Colds may aggravate the symptoms of asthma. It is important to understand the symptoms of asthma and the common cold, as well as to understand which drugs can prevent asthma attacks.
What is the difference between asthma and a common cold?
Asthma is associated with inflammation of the bronchioles (the lower respiratory tract). The common cold is the result of rhinovirus infection which affects the mucous membranes of the nose and throat (the upper respiratory tract).
Air enters the nose and trachea and goes into the bronchial tubes. At the end of the bronchial tubes, there are tiny air sacs, called alveoli that deliver fresh air (oxygen) in the blood and in return collect stale air (carbon dioxide). During normal breathing muscle groups surrounding airways are relaxed, whereby the air moves freely. During an asthma attack, the following changes occur that prevent the air to move easily through the airways:
- The groups of muscles surrounding the airways are getting tight. As a result, the airways become narrow; this compression is called bronchospasm;
- The airways become inflamed;
- Cells in airways produce more mucus, which is denser than a normal one.
All of these factors – bronchospasm, inflammation, and production – are the cause of asthma symptoms: shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing and choking.
Colds and respiratory infections are caused by viruses, which also affect the airways, throat, voice box, and bronchioles.
Symptoms of asthma
Each person has different symptoms of asthma, which can also vary from o
ne episode to the next. In the case of asthma, there is not high body temperature, muscle pain or angina. The most common symptoms of asthma are:
- Frequent coughing;
- Dyspnea;
- Wheeze;
- The pressure in the chest;
- Chest pressure.
Most people who never faced asthma consider that they are unlikely to suffer from it. Meanwhile, according to scientists, asthma affects up to 5% of adults and 10% of the child population of the country – many people are simply not aware of the illness! This means every tenth young citizen risk to come by asthmatic complications from colds.
The problem is often complicated by the fact that the patient may have no idea of his illness for a long time. Night coughing, a pressure in the chest, wheezing and other symptoms of early asthma stage are so similar to the “normal” effects of colds! If you leave them without any control, the disease can progress turn into a more severe form after some time.
If we address a doctor for the qualified help at the right time, the asthma is likely to retreat. This is always necessary to take precautions. You should remember of the sudden attacks, it is always necessary to have an effective inhaler for a quick action with. In addition to medicines, the patient with asthma needs a proper diet, moderate sports, special breathing exercises.
Proper vitamization for asthmatics
Hypovitaminosis is scientifically referred to as a lack of vitamins, has a negative impact on the general state of the organism. It deteriorates metabolism, influences blood negatively, loads heart and blood vessels, liver and kidneys.
Therefore, it is important to follow a healthy lifestyle and eat correctly, including vitamin-products, also drink a course of vitamins and minerals in periods of significant stress on the body. This condition activates antibody production, improves the immune system and recovers the mucous of the upper respiratory tract.
What is important for the prevention and fight against the common cold?
Vitamin C. Its main suppliers in the human diet are citrus fruits, rosehips, many berries.
- Effect. Under its influence the viruses trapped in the body cease to proliferate, thus enhancing the immunity;
- Dosage. 100-150 mg. a day is a decent dosage of vitamin C.
Vitamin B. The main sources of these nutrients are cereals, spinach, peas, eggs, nuts, cereals, meat, cheese.
- Effect. Admission of these vitamins contributes to the rapid recovery of the airway epithelium, production of antibodies, normalization of innervation and blood supply in this area;
- Dosage. Every day you need 1-1.2 milligrams of vitamin B.
Vitamin A. This useful substance is contained in carrots, green onions.
- Effect. It leads to the regeneration of damaged cellular structures virus;
- Dosage. Your body needs 1,700 micrograms of the substance daily.
Vitamin E. The sources of this vitamin are nuts, liver, meat, salad.
- Effect. That is antioxidant, which function is is to protect the body at the cellular level from all sorts of damage. Fight with the colds will quickly end in complete victory for the exhausted body due to the activation of the immune system;
- Dosage. For optimal effect, we need 10 milligrams of this vitamin per day.
Unfortunately, the scientists have not found yet the conclusive evidence of vitamin D high role in the prevention of colds. Earlier the medical community has published the evidence that this vitamin has a much greater effect on colds preventive maintenance than vitamin C, and may even substitute it.
However, more recent studies conducted in the New Zealand University of Otago did not confirm this information. Moreover, according to one of the leading researchers, excess intake of this vitamin can be dangerous to human health.
Vitamin D is necessary for the body for proper assimilation of calcium supplied with food. Its presence has no effect on the prevention of colds, and surely do not relieve the symptoms of influenza and acute respiratory disease.
New Zealanders have studied this question more carefully. They increased the term of study from two to eighteen months and attracted hundreds of people to this research. In the end, it turned out that the results of people passing the course of vitaminization and taking placebo did not differ substantially. They fell ill with the same frequency, and duration of illness did not change.
Thus, the only truly effective cold vitamin is ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Take it in a dosage of 1000-1500 mg at the first signs of a cold, and its duration will be reduced to a few days.