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Asthma
The Causes and Risks of
Asthma
Diagnosing Asthma
Complications of Asthma
Treatment of Asthma
Prevention of Asthma
Prevention of asthma
Avoidance of allergens is the most important element for
avoiding asthma attacks. The most common irritant for asthma
sufferers is tobacco smoke. There are literally thousands of
indoor and outdoor irritants, which makes avoidance of all
irritants very difficult to impossible for some asthmatics.
Managing asthma requires constant effort on the part of the
individual with the disease and their doctor. Depending on the
type of asthma, the severity of the disease and the elements
that can trigger it, patient and doctor should work together
to discover the best medications and lifestyle strategies to
manage the disease. For the patient, understanding the
triggers affecting asthma attacks is essential.
Patients should:
1) Develop a well thought out plan for the medications
used to manage the disease, as well as a plan for managing an
asthma attack. Regular visits with the doctor are necessary to
monitor and continually manage the disease.
2) Monitor breathing so that any sign of an attack can
be addressed before a full scale asthma attack occurs.
Coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath can all indicate an
impending attack. Regularly and consistently monitoring lung
functioning with a peak flow meter can indicate potential
onset of an attack prior to wheezing and other signals.
3) Act quickly when an attack occurs so that the amount
of medication needed to control it is as small as possible. If
symptoms continue after taking medication, seek medical help
as determined in your 'action plan'.
The
American
Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology provides
outstanding resources for those suffering from asthma and it's
complications. For parents of asthmatic children,
the Allergy &
Asthmatic Network Mothers of Asthmatics offers excellent
information for both parents and children. |
