get a hole in it and deflates). These patients are ususally medically paralyzed and sedated so their breathing can be totally controlled by the machine.

Have you written an ER scene with an asthmatic in distress presenting as a patient?

Getting the Right Asthma Treatment Can Save Your Life

By A Aaronson

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If you happen to suffer from respiratory allergies and periodically need asthma treatments when the weather is too hot, you may want to learn about how people are ultimately diagnosed and how they can receive effective treatments that will alleviate many of the discomforts that are often felt as a result of chronic asthma.
Asthma is a respiratory disease that affects millions of Americans each and every day. Many people that experience this condition have been diagnosed at some point in their life, usually in early childhood. Others may not even know they have this condition. No matter which side of the coin you are on, it is important to know what symptoms to look for so you can receive the proper asthma treatment.
Some common symptoms of asthma are wheezing, tightness of the chest, excessive dry coughing and shortness of breath that becomes more pronounced with an increase in physical stress and activity. Asthma can also get worse over time if it is not properly treated. Signs of asthma that progressing to a more severe state are increased daily usage of an inhaler, wheezing and shortness of breath that is present even at rest and the decreasing ability to do normal physical activity without losing one’s breath.
There is no need to run to the emergency room every time you are in need of an asthma treatment. In fact, it is a good idea for you to have your respiratory situation re-evaluated to ensure that you are receiving the right treatment. Since many ailments can lessen or get progressively worse over time, it is necessary that you are aware of any changes in your condition before you start to receive any form of treatment.
Asthma is something that you can’t ignore and is a life threatening condition. You can’t afford to take risks and delay getting the right asthma treatment. If you want to receive the best asthma care, you need to receive treatment at a medical facility that specializes in asthma treatments. They can go over your medical history, perform some tests and determine which kind of treatment is right for you. They can also provide you with guidance and advice on how to live with this condition. By learning how to properly manage this condition, you can live a full and rewarding life, just like those who are not afflicted with asthma.
Choose your treatment center with care. Get to know the medical staff and professionals. Be open minded and allow them help you overcome your ordeal and learn how to live with this condition. The better you are able to adapt and adjust to living with asthma, the more you will be able to live a peaceful and active life. Living with any type of medical condition doesn’t have to be something that puts a damper on your lifestyle. There are plenty of people who have been diagnosed with asthma and still manage to live a very active life.

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