How to Treat Your Asthma

By Gerry Restrivera

Asthma is chronic disease that affects the airways or the tubes that carries air in and out of the lungs. Asthmatics have inflamed airways or the inside walls of the airways are swollen with excessive mucus production making breathing difficult. Symptoms include wheezing, chest pains, difficulty breathing and coughing. Asthma is a very uncomfortable and life-threatening disease if not treated correctly. You should know how to treat your asthma to avoid serious attacks.

Asthma attacks vary from person to person, but severe asthma attack is life threatening. The airways may close due to too much swelling and mucus production; in this case your body vital organs will not receive enough oxygen and this may cause death. You have to know how to treat your asthma before it could get serious.

Managing and knowing how to treat your asthma is a vital part of your life if you are an asthmatic. You cannot afford to ignore your asthma if you want to lead an asthma attack free life. You have to take all the cautions and the stay away from things that will trigger an asthma attack. Asthma treatment includes:

• Avoid your triggers or the things that will worsen your asthma symptoms. By following this you can control your asthma and may not need medication all the time. You have to identify your asthma triggers to know how to treat your asthma. Some triggers are allergens like dust and pollens. Viral infections like common colds and irritants like perfumes and aerosols are also asthma triggers.
• Observe the condition or monitor your asthma to know when your symptoms are getting worse so that you can prevent asthma attacks. By anticipating asthma flare up you can prevent possible asthma attacks.
• There are 2 types of asthma medications one is to prevent asthma attacks and another is to treat asthma attacks. You have to work closely with your doctor on how to administer and take these medications to achieve a better condition and to know how to treat your asthma.
• Learn and read more about asthma, there are new developments and treatments discovered as time goes on and those who are interested enough to read and learn the latest treatment for asthma are those who are successful in controlling their asthma. You need to know the latest development on how to treat your asthma.

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 Information Page

Gerry Restrivera writes informative articles on various subjects including How to Treat Your Asthma. To know the Secrets of Asthma Diet visit Secrets of Asthma Diet

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Childhood Asthma

By Sven Ullmann

Considered to be the most common chronic disease in children, asthma affects over 4 million of children below 18 years old. If your child is among the many affected by this illness, then you must be well-informed and educated in order to manage asthma properly.

Childhood asthma is characterized by the inflammation of the bronchial airways resulting to the production of excessive mucus, swelling and contraction of the respiratory muscles. The sudden change in the respiratory system obstructs the airways making breathing difficult. When this happens, your child will experience shortness of breath punctuated by coughing and wheezing. An asthma attack may be mild, moderate or severe. In any case, it would still be better if an asthma episode is prevented.

The cause of childhood asthma can not be pinpointed to a single factor. Many experts believe that childhood asthma is partially hereditary and have a strong allergic component. The inflammation of the airways may also be caused by allergy, airborne irritants or viral infections. A child with asthma might experience recurrent respiratory infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis. If your child coughs after a strenuous physical activity like running or crying, he should also be evaluated for asthma. Childhood asthma can cause a child to be irritable because of the discomfort from chest tightness and difficulty in breathing.

You would also be surprised that there is a condition called hidden asthma. This kind of childhood asthma is diagnosed by testing the child's pulmonary function. The child will exhibit only mild symptoms that are sometimes unrecognizable.

Childhood asthma is commonly triggered by exercise, infections, allergy, irritants, weather and emotion. The most common trigger among these is exercise affecting nearly 80% of all children with asthma. You could prevent an asthma episode by giving your child a bronchodilator medication before any physical activity. Among these physical activities, swimming is the least likely to trigger an asthma attack.

Respiratory infections, caused by a virus, are also one of the most common triggers of childhood asthma. This is why it is recommended for babies to have their flu vaccination. You can also prevent asthma by ensuring our child is well-hydrated. Allergies are also known to trigger childhood asthma attacks. Allergens such as dust, pollen and even food can cause inflammation in the airways resulting to an asthma episode.

Changes in weather conditions can also trigger an asthma attack. There have been numerous studies proving that cold air provokes an asthma episode. Your child should a wear protective mask or even a simple heavy scarf to prevent from inhalation of cold air. Weather conditions like strong winds can scatter dust and pollen in the air increasing the chances of an asthma attack. If you're experiencing weather conditions like this, it might be a smart idea to stay under the protection of the indoors. This way, none of the asthma will flare up.

Lastly, emotional stress caused by anxiety, anger or frustrations are also childhood asthma triggers. Child experiencing emotional stress often breathes rapidly or suffers from hyperventilation which can further worsen an asthma attack. You should try to encourage your child to relax and stay calm. Once your child's breathing returns to normal, you can administer asthma medication.

Article by Sven Ullmann, who runs Deserved Health - a site dedicated to different health related articles. Read more about Asthma In Children.

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Knowing What Are The Different Cardiac Asthma Facts To Save Your From Asthma Attacks

By Eddy K Elton

With more than 15 million people suffering from asthma, this disease can be a very serious and debilitating affliction. Asthma has a variety of different causes, one of them being bronchitis.

Nowadays, cardiac asthma facts are not so famous anymore. Cardiac asthma is very less used these days. People in earlier times mistook this disease and its relevance with pulmonary edema or fluid in the lungs and alone in the later years it became clear that a cardiac asthma can occur even without having that fluid in the lungs.

What is actually cardiac asthma?

Cardiac asthma, in many situations, is a clinical condition brought about by severe reflexive blocking and may be by edema of the lungs. It is an asthmatic-type breathing caused by sudden blockage of the pulmonary circulation.

Both cardiac asthma facts and pulmonary edema are symptoms of coming heart failure. Both situations are related and have similar consequences. They usually work one after another.

It is a life-threatening condition and you should seek medical advice immediately if you see or experience any symptoms.

Do you want to understand the internal complications and problems?

This illness is normally due to a major routine fault of the heart and may pose to be life intimidating quickly. It usually occurs when the left part of the heart has a disproportion between its work load and work capacity suddenly, this causing additional stress to the heart.

This inconsistency leads to many disorders, one of which is this cardiac asthma.
With this asthma, the reduced pumping effectiveness of the heart leads to a build up of the liquid in the lungs.

This build up of the fluid causes the air passages to narrow up and eventually cause wheezing and other symptoms.

Are there any external complications and symptoms?

The perception of many people is wrong. Many men and women believe that cardiac asthma is the same as to various other primary diseases of the lungs which cause wheezing or panting.

Cardiac asthma facts are highly misunderstood, it has ways of clinical tests, for better understanding of the patients and their families.

What are the symptoms of cardiac asthma?

The easiest way to distinguish cardiac asthma from other types of asthma is through the symptoms. Some of the major symptoms are shortness of breath with or without wheezing, increased rapid and shallow breathing, increased blood pressure and heart rate, and a feeling of uneasiness.

Other than that, in certain cases, cardiac asthma causes people to wake up breathless a few hours after sleeping, and have to sit upright to properly breathe again. This is due to lying down too long. When people with this disease do so, the fluid would accumulate in the lungs and lead to shortness of breath.

Not stopping there, this disease also causes swollen ankles which worsen quickly.
These symptoms are very important to distinguish this disease from others and give the proper medications and treatments, which are mainly focused on controlling the night coughs, control of the edema, control of inflow load and the amount of residual blood in the left ventricle, and so on.

Even though you may grasp what is cardiac asthma, what causes it, what causes it internally and clearly, what are the symptoms. However, will all these information will of no use to no action is being taken. Having the knowledge is not power, applying the knowledge is true power to free yourself the agony of having asthma again. You should never add to, or alter any component of your current asthma treatment without leading consulting your physician.

However, many asthmatics sometimes tend to forget that even though they may know a little of cardiac asthma, but this is not ample, they have to be be alert and aware that in order to have an asthma-free lifestyle, a proper and yet effective asthma recovery system is necessary. Even without a proper asthma management system, there will not be much asthma free lifestyle to hope for.

Applying the knowledge of knowing what is cardiac asthma together with an effective set-up - enjoy your life one time again.

Eddy K Elton is the author of a 17 Minutes Asthma and Alergy Secrets report and how to learns the secrets that leading to an asthma-free lifestyle. Drop by at cardiac asthma facts for your copy.

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Asthma, "Hidden" Asthma, And Allergies

By Tom Hefter

During the winter months, colds, flu, sore throats, and respiratory illnesses become more prevalent, outdoor activities decline, family members are in closer contact with one another, and our homes are sealed up against the wintry elements. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) declines as indoor airborne pollutants and indoor allergens increase. The accumulation of built-up antigens (allergens) within a home, typically cause family members to suffer adverse health effects. Recent research confirms the EPA’s claim that indoor air quality can be 100 times, or even in some cases, 500 times worse, than the outdoor air quality. Those persons prone to allergies and asthma suffer severely at this time of the year. Until the general public becomes aware of the dangers of polluted indoor air and then begins to demand the services, Home Indoor Allergen Control services, specializing in improving indoor air quality, will remain limited in numbers. The EPA, utilizing public service announcements, is presently promoting campaigns to educate the public on the dangers to health from poor indoor air quality.

Coinciding with the energy conservation practices initiated in the late 1970’s, including better insulated home-building construction methods, asthma (and asthma related deaths) among children has continued to increase, year after year, since 1980. Asthma cannot be cured, but it can be controlled through;

• patient/parent education
• allergy injections
• medications, and
• avoidance of "triggers"

Symptoms of Allergies

Symptoms ranging from itchy skin, stuffed up nasal cavities, runny noses, head or sinus aches, bouts of sneezing, sinusitis, irritated, watery and reddish eyes, puffy, swollen or discolored eyelids, wheezing, a “tight” chest, scratchy throats, raspy voices, dry unproductive coughs, feelings of lethargy, mental fatigue and even depression are not uncommon. These symptoms may only result in temporary, or day to day, discomforts for some. Yet these discomforts, even if minimal, can now be controlled, at a low cost and without over-the-counter allergy medications, a huge revenue source for the pharmaceutical companies.

More importantly, without utilizing the benefits of home indoor allergen control, the nearly 50 to 60 million American's (one in five) who suffer from allergies are at great risk of becoming afflicted with even more permanent, life long, ill-health effects including; asthma, bronchitis, perennial rhinitis (hay fever), eczema, dermatitis, sinus infections and other serious health issues, looming in their future.

Asthma and the Differing Types of Asthma

By overlooking the need for home indoor allergen control, children, the elderly, and persons with weak immune systems (even if just temporary) are at a high risk of developing long term medical afflictions. Although 4 to 5 million children, knowingly suffer asthma attacks yearly, asthma remains one of the more common chronic diseases of childhood and is often undiagnosed amongst children. There are as many types of asthma as there are “triggers” that can cause asthma attacks, but basically asthma is classified as either “intermittent or “persistent” asthma.

What is very important for parents to realize is the possibility of your child having “hidden” asthma a condition that exists before wheezing, coughing and rapid breathing become noticeable. Since infants and toddlers cannot verbalize how, or what, they are feeling, “hidden” asthma may be very hard to diagnose, even by your family physician. Irritability in very young children can mean many different things but, like a guttural cough or rapid breathing, could also be a sign of respiratory difficulties.

So how do you know if your child has signs of developing asthma or “hidden” asthma?

Pay attention! Become knowledgeable of the symptoms and alert to the possible triggers. Although it may be difficult to notice any tell-tale signs with children under the age of 18 or 24 months, there are definitive symptoms to look for in older children. Wheezing, for one you may think…but not necessarily so, is a prime characteristic found in asthmatics, yet it’s not necessarily the most common symptom. Coughing is a particularly prominent indicator and wheezing may not be readily noticeable to parents or the family physician, even through a stethoscope. Children with a history of bronchitis, pneumonia, respiratory infections, numerous and constant bouts of coughing (particularly at night or in cold weather when asthma conditions tend to worsen) should be thoroughly checked for asthma. Coughing immediately after vigorous activities such as running, or even a long-lasting spell of crying, are also signs that should be noted and may require a physician’s evaluation for asthma. Family history, especially a history of allergies or asthma, genetics, the child’s moods and actions, responses to foods and possible allergy triggers, must all be communicated to a physician in assisting to determine whether a child may be susceptibility to asthma.

Infants and toddlers with a past histories that include chest colds, bronchitis, pneumonia, chronic coughing or unusual breathing patterns, either shortness of breath or rapid breathing, should be tested for asthma as well as other respiratory diseases. Keep in mind, as active as toddlers and pre-schooler's tend to be, it may be very difficult to discern the limitations of physical activities. Pulmonologist's, performing lung function tests on very young children, still find it difficult to ascertain an asthma diagnosis, but these tests may still reveal airway obstructions. Asthma, brought under control, allows children to live more active lives without frequent asthma attacks.

Common Home Indoor Air Pollutants Resulting in Asthma and Allergies

Through education and knowledge, basic common sense, and recent technological innovations, the removal, reduction, and control of the following worst pollutants and allergens, will greatly improve Home Indoor Air Quality and the health of the home occupants. Of the nearly 50 – 60 million American's suffering from allergies, 20 million or so, are allergic to household dust and/or the particulates that make up household dust. Guanine, a potent and harmful allergen produced by dust mites and found in their fecal pellets and exoskeletons, is a major contributor. The most common indoor allergens include:

• Dust and Dust mite allergens
• Second-hand cigarette smoke
• Pet dander
• Cockroaches
• Molds and mildew

Education will allow homeowners to gain the knowledge of just how these allergens accumulate. By simply changing practices and habits, methods can be easily integrated into the present home lifestyle to minimize the amount of unhealthy allergens and thereby improving the quality of health for the home occupants. To a degree, housekeeping practices have evolved over the past generation or two. Kitchen areas have tested to be the most bacteria ridden parts of a home.

Our bedrooms, especially within the mattresses that we sleep upon one-third of our life, are the dirtiest and nastiest. Mattresses and the micro-climatic ecosystem within them, provide all the creature comforts that allow dust mites to live, thrive and breed while producing the antigen guanine, the worst offender and most harmful of all indoor allergens. Our grandparents can recall the days when mattresses were carried outside to have the “dust” literally beaten out of them and then placed in the sunlight for a naturally cleansing. Nowadays, aside from both parents working full-time jobs, mattress technology has evolved to the point that mattresses are too heavy or too bulky, to tote outside even if there is an area that exists where the mattress can be placed for “cleansing”. Carpeting accumulates many allergens as well, however carpeting does not provide the micro-climatic ecosystem that dust mites require. Regular vacuuming assists in controlling built-up allergens in carpeting, but only if the proper vacuum is used.

Home Indoor Allergen Control Technicians

Mattress cleaning technicians, trained in the removal, reduction, and control of home indoor allergens are in an excellent position to not only offer their much needed services, but to also help educate the general public on methods of improving and sustaining healthier lives by simply improving home indoor air quality.

The above information is not intended as medical advice. If you or your family members experience any of the above symptoms, please see a medical professional. Excellent information is available from either the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) or the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI).

Tom Hefter

Founder

SterilMattress

http://www.sterilmattress.com

SterilMattress offers the necessary specialized equipment available, at the lowest possible cost, and the needed training to assist entrepreneurs with establishing a successful and environmentally "green" Home Indoor Allergen Control business.

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Spotlight on Asthma

By Stephen Guy-Clarke

Asthma – What is it and how can it be treated?

Asthma is characterised by episodic attacks of wheezing and breathlessness, whereby the airways of the lungs are constricted by muscular spasm surrounding the bronchi (small airways in the lungs). There is tightness in the chest which develops before the wheezing. The difficulty with respiration and wheezing is generally worse on expiration, but an individual assessment would need to determine between the effects of both inspiration and expiration on the patient. As the wheezing develops there is breathlessness.Often sticky mucus or phlegm is produced. The severity of attacks are variable with some being mild with only wheezing whilst others develop with severe breathlessness.

According to Dr Stephen Gascoigne there is a rapid pulse which can be quite high. At a level of 120 beats per minute it indicates a severe attack and at 140 per minute a life threatening situation. On average 1,500 people die from asthma each year in the UK alone and at least a third of those are under the age of 65.

Asthma is divided conventionally into extrinsic and intrinsic types. Extrinsic asthma is usually first seen in childhood and there is often a family history of allergies. Worryingly the UK has the highest prevalence of severe wheeze in children aged 13-14 years worldwide. The spasms that characterize an acute attack are not the cause of the disorder, but a result of chronic inflammation and hypersensitivity of the airways to certain stimuli. An attack may be triggered if a susceptible individual is exposed to an allergen or irritants. Common asthma provoking allergens include animal dander, chemicals, drugs, dust mites, environmental pollutants, feathers, food additives such as sulphites, fumes, mould, and tobacco smoke, but any kind of allergen can precipitate an asthma attack in a susceptible individual. This “atopic” group may also have other conditions such as eczema, hay fever or migraine

The intrinsic asthma, a less common form of the disease, generally appears during adulthood and is often associated with other respiratory diseases such as bronchitis or sinusitis, and tends to appear during upper respiratory viral infections. This group are usually vulnerable to changes in weather, exercise, emotional stress, and other factors relating to inner feelings.

Asthma specialists speculate that rising levels of environmental pollution lead to a higher incidence of asthma. Within a generation in the industrialised West we have gone from dealing with up to 300 chemicals daily, absorbed through the skin, the air we breathe and ingested, to some 30,000 on a daily basis, (asthma is uncommon in developing countries). In the last decade, the number of Americans with asthma has increased by one third.

With increased deterioration in the immune system is it any wonder that here in the UK alone 8 million people have been diagnosed with asthma. Respiratory disease is the most common illness responsible for an emergency admission to hospital. Asthma epidemics related to atmospheric contamination, in which dust and chemical particulate matter are abundant, and on the increase, especially within enclosed environments.

The main aim in conventional medicine is to prevent wheezing to minimise long-term lung damage. Therefore, medical practitioners are keen to use treatments regularly and long-term in an attempt to achieve this result. Dr Gascoigne states that corticosteroids are increasingly likely to be used as a first choice. The estimated cost of treatment to the NHS is a staggering £850 million per year.

Conventional treatments in order of severity include:

Bronchodilators as inhalers or oral

Sodium cromoglycate

Corticosteroids inhaled, or oral

Bronchodilator as nebulised or injected

Corticosteroid as injected.

According to the National Asthma Campaign many people are turning to complementary medicine and various therapies to seek relief. A good example of a complementary therapy is Buteyko a breathing technique developed by the Russian scientist Konstantin Buteyko. His theory that asthma is caused by hyperventilation led him to devise a system of breathing exercises designed to reduce breathing rate and depth. Similarly, pranayama yoga has been used to treat asthma in eastern societies for centuries. Preliminary research suggests that Buteyko improved asthma symptoms, and the respondents on the program were able to cut their use of their reliever inhalers by up to two puffs a day.

Acupuncture may also prove helpful in addition to homoeopathy, and nutritional counseling.
On a nutritional note, many asthmatics find it beneficial to avoid mucus and phlegm forming foods either on a temporary or permanent basis. Also eliminate any yeast and fungal infections, as Candida, (a type of yeast which can mutate to the fungal version called Candida Albicans), loves warm moist places such as the lungs.

An exciting new discovery in the field of Natural Medicine comes from the bark of the rare African Gum tree, Funtumia Elastica. It was used by a local healer to help many of the tribe’s people who came to her with chest and allergy problems. The secret has been passed on to her grandson Jerry Yamoa- hence its name “Yamoa”.

Dr Nyjon Eccles of the Chiron Clinic in London suggests that Yamoa has some kind of immune modulatory action. That is, it readjusts the immune system, like turning up a thermostat, so that it is not so sensitive and no longer over-reacts to the usual triggers. Dr Eccles has successfully treated both asthma and hayfever with this remarkable natural product. The extrinsic asthma group are more likely to respond as this typical testimonial shows.

Ms K.B, London, Age 28

KB suffered mild asthma and hayfever symptoms with swollen red eyes and also difficulty in breathing. Her asthma limited her ability to walk long distances. She had mild attacks of asthma 3 times a day necessitating the use of inhaled ventolin each time. Dust would trigger both her hayfever and her asthma. She took her first month’s course of Yamoa 4 years ago and has taken it each season since as a preventative. She no longer has hayfever or asthma symptoms, and is able to walk long distances without shortness of breath.

No side effects have been observed over many years on hundreds of patients using Yamoa. It is now available as vegicaps taken twice a day for adults and children aged 10 and older, and half a capsule twice a day emptied into a little juice for children less than 10. Two months treatment is recommended, it is important to stress however, with no change to prescribed medication unless under medical supervision. Continued small-scale trials will seek to determine the exact mechanism of action but already it appears to offer some degree of relief for many asthma sufferers.

As we can see, asthma appears to be a disease which is growing year on year in the modern industrialised West, so we face a continued challenge to come up with safe effective treatments. After all it was the late Comedian George Burns who said, “The secret to a long life is to keep breathing”……

Stephen Guy-Clarke has been a passionate practitioner of natural medicine for twelve years. He graduated in Acupuncture at the Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian in 1994 and has a special interest in nutrition. Stephen has lectured and written on a number of health related topics including Asthma, ‘Light, the future of Medicine’ and ‘You are what you absorb – The case for proper nutrition. He has written a best selling eBook entitled Beating Cholesterol http://www.beatingcholesterol.com

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Asthma Types and Its Symptoms

By Bjorn Gutter

Asthma can happen to anybody. Asthma starts at all ages. If Asthma is detected in childhood, that is between the ages of two to six, it is mainly due to the exposure to allergens, pollens, smoke and dust particles or mites.

It is very difficult to diagnose whether the child has asthma or not. In many cases, the child shows symptoms which resemble the onset of asthma, but when observed carefully, the child does not get asthma. Adults may also get asthma. The main reason behind getting asthma in adults is respiratory tract infection.

There are two types of asthma.

1. Extrinsic

2. Intrinsic

Extrinsic asthma is the most common type of asthma seen in asthma patients. Extrinsic asthma develops due to allergies and allergens. Extrinsic asthma develops during childhood, since children are most susceptible to allergies. Most allergies in children are due to hay fever, eczema or family history of allergies.

These allergies disappear as the child grows up and so does asthma, but they may reappear in later stages of life. Intrinsic type of asthma occurs mostly in women who are in their 30s. It is not associated with allergies and intrinsic type of asthma is more chronic and perennial.

The cause of intrinsic asthma can be traced to respiratory tract infections. Asthma also has categorizations based on the intensity of the disease
Asthma can be mild, moderate and severe Mild asthma is found in 30% of the patients.

Patients with mild asthma do not have frequent attacks and can be cured or minimized with some precautions in dietary habits and lifestyle and a periodic checkup. These sorts of people do not need attention at all times and are self-supporting in case of an attack.

There is almost an equal percentage of people who have moderate asthma. These patients have moderately mild attacks and have the attacks more frequently.
Proper medication and precautions must be taken to help the patient remain healthy.

Severe asthma patients require urgent medical attention, as the attacks are frequent and severe. The symptoms of Asthma are almost the same in all cases.

The intensity and the frequency of such attacks increase. Asthma is definitely curable and the frequency of attacks can be minimized with proper support and precautions.

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What is Asthma?

By Bjorn Gutter

Asthma (pronounced AZ-muh) is defined in Essential Allergy, by Niels Mygind, Ronald Dahl, Soren Pedersen and Kristian Thestrup-Pedersen 2nd edition as:

A lung disease characterised by:

1. variable and reversible airway obstruction;

2. airway inflammation; and

3. bronchial hyper-responsiveness.

Asthma is a continuing inflaming illness that makes airways (bronchial tubes) especially sensitive to irritants, and this is characterized by problems in breathing.

Asthma is a greatly ranked inveterate health state in adults in most western countries, and it is the foremost chronic disorder of children.

Asthma cannot be cured, but for most patients it can be controlled so that they have just minimum and infrequent symptoms and they can live an normal life.
If you have asthma, managing it is an significant part of your life.

Managing your asthma means keeping away from things that irritate your airways and taking medicines as directed by your physician. By controlling your asthma every day, you can avoid serious symptoms and take part in all regular activities.

If your asthma is not well managed, you are liable to have symptoms that can make you skip school or work and retain you from doing things you like.
Individuals with asthma have additional tender or hyper-responsive airways.

When a person experiences a worsening of their asthma symptoms, it is called an asthma episode or, in hard cases, an asthma attack. During an asthma attack, smooth muscles nearly the bronchial tubes contract, making the airway openings narrow so less air can stream through.

Infection increases and the airways become more expanded and narrowed. Cells in the airways also make more mucus than common, which narrows the airways more. The changes to the airways cause the symptoms of asthma.

For example, it is difficult for air to pass in and out of the lungs and the oxygen levels in the blood reduce.

Asthma attacks are not all the same-some are worse than others. In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close so much that not sufficient oxygen gets to essential organs. This condition is a medical emergency. People can die from severe asthma attacks. A person suffering from an asthma attack has a feeling comparable to drowning.

If you have asthma, you should see your doctor regularly. You will need to discover what things occasion your asthma symptoms to worsen and how to avoid them. Your doctor can also prescribe medicines to hold your asthma under control.

This narrowing of the air passages is due to several combinations of:

* contraction of muscles around the air passages,

* distension of the airway lining due to airway infection, and,

* extreme mucus in the airways.

About one in 13 adults and one in 8 children have asthma in the western world, and rates are on the grow. It can affect anyone, at any age, anywhere.

Asthma is becoming increasingly frequent in the developed world and is now the most usual chronic condition in the west. Aspects of our contemporary environment such as air pollution, processed foods, and centrally heated, double-glazed houses (an ideal breeding grounds for house dust mites) are thought to be principal contributing factors.

An asthma 'attack' describes the symptoms of tightness in the chest, a wheezing or whistling noise in the chest, coughing, breathlessness, and difficulty breathing that arise when the airways become narrowed, inflamed, and blocked by mucus.

An asthma attack can occur suddenly. However, many people with asthma learn to recognise the warning signs that herald an attack, such as an itchy nose or itchy skin, dizziness or light-headedness, or an irritating cough.

Learning the warning signs can often alert a sufferer in time to take preventive action, such as medication.

Asthma is a chronic condition, which means that attacks can occur over a long period of time. Although there are times when acute episodes strike asthmatics, most asthma sufferers say that there are long periods during which they suffer few, if any asthma symptoms.

Asthma changes progressively during the lifetime of someone who has it. For example, children may grow out of asthma, but some of these people develop asthma again later in life.

Drugs, such as those resembling two of our hormones, help asthma. These two hormones are adrenaline (epinephrine in the USA) and hydrocortisone (a steroid).

There are also other drugs which help treat asthma. Whilst drugs can remove all your symptoms if you have mild asthma, people with more severe or long-standing asthma don't get nearly such good results, so alternate medications are required.

In people who have lifelong asthma, the effectiveness of drugs in removing the obstruction of the airways decreases. One of the aims of treatment, according to current concepts, is to minimise the inflammation in the lung airways which we believe causes this long-term decline.

At a Glance...What is Asthma?

* Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder that makes airways (bronchial tubes) particularly sensitive to irritants, and this is characterized by difficulty in breathing.

* Asthma is a greatly ranked chronic health condition in adults in most western countries, and it is the most important chronic illness of children.

* Asthma cannot be cured, but for most patients it can be controlled so that they have only minimal and infrequent symptoms and they can live an active life.

* If you have asthma, managing it is an significant part of your life. Controlling your asthma means keeping away from things that bother your airways and taking drugs as directed by your physician.

© By Bjorn Gutter

Bjorn Gutter writes articles on a variety of topics. He owns the website Asthma Relief Solutions and writes articles for the blogs Asthma Treatment and Asthma Symptom.

You are welcome to reprint this article only if this resource box is included, and links are intact.

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