Asthma has become a very common respiratory disease affecting millions of people all over the world, mostly urban dwellers. Seeing the severity of this problem, it becomes more important to know how to treat asthma through natural methods and medications.
Living amid pollutions is not easy, especially when air pollution has become such a vast issue; one finds it hard to resist the causes of respiratory problems. The widespread presence of asthma symptoms has been posing a challenge to one and all. A foolproof asthma plan, right consultation of doctors, and taking some specific precautions are essential for reducing the effects of asthma.
Anatomy of asthma:
As a respiratory disease asthma directly affects airways of the lungs. These airways gradually get swelled and then narrowed down, causing a barrier for a smooth passage of air from nasal area to lungs. The chronic airways inflammation is a very common condition that aggravates the sensitivity of airways, leading acute respiratory problem.
Causes of asthma:
There are several causes of swelling in airways and narrowing of sensitive muscles surrounding tubes. Unless you understand the nature of these factors, you cannot learn how to treat asthma effectively. In most cases, two prominent factors that are responsible for respiratory problem, which are:
Allergic reaction – Our body’s immune system has a resistant capacity to counter the external invader, bringing a series of allergic reactions. This tussle triggers the production of mucus and bronchospasms which narrows down the airways.
Breathing in air pollution – Pollution in the air is another major factor in causing asthma. Air pollution involves smoke and several respiratory irritants that can directly dent your airways.
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Some other causes of respiratory condition include:
Exposure to tobacco, perfume, plastic materials and wood smoke
Exposure to chemical irritants at the workplace
Breathing in allergy-causing allergens such as dust, animal dander, fur, molds, etc.
An upper respiratory infection
Exposure to cold, smoky and dry weather
Distress and emotional excitement
Extensive physical exercise
Reflux of stomach acid, also known as GERD
Addiction to smoking and alcohol
Apart from these, there are some risk factors for developing asthma, such as:
Genetic factor – If any of your parents, brother, sister or any other blood relative has asthma then the chances are you may also inherit the breathing problems
Hay fever (allergic rhinitis) – This is also a big risk factor for narrowing bronchial tubes, a conducive situation for causing asthma symptoms
Eczema – This is a type of skin allergy that could prompt the irritation in airways
Common asthma symptoms:
The chronic airways inflammation directly affects the sensitivity of bronchial tubes, causing some obvious respiratory symptoms like:
Wheezing
Chest tightness
Severe coughing
Shortness of breath
There are some extreme asthma symptoms that need immediate medical attention, such as:
Temporarily stops in breathing
Fast pulse rate
Severe anxiety due to shortness of breath
Excessive sweating
Abnormal breathing pattern
Severe chest pain
Treatment of asthma:
The diagnosis of asthma depends on the severity of condition that can be measured by the:
Frequency and duration of asthma symptoms
Degree of airway obstruction
School or office absence due to asthma
Disturbance in regular activities
Asthma Tests:
Before administering medicines, doctors prefer to conduct some asthma tests that give you a clear picture about the severity level. Lung function test, spirometry (noninvasive) test or pulmonary function tests are frequently prescribed.
The test reports are analyzed against patient’s age, duration of asthma and family history before telling the patient how to treat asthma at minimum cost. The two common terms used during the asthma tests are:
1.Forced vital capacity (FVC) – the maximum amount of air one can breathe in and breathe out,
2.Forced expiratory volume (FEV-1) – the maximum volume of air that you exhale per second
Asthma medication:
Medicines for asthma can be classified as quick-relief medications and long-term prevention of the respiratory conditions.
The immediate relief medicines include inhaled bronchodilators (salbutamol, formoterol, or terbutaline) and oral corticosteroids. Your doctor may prescribe a breathing assistance, oxygen inhaler, and some specific medicines.
On the other hand, long-term treatment focuses on controller medicines. You have to take the medicines for a long period. Those who use a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) are advised to try spacer device to ease the pressure of airflow.
If you are searching how to treat asthma through natural methods then take the help of some precautionary measures and make them a part of your lifestyle. The best practice would be to avoid exposure to air pollution and any such irritants that can trigger the asthma symptoms. At the time when the levels of environmental pollution are increasing so high, it’s very difficult to keep yourself unaffected. Asthma is one such condition that gets aggravated by the environmental hazards. You have to understand how to treat asthma without disturbing your daily activities.
Conclusion:
Make a bit adjustment with your lifestyle and follow some home practices like cleaning home properly, keeping pet animals away from bedroom, no smoking and healthy diet to strengthen your immune system. They will certainly help to mitigate the intensity of asthma symptoms for a long time.
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