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How To Control Asthma
If you are a father of a child with asthma, you are not the only one. There are at least 1.1 million young people suffering from asthma within the United Kingdom. Even though asthma can be a worry, there are many ways to control your child’s asthma so they can go on to live normal and happy lives.
It can be quite hard to discover asthma in the very young young people because of the number of illnesses that they may have that have similar symptoms to asthma. Wheezing is the main symptom of asthma and at least 1 in 7 young people will have some form of wheezing problem in the first 7 years of their lives. Most of the young people who do experience wheezing at a young age will not go on to later develop asthma.
Another reason it is very hard to discover asthma is because it is not particularly easy to test how well a baby or a child’s lungs are performing. The test used (peak flow meter) is unreliable and not 100 per cent accurate in young young people.
You may have to keep a close eye on your young people for other developing symptoms and your doctor will more than likely have you keep a record of all problems and illnesses.
It is possible that even though your child does have asthma that they will grow out of it later on in life. If they don’t grow out of it, the severity of the asthma may weaken as they get older.
There are some medicines available for asthma in young people as well as medicines that will help get an attack under control. The two types of asthma medication available are preventers and relievers. The two work in very different ways and are used depending on the severity of your child’s asthma.
The majority of the medicines available for asthma are taken by using an inhaler and breathing in the medicine into the airways. This way, the medicine goes directly into the lungs helping the child breath more easily. The relievers are used to help the symptoms as and when they actually happen. The preventers are used to actively protect the child’s airways and help reduce the likelihood of an asthma attack and the symptoms. There are other medications available, although the inhalers are the most common prescribed in the United Kingdom.
Some young people may have to go through a small, short dose of steroid treatment for their asthma. This course is usually only 3 days long, but may go on to 5 days. Steroids will bring a severe attack down quickly and help the child recover from an attack. There will not be any other side effects from the steroids as the dosage is low and the course is short.
Asthma in young people doesn’t have to mean the end of playing outside having fun with friends and living a normal life. With the advancement in medicine, asthma is easily controlled. However, be sure to keep a close eye on your young people and if their symptoms get wore or more sever, go back to your doctor.
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Asthma Types
Asthma is a chronic lung condition with ongoing airway inflammation that results in recurring episodes of swelling and blocking of the airways. Exposures to triggers creates this swelling and blockage which can be mild, moderate, severe or fatal. Asthma types determines the treatment that is prescribed.
Treatment of asthma today can improve the ability of students to participate fully in activities even though often times student asthma can be precipitated by exercise. Asthma is classified in a variety of ways and often is described by the trigger that makes the asthma worse or when the asthma is diagnosed. Your asthma type will also determine your treatment options.
The most common asthma type is child –onset asthma which begins in childhood and often happens in a child who likely has a genetic predisposition and has been sensitized to common allergens. When children who have this predisposition (atopic children) are exposed to those potential allergens such as house dust, mites, animal proteins, fungus or other toxins they produce a type of antibody. More exposure to the allergens can lead to an asthmatic response. Interestingly, atopic children are also more prone to eczema that is linked to asthma.
Adult onset asthma type develops after age 20 and is less common than asthma in children. It affects more women than men and can be triggered by allergies but allergic response doesn’t seem to be the most important factor. Other triggers include animal products, forms of plastic, wood dust or metals.
Exercised induced asthma type happens during or after strenuous exercise. This type of response is recognized in up to 80% of people with asthma but it also may be an isolated event. Exercised induced asthma can happen once without other symptoms of asthma every occurring again. The event happens 5-20 minutes after beginning exercise that involves breathing through the mouth.
Because cold weather is a primary trigger for asthma it makes sense that sport games played in the cold weather, such as hockey, running, and cross-country skiing are also likely to trigger an attack.
Cough variant asthma type happens with coughing alone or with wheezing. The coughing variant asthma type can confuse the diagnosis of asthma and be confused with bronchitis and post nasal drip due to hay fever or sinus disease.
Occupational asthma type happens in response to a trigger from the workplace such as contaminants in the air, allergen; although the substances can be encountered in most workplaces it is more common in workers in manufacturing industries.
Nocturnal Asthma type attacks happen between midnight and 8 am. Triggered by allergens in the home the sufferer may not recognize the asthma until they are awakened at night by wheezing and shortness of breath. There may or may not be a relationship between nocturnal and daytime asthma.
There are several asthma types that can be diagnosed and happen concurrently in people. The child-onset asthmatic may also have cough variant or exercise induced asthma type. Don’t diagnose yourself from personal reading. Instead, get a diagnosis and treatment plan from your physician.
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Asthma Testing
Asthma is a chronic lung condition which affects the ability to breath. Sufferers feel a heavy chest, wheezing, tightness, shortness of breath and coughing. Doctors will often have their patients undergo specific asthma testing to determine if the symptoms match the disease. There are several different testing for asthma that are possible. Some are used for diagnosis while others are used to track the condition over time.
Diagnosing and testing for asthma requires an assessment by the doctor as well as tests such as a peak flow examination, pulmonary function tests, methacholine provocation test or allergy testing.
Doctors can use a peak flow meter in the office for one asthma test. This examination involves the patient blowing quickly and forcefully into a special tube that measures the output of air. It is important that the patient first take a big breath and attempt to empty the lungs completely before taking another big breath and breathing quickly and forcefully blowing into the end of the tube. The biggest mistake that patients make is to breath slowly through the tube. This special instrument will measure the amount of air that the patient can release. This is a good measurement whether the lungs are holding onto air in the alveoli, one of the hallmarks of asthma.
During testing for asthma the doctor will probably order a pulmonary function test or PFT. PFT exams are usually done within a small glass chamber. The patient sits on a chair and speaks with the technologist through microphones and speakers. The patient will breathe into a machine that records information digitally through a computer. There are several different functions that are tested both before and after using a bronchodilater. The test will evaluate the function of the lungs.
Another asthma test is the methacholine provocation test. Basically lung function tests are performed after the patient takes a small dose of methacholine, which will cause a narrowing of the airways in people who are susceptible.
Testing for asthma may include allergy testing since allergens are triggers to asthma attacks. Allergy tests are used to find out if allergies are causing your symptoms of asthma.
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic reported in September 2006 that an asthma test called the exhaled nitric oxide test, commonly used for asthma patients, can also help to predict which chronic cough patients would be helped by inhaled corticosteroids, an asthma inhaled medication. In this test the patient breathes into a device four to five times over 10 minutes. The machine measures the amount of nitric oxide in the exhaled air, which helps to evaluate the amount of inflammation in the airways.
Using Spirometry the doctor can measure how well the lungs exhale especially in patients who have chronic obstructive disease such as asthma or COPD. Patients with asthma can’t exhale a normal volume of air. In this test the patient breathes into a mouthpiece that is connected to a spirometer. This instrument records the amount of air and the rate that air is breathed in and out over a specified amount of time.
This asthma testing is risk free and easy to perform. The most costly test is the pulmonary function tests done in the laboratory. Testing for asthma will help you and your doctor gain better control over your disease and help to monitor the progress of this condition.
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Asthma Signs and Symptoms
Asthma is a chronic condition that affects the respiratory system of tens of thousands of people around the world. Sufferers often describe an episode or attack as feeling like a metal band tightening around their chest. Asthma signs and symptoms are varied depending upon the individual. There are common asthma signs and symptoms and then there are those that are more individualized to the sufferer.
Early signs are experienced before the start of an asthma attack or episode. These early asthma signs and symptoms can be unique to each person and they can also be unique on different asthma attack occasions. Some of the early signs will be noticed only the sufferer, while others are more likely to be noticed by others.
These early asthma signs and symptoms include, but are not limited to, breathing changes, faster heart rate, dark circles under the eyes, a downward trend in peak flow values, feeling tired, poor exercise tolerance, headache, runny nose, moodiness, sadness, sweaty, fever, wants to be alone, chin or throat itches. Parents must evaluate these early asthma signs and symptoms when children are the sufferers. Often children often want to avoid an attack and believe by ignoring the signs they may accomplish it.
In mid episode the asthma signs and symptoms include wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest, shortness of breath and peak flow values that may be in the caution or danger range. Children may have audible wheezing that can be heard without a stethoscope and listening at the chest.
In severe asthma the asthma signs and symptoms are life-threatening. When these symptoms are presenting the sufferer should be taken directly to an emergency room for treatment as they are probably danger of a respiratory arrest and death. At this points asthma has depleted their body and it is unable to take in adequate oxygen to maintain bodily functions.
These severe asthma signs and symptoms are difficulty talking or concentrating, walking causes shortness of breath, hunched shoulders (called posturing), nostrils are flaring to take in as much air as possible, gray or blue tint to the skin beginning around the mouth, and the final sign before respiratory arrest is drooling as the sufferer is working so hard to breath that they can’t manage their own saliva.
In a study published in the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology in 2007 researchers from Norway discovered that there were also signs and symptoms of asthma in the upper airway of patients with asthma as opposed to the traditional lower respiratory symptoms that are generally reported. Those symptoms included nasal blockage, mouth breathing, itching, sneezing and hearing impairments.
Patients with asthma also show an increased amount of sleepiness during the daytime because the co-morbidity with obstructive sleep apnea. In a study published in 2006 from the University of Cincinnati researchers found a strong correlation between women who snored and had asthma with atopy. People who are atopic have allergies to inhaled allergens which increase in antibodies IgE. People who are atopic also have a higher risk to eczema.
Recognizing the signs and symptoms of asthma is an important part of managing this condition. Patients, teachers, and trainers should know the early and warning signs of asthma so that treatment can be initiated immediately. An accurate assessment of the current situation will help to determine if treatment should start where you are, at home, at the doctors office or the emergency room.
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Asthma Research Studies
Asthma is a chronic, sometimes debilitating condition that affects both adults and children. It decreases the ability of the person to take in air and life sustaining oxygen. When the bronchial tree constricts and the alveolar sacs inflate the sufferer isn’t able to get enough oxygen. They often cough or wheeze in an attempt to clear the lungs and get more air. This can leave them with a heavy feeling in their lungs or shortness of breath.
Recent asthma research studies have found several genes found to have a causative factor in the development of asthma. These new genetic links may prove very useful, not only in the diagnosis but also the treatment of this condition. With the knowledge of how the disease is triggered possible preventative measures can be instituted.
Researchers from the University of Erlangen, Germany, recently asked if asthma research studies have reached a dead end. Despite enormous therapeutic advances asthma continues to be diagnosed in high numbers. Scientists have learned much about the way that asthma works, or doesn’t work, but there is still an urgent need for new treatments.
Published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in 2003 scientists from London asked about the direction and priorities of basic asthma research studies. After a review of the most current studies the group determined that future research should be aimed at the genetic structure of people who appear to more prone to asthma as well as continued human research on tissue to understand the disease at the cellular and molecular level. The scientists believed that a collaboration at all levels between research groups would benefit the end result.
In one of asthma research studies published in the Journal of Urban Health in 2004 researchers looked at the diagnosis and treatment of asthma. Among those participants that met the criteria for moderate to severe asthma over 30% had not been diagnosed by a doctor and over ½ were not taking daily medication. Over 25% had not taken medication in the past year. Screening surveys done within the community identified large numbers of children who were undiagnosed or untreated. Treatment of these children would reduce morbidity (illness) and improve their quality of life.
In another of asthma research studies published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in 2004 a team of researchers from New Mexico looked at the perception of risk associated with research procedures among teens, parents and doctors. They concluded that the participants viewed the procedures as more beneficial than risky. Overall the risk rankings were similar. There were between group differences in rating of risk associated with venipuncture (blood draw) and experimental medication. Parents and teens rated the benefit of placebo significantly higher than did the pediatricians.
Asthma research studies help researchers and scientists to develop better plans of treatment and better medications to treat and control the condition. In a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health in 2005 researchers from the Center for Family and Adolescent Research in Eugene, Oregon compared the willingness of adolescents and parents to participate in research protocols that researchers rated at minimal or above minimal risk. This study concluded that parents and the teens viewed the protocols differently and had a varied opinion about participation.
Only through continued asthma research studies will more information continue to emerge that will help both the diagnosis and treatment of this condition. With increased information about the mechanism of action of this disease there lies the possibility that more preventative measures can be instituted.
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