What Is Good Asthma Care
Your doctor or nurse will tailor your asthma treatment to your symptoms. Sometimes you may need to be on higher levels of medication than at others.
You should be offered:
- care at your GP surgery provided by doctors and nurses trained in asthma management
- full information about your condition and how to control it
- involvement in making decisions about your treatment
- regular checks to ensure your asthma is under control and your treatment is right for you
- a written personal asthma action plan agreed with your doctor or nurse
It is also important that your GP or pharmacist teaches you how to properly use your inhaler, as this is an important part of good asthma care.
What Causes Cardiac Asthma
Cardiac asthma is caused by heart failure. The most common cause of heart failure in adults is coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease is when the arteries that supply blood to the heart become narrowed or blocked, unable to deliver blood and even closing completely due to a heart attack. Its usually caused by atherosclerosis, or the buildup of cholesterol and plaque in the blood vessels.
Other conditions that can cause or contribute to the development of heart failure include:
for treating cardiac asthma. Treatment for cardiac asthma involves addressing the underlying heart failure and fluid buildup in the lungs.
When Its Asthma And Acute Bronchitis
Its particularly concerning when people who already have asthma develop acute bronchitis, explains Richard Castriotta, MD, professor of medicine and associate director of the division of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas in Houston. It makes their asthma much worse.
In these cases, physicians may call the bronchitis asthmatic bronchitis, though thats not a clinical term, Shamiyeh adds and other physicians use asthmatic bronchitis when a case of acute bronchitis may cause asthma symptoms, like wheezing.
People with asthma who get bronchitis are often treated with inhalers that dilate the bronchial tubes , and over-the-counter painkillers and cold medication for other upper respiratory cold symptoms, similar to treatment for acute bronchitis in people who are nonasthmatic, Shamiyeh says. Patients with asthma who get bronchitis may also be prescribed inhaled or oral steroids on a case by case basis.
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Asthma Management At Any Age
Its essential to adjust your asthma management plan for different stages of your life. At any age, the key to treating asthma is to have a comprehensive action plan that includes these basic components:
- Measurement tools to monitor your asthma.
- Fast-acting and control medications.
- Identification of your triggers and a plan to reduce exposure.
- Emergency care when needed.
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Can Asthma Be Prevented
Asthma cant be prevented entirely, but there are some practical ways to reduce the risk of an asthma attack and live well with asthma.
- Get vaccinated for influenza: flu and other respiratory viruses are common triggers for asthma.
- Manage any allergies: asthma and allergies are closely linked, so treating allergic rhinitis and avoiding or managing any allergy triggers will help with your asthma.
- Live smoke-free: quit smoking if you smoke, and avoid any second-hand smoke .
- Eat well: a balanced diet helps you to maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese makes asthma harder to manage.
- Care for yourself: mental health and asthma are linked, so let a trusted friend or your doctor know if you have been feeling sad or anxious, or dont enjoy things as much as before.
- See your doctor regularly: asthma needs to be regularly assessed and managed, and your medication needs may change over time. Ensure your asthma action plan is up to date by checking in with your doctor regularly.
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What Are The Signs Of Dyspnea
Shortness of breath can feel different from person to person and depending on whats causing it. Sometimes, it comes with other symptoms.
Some signs of dyspnea include:
- Chest tightness.
- Feeling like you need to force yourself to breathe deeply.
- Working hard to get a deep breath.
- Rapid breathing or heart rate .
- Wheezing or stridor .
What Happens If An Asthma Attack Goes Untreated
Without immediate asthma medicine and asthma treatment, your breathing may become more labored, and wheezing may get louder. If you use a peak flow meter during an asthma attack, your reading will probably be less than your personal best.
As your lungs continue to tighten during the asthma attack, you may be unable to use the peak flow meter at all. Gradually, your lungs may tighten so much during the asthma attack that there is not enough air movement to produce wheezing. This is sometimes called the silent chest, and it is a dangerous sign. You need to be taken to a hospital immediately with a severe asthma attack. Call 911 for help. Unfortunately, some people interpret the disappearance of wheezing during the asthma attack as a sign of improvement and fail to get prompt emergency care.
If you do not receive adequate treatment for an asthma attack, you may eventually be unable to speak and can develop a bluish coloring around your lips. This color change, known as cyanosis, means you have less and less oxygen in your blood. Without immediate aggressive treatment in an emergency room or intensive care unit, you may lose consciousness and eventually die.
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Why Do Some Asthmatics Develop Copd
Researchers are still investigating this area. They are still not sure. But, one theory is the type of inflammation involved. Most asthmatics have inflammation caused by white blood cells called eosinophils. So, they have eosinophilic inflammation. This type of inflammation responds well to traditional asthma medicines.
Their asthma responds well to beta 2 adrenergics and corticosteroids. A daily dose of medicines like Advair or Symbicort help them obtain good asthma control.
When these medicines dont work, they may be diagnosed with Severe Asthma. The cause may be a different type of inflammation, such as neutrophilic inflammation. This is similar to the type of inflammation seen in COPD airways.
Plus, Severe Asthmatics may have airway scarring. Inflammation can cause damage to airway tissues. Tissues then become scarred. This scar tissue makes airway walls thicker. This also is similar to what happens with COPD.
Thicker walls make airways abnormally narrow. There is no medicine for treating this. And this may cause persistent airflow limitation. When this happens, a diagnosis of COPD can be made. It may result in a diagnosis of Asthma/ COPD Overlap Syndrome.
Techniques To Reverse The Stress Response
The AAFA recommends the below techniques for stress-induced asthma:
Select a nearby object from nature, such as a tree or flower, and focus on it for 12 minutes. Try to look at it as if seeing it for the first time, noticing the shapes, colors, and texture. Relax into the observation for a while until feeling better.
Begin by slowly breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. If it helps, try inhaling for 7 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 7 seconds. Bring attention to breathing and try to let go of everything else.
Repeat this pattern three times or until feeling an improvement.
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What Makes Some Pollen Cause Allergies And Not Others
Plant pollens that are carried by the wind cause most allergies of the nose, eyes and lungs. These plants are natural pollutants produced at various times of the year when their small, inconspicuous flowers discharge literally billions of pollen particles. Because the particles can be carried significant distances, it is important for you not only to understand local environmental conditions, but also conditions over the broader area of the state or region in which you live.
Unlike the wind-pollinated plants, conspicuous wild flowers or flowers used in most residential gardens are pollinated by bees, wasps, and other insects and therefore are not widely capable of producing allergic disease.
What To Do During An Asthma Attack Or Flare
An asthma attack can come on gradually or quite quickly .The symptoms to look out for include:
- Increasing wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and coughing.
- Needing to use a reliever again within three hours of last taking it.
- Waking often at night with asthma symptoms.
An asthma attack can become life threatening if not treated properly, even in someone whose asthma is usually mild or well controlled.
If someone is getting an asthma attack, follow the instructions in their asthma action plan. If they dont have an action plan or you arent sure what to do, follow the four steps of asthma first aid.
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Create An Asthma Action Plan
The American Lung Association recommends creating an asthma action plan to outline what type of medication you should take and when. It should also provide details about what to do if your asthma is dangerously out of control. These instructions will help you, friends, and relatives know when its time to change treatments or seek emergency care.
To make this plan:
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Diagnosing A Hay Fever Cough
When you have an infection, the mucus in your body starts to thicken due to the presence of a virus or bacteria. The type of mucus youre producing can help your doctor tell the difference between a hay fever cough and an infection. If you have thin mucus, as opposed to thick mucus that is difficult to cough up, allergies are usually to blame.
Your doctor will likely ask you about your symptoms as well as what makes them worse or better and when you started noticing them.
- off-gasses from materials such as rubber, canvas, and leather
- air pollution, such as car exhaust
Also, the excrement, saliva, and shells of cockroaches are highly common allergens. An estimated 63 percent of households in the United States contain cockroach allergens. In urban areas, the rates can reach 98 percent.
A 2015 study found that roughly 18 percent of children aged under 17 in the U.S. have been diagnosed with hay fever, especially in southwestern and southeastern states.
If a primary care doctor suspects that a person has hay fever, they will usually refer the person to an allergist, a doctor who specializes in allergies.
An allergist will ask questions about lifestyle habits, home and work environments, medical history, and symptoms, then perform a physical exam of the nose and throat.
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Treatment For Asthma Emergencies In Children
An asthma attack can quickly become an asthma emergency, but if you take quick action, you can reduce the risk of this happening. So, if the symptoms of an asthma attack appear, follow your childs asthma action plan.
If your child is experiencing a severe or life-threatening asthma attack, call triple zero for an ambulance and then start asthma first aid.:
- Sit the child upright.
- Give 4 puffs of reliever medication , taking 4 breaths for each puff. Use a spacer and mask if one is available.
- Wait 4 minutes if the child still cannot breathe normally, give 4 more puffs.
- Continue to give 4 separate puffs of reliever medication, taking 4 breaths for each puff, every 4 minutes until the ambulance arrives.
How To Get Tested
Allergists are specialists in diagnosing and treating asthma and other allergic diseases. And allergists are specially trained to identify the factors that trigger asthma or allergies.
Asthma is sometimes hard to diagnose because it can look like other breathing problems, such as emphysema, bronchitis and lower respiratory infections. Some people with asthma do not realize they have it and are never treated. Sometimes the only symptom is a chronic cough, especially at night. In other cases, coughing or wheezing may occur only with exercise. Some people mistakenly think they have frequent bronchitis, since respiratory infections usually settle in the chest of people with asthma.
To diagnose asthma and distinguish it from other lung issues, allergists rely on the combination of a medical history and a thorough physical examination, including certain tests. The tests include spirometry , peak flow monitoring , chest X-rays, and sometimes blood and allergy tests.
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Who Is At Risk For Asthma
Asthma affects people of all ages, but it often starts during childhood. Certain factors can raise your risk of having asthma:
- Being exposed to secondhand smoke when your mother is pregnant with you or when you are a small child
- Being exposed to certain substances at work, such as chemical irritants or industrial dusts
- Genetics and family history. You are more likely to have asthma if one of your parents has it, especially if it’s your mother.
- Race or ethnicity. Black and African Americans and Puerto Ricans are at higher risk of asthma than people of other races or ethnicities.
- Having other diseases or conditions such as obesity and allergies
- Often having viral respiratory infections as a young child
- Sex. In children, asthma is more common in boys. In teens and adults, it is more common in women.
What Do I Do If I Have Allergies And Asthma
If you have allergies and asthma, avoid the substance you are allergic to. Here are some tips to help you avoid some of the most common allergens and prevent asthma attack symptoms.
- Encase pillows, mattresses, and box springs with allergen-proof, zippered covers.
- Wash all bedding in hot water once a week.
- Noncarpeted flooring is best. If you cannot get rid of your carpeting, vacuum often with an HEPA filter. Wear a mask while vacuuming. If your child has asthma, do not vacuum while they are in the room. Products that eliminate dust mites from carpeting can be purchased. Your asthma care provider can give you information about these products.
- Avoid curtains and drapes. Use plain window shades instead of mini-blinds. Washable curtains should be washed in hot water every 2 to 4 weeks.
- Dust all surfaces with a damp cloth often, including lampshades and windowsills.
- Keep clutter under control. Toys and books should be stored in enclosed bookshelves, drawers or closets.
- Replace traditional stuffed animals with washable stuffed animals.
- Keep all clothing in drawers and closets. Keep drawers and closets closed.
- Cover air ducts with filters. Change these when soiled.
- Pillows and bedding should not contain feathers.
- Keep indoor humidity low . Use a dehumidifier if needed.
- Regularly change filters on heaters and air conditioners.
Mold and mildew
You can lessen your or your childs exposure to pollen by:
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What Is An Asthma Attack
An asthma attack is the episode in which bands of muscle around the airways are triggered to tighten. This tightening is called bronchospasm. During the attack, the lining of the airways becomes swollen or inflamed, and the cells lining the airways make more and thicker mucus than normal.
All of these things bronchospasm, inflammation, and mucus production cause symptoms such as trouble breathing, wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and trouble with normal daily activities.
Other symptoms of an asthma attack include:
- Severe wheezing when breathing both in and out
- Coughing that wont stop
- Feelings of anxiety or panic
- Pale, sweaty face
- Blue lips or fingernails
An asthma attack can get worse quickly, so its important to treat these symptoms right away.
Without immediate treatment, such as with your asthma inhaler or bronchodilator, it will become harder to breathe. If you use a peak flow meter at this time, the reading will probably be less than 50% of your usual or normal peak flow reading.. Many asthma action plans suggest interventions starting at 80% of normal.
As your lungs continue to tighten, you wonât be able to use the peak flow meter at all. Your lungs will tighten so there is not enough air movement to make wheezing. You need to go to a hospital right away. Unfortunately, some people think that the disappearance of wheezing is a sign of improvement and donât get emergency care.
Tips For Your Medical Appointment
If you think you may be experiencing cardiac asthma, its critical to seek medical attention immediately.
Persistent wheezing, shortness of breath, and trouble breathing are all signs that you should talk with a medical professional, especially if your symptoms get worse when you lie down.
It can help to ask yourself the following questions while youre waiting to see a doctor to help determine whether its cardiac asthma:
- Has anyone in my family experienced heart failure?
- Do I have any risk factors for heart failure, such as high blood pressure or coronary artery disease?
- Does anybody in my family have asthma?
- Have I had asthma before?
- Are there other potential causes for my breathing trouble, like the flu or a respiratory infection?
- Is my breathing trouble keeping me awake?
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Why Is Asthma Keeping Me Awake
Its common for asthma symptoms to come on at night, but you shouldnt have to put up with them. Night-time asthma symptoms are a sign that your asthma isnt well controlled, and you may be at risk of an asthma attack.
If your symptoms come on early in the morning, it could be a sign your asthma has been difficult through the night, even if you werent aware of it.
Here are some reasons why your symptoms may come on at night:
There is also evidence to suggest that a lack of sleep can make your asthma symptoms worse. If youre struggling with sleep and its affecting your asthma, speak to your GP or asthma nurse.