Saturday, September 5, 2009

Treating Asthma: What You Can Do

By Kim Archer

Individuals experiencing asthma realize all too well the unpleasant and at times frightening sensations that accompany the helplessness to inhale which happens when the airways become narrowed and lead to critical breathing difficulties. The kind of asthma treatment needed for each person can be different according to the particular factors that set off an attack of asthma. Still, no matter what triggers an attack you must deal with the matter at once to help restore normal breathing and maybe even avoid deadly consequences.

Basically, asthma is a persistent issue with breathing as a result of the bronchial tubes that take air to the lungs becoming narrower, clogged with mucus or swollen and irritated. Asthma treatment commonly includes continuing use of medication, commonly dispensed through an inhaler to supply instantaneous relief. Among the more frequent triggers of an asthma attack are air that is overly cold or hot, tobacco smoke, wood smoke, pollen and pet dander. In fact, allergies and asthma are closely linked.

Although the best method to manage asthma is through avoidance of the triggers, keeping entirely clear of these circumstances will not be feasible all the time. As well, sometimes asthma attacks can be caused by the individual's inherited tendencies and the asthma treatment that was effective for their father or mother might not be as useful for them. Basically, establishing a course of treatment that does the trick for a certain individual could necessitate trying out a range of remedies until an effective one is found. After an effective therapy is established, the person needs to stay with it unless an alternative method is suggested by their health care provider.

There are several medicines normally utilized for asthma treatment and the form of asthma will dictate which one is most appropriate for the individual. Corticosteroids that are inhaled are the most frequently prescribed drugs for inflammation and swelling of the bronchial tubes. For asthma triggered by the airways becoming filled with mucus, beta-2 agonists are the most frequently recommended medications.

Leukotriene modifiers are utilized to clear out the airway while eliminating mucus in the bronchial tubes and minimizing irritation and swelling. But not all of us will respond alike to these medicines and a lot of individuals would prefer to make use of a more natural approach to asthma treatment because of the possibility of negative reactions to several of the steroidal drugs.

A number of the pharmaceuticals intended for asthma treatment are available in the form of either tablets or inhalers. Some of them offer respite for longer than others and many people who experience asthma will also carry with them something known as an emergency relief inhaler that can immediately clear out their airway when they undergo an asthma attack.

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