7 Misconceptions about Asthma

Almost all asthmatics are well informed about all matters relating to their illness. But the problem is that really suffers from asthma only every tenth, but not all are aware of their disease and treat it, because many people think that asthma is a disease at which people suffocate and call an ambulance. Misconceptions about asthma are revealed by Asthma Inhalers Online.

Misconception №1. Sick Parent – Sick Child

Genetic predisposition to asthma is really inherited. But even if both parents are sick, child’s chances to remain perfectly healthy are rather large – fifty-fifty. However, unfavorable heredity can result in in any other allergic disease.

asthma

Misconception №2. If Asthma has not Appeared in Childhood, it won’t Appear at all

People can get sick with asthma at any age. Among children with asthma – boys predominate, among adults – women more likely to become ill with asthma. Each age has its own characteristics. Children often get sick with allergies. This atopic march, in future capable to cause asthma, can be seen at the very beginning: a child is often sick with dermatitis, then various colds appear (rhinitis), and then asthma symptoms develop. For a child, exposed to a variety of allergic reactions, it is best to find pediatric allergist. He will be able to select appropriate treatment for various childhood diseases and help to minimize suffering from allergies.

Not the last role in of allergic diseases formation smoking plays, which triggers specific antibodies production. To protect your baby, it is not enough to stop smoking during pregnancy, it is important not to smoke at all either at home or close to the child.

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Misconception №3. Asthma – it is Always Attacks of Breathlessness

Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory airways disorder. And asthma attacks are just its acute manifestations. But more often the disease manifests itself in cough, dyspnea, watery eyes, difficulties with breathing. One out of three asthmatics experiences restless sleep: it is necessary to get up to drink hot water, turn on to other side, cough, recover breath. Bronchospasm at night are provoked by allergens, oesophageal reflux, cold air, airway inflammation or physiological changes of circadian rhythms. For many asthmatics, the most difficult time of the day is early morning, just after waking up.

If you are experiencing difficulties with breathing (from tightness in the chest to dyspnea) at night, early in the morning, during exercise, it is necessary to visit doctor and find out why.

Misconception №4. Bronchospasm is Provoked by Allergen

At children, it really is most often case. But sometimes post-exercise bronchospasm syndrome helps to identify asthma at a child. At school such asthmatic, under any excuse refuses from physical exercise, because after exercise ends he has difficulties with breathing. Moreover, it becomes hard to breathe just after exercise. If this happens during exercises, it’s not asthma, but something else: a child is not well trained, or has problems with cardiovascular system.

Adults get sick with allergic and non-allergic asthma. Bronchospasm can be caused by cold air, weather changes, emotional distress, anxiety.

Misconception №5. There is an Alternative to Medicines

Now experts consider asthma as a chronic inflammatory process that must be controlled with medications. Depending on inflammation severity pulmonologist selects anti-inflammatory drugs. It can be inhaled steroids or intal derivatives (cromones) and leukotriene antagonists. Sometimes there are prescribed drugs slowly releasing theophylline. Allergics, especially responding to flower pollen, apply specific immunotherapy. The sooner treatment begins, the smaller doses of medications are selected. Halotherapy (breathing «salty» air), hypoxytherapy (training with breathing air with low oxygen content) are additional methods. They can be useful, but in no case should not be an alternative to basic treatment.

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Misconception №6. To be Treated with Hormones Means to Get «Hooked» on them Forever

Sick people convinced with the old idea of asthma, when it was treated with prednisolone: it was not very efficient and in addition led to complications. Now for asthmatics inhaled corticosteroids are released, which are specially designed for «working» in lungs, where they are held by receptors and have pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. Drug dosage in inhalers are so small that they are practically do not get into blood, so they do not have overall effect, as hormonal pills or intravenous injections, and cause no complications.

Intravenously hormones should be used rarely, but steroids in pills are prescribed, but usually to those who suffer from aggravations. Short (10 – 14 days) courses with high doses considered effective, and then a patient is transferred again to hormonal asthma inhaler.

Now doctors apply stage scheme asthma treatment: assess inflammatory process, pick up dosage that controls it, and then every three months reduce it if possible and define minimum. If you start treatment in time, patient can completely get to such a state, when administration of inhaled steroids is not needed. And here not only drugs are important, but also exercises. If patient can’t endure exercise, then treatment is ineffective and it is necessary to change drugs combination or dosage.

Misconception №7. Pregnancy at Asthma is Undesirable

There are no contraindications for asthmatic woman to became pregnant and give birth. Another thing is that gynecologists sometimes are against: fear of complications. But this will have to be accepted, because every tenth suffers from asthma.

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Before getting pregnant, a woman should come to pulmonologist, to determine treatment safe for the baby and sufficient for expectant mother and her child to breathe very well. Dyspnea at mother (and therefore oxygen starvation of fetus) threatens with premature pregnancy termination and various pathologies of the child. Doctor will help to choose products basing on their effectiveness, safety and financial capabilities. For pregnant triquinoyl hormones are never prescribed (they affect fetus muscular development). Corticosteroids can be used, but still it is desirable to use only those which safety level during pregnancy is proved. Pregnant woman should use asthma inhalers-bronchodilators as rare as possible, so it is necessary to obtain such basic therapy that decreases number of attacks. And, of course, neither she nor the one who lives with her, should not smoke!