Don’t let asthma snatch your breath away!

By yardloo on February 12th, 2008

	Most of us sometimes discover ourselves breathless for innumerable reasons-seeing an astonishing personality and watching a nail biting game are some of the common instances. But when one faces difficulty in breathing not because of these reasons like this, then there is a scientific reason behind it. This medical condition could be Asthma, which has been rising at speedy rate in the humans.
Asthma is a serious and chronic ailment that is identified by frequent breathing problems that is caused mainly because of allergens. Recurrent breathing, tightening and swelling of muscles around the breathing tube, coughing, gasping, constriction and choking of the chest, wheezing, loss of consciousness, rapid heart rate and sleep disturbance are the well known symptoms of this respiratory disorder.

The possible triggers of asthma attack can be exposure to smoke, dust, pollution, fire crackers, cold weather, pollen, moulds, tobacco, smoke, emotional arousal, pet dander, chemical irritants in the workplace, and even certain drugs like aspirin, beta blockers and non steroid anti inflammatory medicines. A study by World Health Organization affirms that around 300 million people presently suffer from asthma worldwide and about 255000 people died of asthma last year.

Heredity is considered to be the predominant reason of asthma attack but there are other causes that lead to asthma such as low birth weight, viral respiratory infections during childhood, obesity, psychological stress and excessive antibiotic use in early life. All these causes could worsen asthma attack in susceptible and highly sensitive patients. There is a possibility that asthma can start either at early stage of life or at a much later stage. Asthma can attack anyone including children, teens, adults and old people. At the time of asthma attack, sufferer can lose consciousness, feel numbed, starts sweating rigorously and turn blue because of lack of oxygen. If these symptoms or signs are ignored then it can aggravate the condition and patient may have to be hospitalized.

This respiratory ailment can be analyzed and diagnosed by conducting
two popular tests namely Peak flow meter and lung functional test.
Though asthma cannot be cured completely but effective management can
help in controlling this epidemic and facilitating people in living a
stress free life.

This lifelong syndrome can be treated medically by using two types of
drugs—long term controller and quick rescue medications. Controller
medications comprise of sprays or inhalers, which helps in reducing
swelling and keeping airways open. While rescue medicines are ideal for
those people who experiences mild or occasional asthma attack. Other
forms of alternative and complementary treatment can also be taken to
eliminate the risks of asthma. In case, you find an asthmatic patient
then immediately give him quick rescue medicines and rush him to some
nearby hospital. A long-acting bronchodilator can also be used at the
time of emergency. If you are asthmatic then the habit of frequent
smoking needs to be curtailed.

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