Asthma in general

Are Air Purifiers Beneficial for Asthmatics?

2007-06-21T20:20:00.000-07:00

Environmental studies have revealed that the air inside homes is dirtier than the air outside. People living in congested homes or localities usually live in dirty air.

The best way to deal with this problem is to purchase a good air purifier. An air purifier is a device that cleans the air. It assists in air purification by freeing the air from pollutants and contaminants.

Air purifiers are very beneficial for people suffering from allergies due to air pollutants, and asthma. The allergy inducing particles may come as dust or pollen, pet dander or mold spores.

A home air purifier removes these particles. It also provides protection against hazardous smoke particles and airborne gases that may intrude into the house and bedrooms. It offers a great protection against second hand smoke. Air purifiers convert the dirty and contaminated air into clean air and offer a morning fresh aroma to the whole house.

Different air purifiers use different air purification techniques including mechanical filters, adsorbents like charcoal, and electrostatic charges or ionizers. The additional setups include germicidal UV light and the emission of ions into the air to react with contaminants, making them harmless enough to breathe.

Benefits of air purifiers for asthmatics:

Air purifiers alleviate asthma, and the best air purifier can totally remove the causes by providing high quality air purification. It improves the living of asthma sufferers by air filtration, reducing the dust floating in the air, filtering second hand smoke, and purifying the air of chemical pollutants, car exhaust fumes or other contaminants.

Controversy:

The critics of air purifiers opine that the air purifiers don’t offer any significant help to asthma sufferers. They feel that the media has over hyped the devices, and that they can’t completely purify the air. Air purifiers can’t provide complete protection against secondhand smoke, and cannot completely remove carbon monoxide.

The ionizing air purifiers are particularly under fire. They have kicked up a row that all ionizing models produce ozone (O3 poisonous allotrope of oxygen) that can worsen asthma and decrease lung function. Recent studies are supporting the fact.

About The Author

Paul MacIver writes articles on a variety of topics. For further information on home air purifiers visit http://ultimate-air-purifiers.info or http://www.about-air-ionizers.info to read more about air purification equipment. You are welcome to reprint this article only if this resource box is included, and links are intact.

Asthmatics – Don't Suffer At Altitude!

2007-06-21T20:19:00.000-07:00

Some kinds of exercise cause problems for asthmatics. Activities like climbing and skiing have an additional problem. Not only are there the exercise problems, but the altitude itself can cause an additional challenge of its own.

It is possible that people with asthma are more likely to be affected by altitude sickness. But what is altitude sickness? And why should asthma sufferers be more likely to suffer from it?

Simply put, people who live at lower altitudes can become ill when they visit high areas. They can feel light-headed, suffer from headache, suffer from fatigue, insomnia and palpitations, or experience lack of appetite, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.

One of the most acute collections of symptoms is around breathing difficulties; liquid accumulates in the lungs.

Will altitude affect your asthma?

The conditions are high altitudes are often dry and cold, and these conditions tend to worsen or trigger asthma. If your asthma is triggered by cold conditions, you might find that high altitudes are a problem, as the air temperature usually decreases at higher altitudes.

Bear in mid, though, that fit, healthy people with well-controlled asthma should have no problems coping with high altitudes, provided that they go up slowly. Recognise and accept your limitations. Make sure you have all your medicines with you. You may need to adjust your dose, and to plan your intake before, through and after your activity.

But be careful. In freezing conditions, pressurized inhalers may not work properly. They should be warmed (e.g. in the hands) before use.

Take it easy

Climbing and skiing can be very strenuous exercise and may trigger exercise-induced asthma in some people.

Some kinds of asthma may be eased

If your asthma is triggered by house-dust mites, you may even find that your asthma improves. Surprised? Why should this be? Simply because the house-dust mite cannot survive at altitudes higher than 'the snow line'.

Take time to acclimatize

People with asthma who fly directly into a place that is at high altitude will not have time to acclimatize and may experience problems. So talk to your doctor so that the altitude if you're flying to a high-altitude destination several weeks before you leave. This will allow you time to work out a personal asthma action plan for the trip.

Your plan might involve increasing your preventer treatment for several weeks before the trip to give the airways extra protection. Or measuring peak flow while away to determine how altitude is affecting your lung function. Or even simple things like ensuring that you have enough medication and backup medication.

Take care when exercising

Make sure you feel right at any particular altitude before going higher. If you start feeling breathless, slow down. Drink plenty of water, and eat small snacks often to prevent altitude sickness. And, do tell your fellow climbers and skiers that you're asthmatic.

Remember to take everything in stages, talk to your doctor and keep your medicines to hand, and you should have a better time this winter.

About The Author

David Drinkall is a life-long asthma sufferer, and owner of AsthmaExperience.com - http://www.asthmaexperience.com. He can be contacted at enquiries@asthmaexperience.com.

Asthma Education Information You MUST Consider Before Marriage... If Both Of You Are Asthmatic

2007-06-21T20:17:00.000-07:00

Love can be a very strong feeling that can survive any difficulty that comes to a relationship. Think carefully though when it comes to deciding if children are right for you if both you and your intended spouse have asthma. Hereditary issues can increase the risk of having children who will end up suffering with asthma!

Is it love if two people knowingly bring a child into the world to go through life with the physical and psychological challenges because of asthma? There are many stresses and strains on a marriage without the problems of dealing with asthmatic children.

As you already know, asthmatic children, like you, can radically change the dynamic of a family. One of the major causes of asthma are hereditary factors. In many cases, asthma is passed from a parent to the child. So, if both of you have asthma, it is most likely that one will pass it over to your children if greatly increased. This is not a certainty, but the chances of it happening are very high and something that should be considered.

It has been confirmed by some experts that a person who has a parent with asthma is three to six times far more likely to develop asthma during his life time than a person who doesn't have a parent with asthma.

If this statement is true, then it is true also that if both parents have asthma, the chance of the child having asthma goes up dramatically. Statistically speaking, 40% of children who have asthmatic parents will eventually grow up and develop asthma!

So, am I saying couples who have asthma should not get married?

Not necessarily.

Instead couples with asthma need to recognize that this may be a very real possibility in the future. They should have a complete understanding of what could be the result of their getting married and be prepared to handle it.

There is no point regretting later in life when you start having children who have asthma. It is best to know what to expect and be prepared to handle it.

Talk to your doctor and get his or her advice and be prepared on the things to do to make the condition favorable if you eventually give birth to children with asthma.

This is necessary because early detection of asthma can help protect your baby's life than if you were not aware of it at all.

If couples with asthma know what to expect, they would be better prepared to deal with it than if they were ignorant.

So, before getting married as asthmatic victims, understand what to expect regarding the possibility of asthmatic children.

About The Author

Abigail Franks writes on a variety of subjects which include family, health, and Home. For More information on Asthma and Asthma treatment options go to http://www.asthma-treatment-resources.com and http://www.asthma-treatment-resources.com/asthma-education.html

Colostrum May Help Prevent Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

2007-06-19T18:38:00.000-07:00

A 2003 study by the Health Sciences Department of the University of South Australia suggests that taking concentrated bovine colostrum supplements could reduce the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections.

The study involved subjects being randomly allocated to consume 60g/day of Colostrum for eight weeks, then examining their occurrence of symptoms. Results from the first week were kept separate from those from the last seven weeks.

The results showed that during the first week of supplementation, there was no measurable difference in symptoms in the proportion of subjects taking the supplement as opposed to those who didn't. During the subsequent seven weeks, however, a much lower percentage of the subjects taking Colostrum reported upper respiratory infection related symptoms.

Symptom duration, however, did not differ. This suggests that the immune benefits achieved by Colostrum can be very good in terms of being a preventative, but that it does not have any measurable effect on an infection once it has already taken hold. That is why it is important to use Colostrum properly, as a preventative, and not depend on it to cure illness.

These overall results of this research study show that while Concentrated Bovine Colostrum doesn't take effect immediately, it does have definite immune enhancing and infection preventing effects when taken consistently, over an extended period of time.

About The Author

Jeremy Maddock is the webmaster of http://www.immunewellness.com - your source for high quality information about a variety of health products, including Colostrum (www.immunewellness.com/colostrum.htm).

Lungs - The Respiration Necessity

2007-06-19T18:35:00.001-07:00

The lungs are massive vessel-like organs in the chest cavity. They are the largest and most essential part of the respiration system. The air we breathe enters and exits our lungs through two passages; the bronchioles and the bronchi. Lungs' main responsibility is to take oxygen from the atmosphere and transport it into the bloodstream. It then excretes carbon dioxide from blood into the atmosphere. This gas exchange happens through specialized cells that form many millions of thin-walled air sacs. Some non-respiratory functions are also performed by the lungs.

In single celled bacteria and other small organisms, the respiration process of gas exchange can happen through simple diffusion. In large organisms, however, this is impossible, because a very small amount of cells in large organisms are located close enough to the surface for diffusion to take place. Two major changes made it possible for all organisms to attain multi-cellularity. One being an efficient circulatory system to transport gases to and from all tissues in the body. The other is a large respiratory system. The respiratory system centralizes the responsibility of collecting oxygen from the atmosphere and brings it into the body, where it can be rapidly sent to tissues through the circulatory system.

Lungs also have several jobs that do not include the respiratory function. A main job for the lungs is to protect the heart. They surround the heart and act as cushions to soften any blow that the heart may have to endure. Without this padding, simply bumping into someone could be fatal. Another responsibility of this organ is to influence the concentration of biologically active drugs and other substances which are used in medicine. Filtering out small blood clots formed in the systemic veins is another task performed by the lungs.

About The Author

Tyler Brooker is the owner and operator of Lungs Spot - http://www.lungsspot.com, which is the best site on the internet for all lungs related information.

White Wine's Influence on the Lungs

2007-06-14T21:28:00.001-07:00

For years now, we've been praising the health benefits of red wine, raising our glasses and toasting Merlot as bottles of white wine sit in the corner, fermenting with jealously. Because red wine has been known to have a positive impact on the human body, with particular profits to the cardiovascular system, we drink it and we heart it.

Not to be outdone by its colorful adversary, studies have recently found white wine to be beneficial to health as well. While both red and white wine aid in lung function, white wine has a more positive impact on lung health.

According to a study by the American Thoracic Society, a positive link between white wine and lung health was found for people who drank between one and three glasses a day. These people possessed overall better lung function than those who drank red wine, or other alcoholic beverages. This study also took into account several other variables such as the wine drinker's general health, age, and whether or not they were a smoker.

Because white wine contains higher levels of flavonoids, a group of plant substances known for their antioxidant activity, researchers believe that white wine soaks up the toxins in the blood, like a "mop and glo" for the thorax, reducing inflammation of the airwaves in the process. This helps protect the lungs.

Drinking white wine may also be beneficial because of the presence of free radicals lurking in the human body. If antioxidants are the "peacekeepers" of the chemical compound world, with their main goal being to keep the body void of disease and destruction, free radicals are the bad seeds, often caught red handed spraying graffiti of cancer and illness on internal organs. Consumption of white wine, however, possesses the ability to stop the creation of free radicals, taking away their can of spray paint and leaving them enervated.

All of these factors add up to better lung function, with each glass increasing respiratory performance. According to a study at the University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, one glass of white wine produced 1.5% higher lung function. Three glasses of white wine produced 3.0% higher lung function. This is not to say that people should be chugging gallons and gallons - huge amounts of white wine won't give people the ability to breathe underwater - but drinking white wine in moderation may make a human's lungs operate at a higher level of performance. This can, on average, add one to three more years to a person's life span.

With red wine bragging about its ability to lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure, white wine has been left in the shadows, unable to boast about a benefit of its own. But, with new studies, people are learning that white wine may be as beneficial as red, its benefits just involve a different organ. If our hearts belong to red wine, our lungs belong to white, allowing both white wine drinkers and bottles of overzealous Pinot Gris to breathe a little easier.

About The Author

Jennifer Marie Jordan is the senior editor at www.savoreachglass.com. With a vast knowledge of wine etiquette, she writes articles on everything from how to hold a glass of wine to how to hold your hair back after too many glasses. Ultimately, she writes her articles with the intention that readers will remember wine is fun and each glass of anything fun should always be savored.

Pneumonia: Easy Steps To Control Lung Inflammation & AIDS

2007-06-09T18:49:00.001-07:00

KNOWING PNEUMONIA

Pneumonia refers to lung inflammation. There are 50 such lung inflammatory ailments. During such situations, the lungs inevitably experience build up of fluids. Several micro-organisms cause pneumonia. Pneumonic inflammation of the lungs occurs due to collection of cellular wastes and blood cells within the air sacs within the lungs. Such pneumonic inflammation creates breathing problems.

PNEUMONIA CAUSES

Pneumonia is caused by infections. The culprits responsible for causing such pneumonic infections are protozoa or fungi, mycoplasma, rickettsia, and bacteria. Respiratory infections caused by rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, and influenza virus can also lead to pneumonia. Most of the viral pneumonia cases are mild. They also resolve within a week’s time with or without any particular treatment.

HOW DANGEROUS CAN PNEUMONIA BE

Every year, 90,000 deaths are reported to be because of pneumonia in the United States. What is more, approximately five million pneumonia cases are registered in that country.

PNEUMONIA CAN BE LIFE THREATENING

If detected early, a person with a good constitution and proper treatment can recover quickly from an influenza bout. However, acute pneumonia attacks can be life threatening as well. More often than not, pneumonia can prove to be fatal to patients having weak immune systems. Even healthy persons can have complicacies if pneumonia is not detected early. There can be serious consequences if pneumonia patients fail to get effective and prompt treatment.

LOBAR PNEUMONIA

Lobar pneumonia is an acute form of infection. It is caused by the Pneumococcus bacterium. The generic name of this bacterium is Streptococcus pneumoniae. Lobar pneumonia usually follows an extreme form of viral respiratory infection, particularly of the upper respiratory tract. The symptoms of lobar pneumonia are chest pain during breathing, or cough and fever accompanied by chill and shaking. The patient’s body temperature hovers around 104° F (roughly 40° C). The sputum is blood streaked.

Notably, most of the deaths before the invention of antibiotics were due to lobar pneumonia. Lobar pneumonia generally attacks a lung lobe or a portion of it. At times, lobar pneumonia strikes both the lungs; then it is known as double pneumonia.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF BACTERIAL PNEUMONIAS

Besides the Streptococcus pneumoniae, the other bacterial pneumonias fall in the bronchopneumonias category. Bronchopneumonias fever is lower compared to the one experienced in Streptococcus pneumoniae. Moreover, bronchopneumonias symptoms appear slower than the Streptococcus pneumoniae signs. The bronchopneumonias primarily target the bronchial tubes known as the bronchioles. Since these small tubes are located nearest the lungs, they may become rather dangerous. The bacteria that can cause bronchopneumonias are streptococci, different types of staphylococci, Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and pneumococcus besides the bacterium causing the Legionnaires’ disease, namely Legionella pneumophilia.

PNEUMONIA FORMS

There are basically three forms of pneumonia. They are atypical pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a mono cell organism lacking nucleus; the pneumonia caused by the harmless protozoan Pneumocystis carinii; and Chlamydia pneumoniae.

Atypical pneumonia: This is a common type of pneumonia. Outbreaks of such forms of pneumonia are generally witnessed among students in educational institutions and also among soldiers. Normally, atypical pneumonia resolves by itself. However, antibiotics can also bring about relief. It is caused by a minute prokaryotic organism known as Mycoplasma pneumoniae. This single-celled micro organism is neither a virus nor a bacterium.

Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia: This form of pneumonia is caused by the protozoan Pneumocystis carinii. This micro organism is usually harmless. Such pneumonic incidences are common among people suffering from impaired immune syndromes or also among many leukemia patients. This form of pneumonia has been the primary cause of deaths among people suffering from AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

Chlamydia pneumoniae: Chlamydia pneumoniae is a contagious ailment caused by the Chlamydia set of bacteria. Chlamydia pneumoniae affects the upper respiratory tract. Chlamydia pneumoniae infections can also strike the bronchitis, pneumonitis, and the pharyngitis. Chlamydia pneumoniae can also lead to heart attacks and coronary heart diseases. Besides Chlamydia pneumoniae, the other two species of Chlamydia bacteria are Chlamydia psittaci and Chlamydia trachomatis.

THE SECOND MAIN CAUSE OF DEATH IN USA

Chlamydia pneumoniae has been identified as the second main cause of pneumonia in US. Anybody between the ages of five to 35 can be affected by Chlamydia pneumoniae. The Chlamydia pneumoniae bouts are usually mild in nature. The Chlamydia pneumoniae symptoms are fever and cough. At times, there can be more sputum production. Sputum is a mixture of various mucus and saliva. It arises from the respiratory tracts.

CHLAMYDIA PNEUMONIAE SYMPTOMS

The Chlamydia pneumoniae symptoms may not be very visible initially. Or, at times, the Chlamydia pneumoniae signs may also point to the other forms of Chlamydia dysfunctions. One type is the chlamydia type of illnesses caused by various strains of the trachomatis species. Another severe type of chlamydia disease is caused by a strain of the fly-borne Chlamydia trachomatis.

DIAGNOSING CHLAMYDIA PNEUMONIAE

To diagnose Chlamydia pneumoniae infections, patients generally have to undergo various tests. These include cell cultures that exclude other illnesses with similar symptoms. The other ailments having similar symptoms are candidiasis, trichomoniasis, herpes, and gonorrhea. The modern method of diagnosing Chlamydia infections are immunoassays blood tests. These examinations pinpoint the specific antibody that may have been constituted by the patient’s immune system against chlamydia infection.

In 1939, major advances were made in pneumonia therapy. Their wider application lowered pneumonia from the third to the fifth leading cause of death in the USA.

TREATING PNEUMONIA

More often than not, antibiotics effectively deal with the majority forms of bacterial pneumonia. For patients above 50 years, and for those suffering from the most acute types of pneumococcus, physicians generally recommend a vaccine. It also grants the people immunity against these virulent pneumonia states. The vaccine is further given as an immunity measure to patients who have chronic liver, lung or heart ailments.

About The Author

Nilutpal Gogoi is a writer and a freelance journalist. He has published more than 1000 articles and a popular adventure book for children. For more information log on to http://www.makehealthcare.com/ http://www.yournicelife.com/ http://www.purejoyhealth.com/

Garlic Compound Allicin Prevents Chronic Pulmonary Hypertension

2007-06-09T18:48:00.001-07:00

A study suggested that eating two cloves of raw garlic a day could protect against a severe form of pulmonary hypertension.

The study was performed on rats. A small dose of monocrotalline was used on rats to induce vasoconstriction of the pulmonary arteries. Within three weeks, the control group of rats developed chronic pulmonary hypertension with pulmonary arterial pressure markedly increased while the group pf rats that received small doses of allicin, an active metabolite from garlic, in their diet did not develop the disease.

The study also found that it was allicin that plays the role in the prevention of the severe pulmonary hypertension. Garlic if heated or with allicin stripped does not have the protective effect.

The researchers demonstrated that this protective effect was achieved through vasorelaxation or reduction in tension of the blood vessel walls.

Garlic has been known for long to be medicinally beneficial to the human health. It may help lower blood pressure, decrease ischemic injury, reduce blood cholesterol, inhibit platelet functions and increase thrombolysis or destruction of a thrombus.

Allicin was proved in a separate study by the same group "to protect coronary vascular function and lessen the severity of right heart hypertrophy, two of the serious byproducts of chronic pulmonary hypertension", according to the news released by Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

Although the study was conducted on rats, it's expected that garlic has the same effect on humans. The effective amount used on rats is equivalent to about two cloves of garlic a day for humans.

The study was conducted by Dr. David D. Ku and colleagues from University of Alabama at Birmingham. Results of the study were presented on April 2 at the Experimental Biology 2005 meeting in San Diego.

About The Author

Dr. John Roberts is a freelance writer for http://foodconsumer.org. Contact him at foodconsumer@spamarrest.com if you have any questions.

Living with Asthma

2007-06-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

If you have asthma, managing it is an important part of your life. Controlling your asthma means staying away from things that bother your airways and taking medicines as directed by your doctor. If you have asthma, it is important to learn how to take care of yourself.

MAKE AN ACTION PLAN WITH YOUR DOCTOR

It is important that you work with your doctor to make an action plan that you are both happy with. As part of this, you will need to:

* Tell your doctor about all other medications and drugs you are taking, in case one of them affects your asthma.

* Follow your asthma action plan and have regular checkups.

* Learn to use your medication correctly. Ask your doctor to teach you how to use your inhaler. This is very important. If inhalers are not used correctly, less medication gets into the airways.

* If you are having problems taking your asthma medicine, seek your doctor's advice immediately.

IDENTIFY YOUR ASTHMA TRIGGERS

You also need to learn to identify and avoid the things that can worsen or trigger your asthma symptoms.

* If animal dander is a problem for you, keep your pet out of the house and/or at least out of your bedroom and wash your pet often - or even find it a new home.

* Do not smoke or allow smoking in your home.

* If pollen is a problem for you, stay indoors with the air conditioner on when the pollen count is high.

* To control dust mites, wash your sheets, blankets, pillows, and stuffed toys once a week in hot water. You can get special dust proof covers for your mattress and pillows.

* To prevent colds and flu, wash your hands often and get a flu shot every year. Children with asthma should get flu shots, too.

* If cold air bothers you, wear a scarf over your mouth and nose in the winter.

* If you get asthma when you exercise or do routine physical activities like climbing stairs, work with your doctor to find ways to be active without having asthma symptoms. Physical activity is important.

* If you are allergic to sulphites, avoid foods (like dried fruit) or beverages (like wine) that contain them. For example, sodium metabisulphite (E220–227) may also trigger asthma, but not via an allergic reaction. It can be found in wine, home-brewed beer, fizzy drinks, prepared meats and prepared salads.

* Do not allow smoking indoors unless there is a room reserved for smokers and which has a separate ventilation system to exhaust smoke outside. Never allow smoking around anyone with asthma.

* Try to keep humidity levels in the home between 30 and 50 percent. High humidity can promote growth of biological agents that may trigger asthma episodes. Use exhaust fans or open windows in the kitchen or bathroom areas when cooking, using the dishwasher, or taking showers. Make sure clothes dryers are vented to the outdoors, and use a dehumidifier in the basement if necessary.

* Avoid using humidifiers. If it cannot be avoided, clean it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Refill it daily with fresh water to prevent the growth of harmful microbes.

* Minimize exposure to combustion particles and gases that can cause breathing difficulties for people with asthma. Have combustion-powered furnaces, stoves, or heaters checked yearly to make sure they are operating properly. Change furnace filters according to the manufacturer’s instructions, or every month or two during periods of use. Consider installing higher efficiency filters to reduce the number of particles in the air. Never use a gas stove to heat the home, and always use the exhaust fan when cooking on a gas stove.

* Avoid sprays like deodorants, perfumes, or air fresheners, odours from paint, and strong smelling cleaners may start a child's asthma attack.

* Keep the house clean to reduce allergens like microscopic dust mites, pollen, and animal dander. Use an allergen-proof comforter and encase mattresses and box springs in vinyl covers. Wash bedding frequently in hot (130°F) water. Avoid furnishings that collect dust.

MONITOR YOUR ASTHMA

If your asthma is not under control, there will be signs that you should not ignore. The following are some signs that your asthma is getting worse:

* Your asthma symptoms happen more often.

* Your asthma symptoms are worse than they used to be.

* Your asthma symptoms are bothering you a lot at night and making you lose sleep.

* You are missing school or work because of your asthma.

* Your peak flow number is low or varies a lot from morning to evening.

* Your asthma medications do not seem to be working very well anymore.

* You have to use your short-acting "quick relief" or "rescue" inhaler more often. (Using quick relief medicine every day, or using more than one inhaler a month is too much)

* You have to go to the emergency room or doctor because of an asthma attack.

* You end up in the hospital because of your asthma.

If your asthma seems to be getting worse, see your doctor. You may need to change your medication or take other actions to get your asthma under control.

For further information on asthma, visit http://www.asthmaexperience.com.

About The Author

David Drinkall is a lifelong asthma sufferer and owner of AsthmaExperience.com (www.asthmaexperience.com).

Information On Asthma For Grown Ups

2007-05-31T16:26:00.000-07:00

Adults and Asthma

This article talks about Asthma for the grown up and elderly. We know that asthma has many medical implications.

Adult asthma normally comes from one of three conditions. First off, some adults that have had asthma their entire lives or that have had it since childhood are in one condition. In the second, the asthma was there during childhood and then all symptoms of asthma were gone for a period of time and then sometime later in their adult life, asthma has come back. Finally, there are those adults that are first getting asthma during their adult years. In this case, the asthma is almost always brought on by occupational asthma conditions, or poor working conditions or exposure to triggers that over time developed into asthma in the individual.

Anyone that has asthma, including the adult, can find the help that they need in treating and living with it. As you will learn as an asthma patient, there are many types of medications on the market that can be used to treat asthma both in the episodes that you may experience (asthma attacks) as well as in the day to day living arrangements. Those that have had asthma as a child and then had no symptoms of asthma for much of their life only to have it resurface are often the hardest patients to treat. Here, something, possibly contaminants or even infection, has caused the resurgence of the asthma and it is often a severe case when this happens.

In cases where occupational asthma is the culprit, it is often the asthma specialist’s first course of action to determine what the trigger is that is causing the asthma outbreaks. Then, the first treatment for this type of asthma will be to avoid that trigger. Of course, your doctor will help you to determine what that is and will work with you to determine just what can be done to help provide you with relief from your asthma. Even as an adult, it is important to seek out the help you need for asthma.

About The Author

Roger Thompson writes about asthma, health related issues and jobs for http://www.Idohealthcare.com.

Why Do You Have Asthma?

2007-05-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

Asthma is an inflammatory condition where your bronchiales constrict causing breathing difficulties. Your bronchioles become inflamed for a variety of physical, emotional and environmental reasons. It is not contagious so, you cannot catch it from another person.

But what is the real cause asthma? Why do some people develop asthma and why is asthma more common in the western world?

Inheriting Asthma

However, you can inherit the asthma tendency from your parents, although people with asthma should not worry about their future children on this score.

Studies show that children whose parents smoke are twice as likely to develop asthma as children of non-smoking parents. Also, children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy tend to be born with smaller airways, which greatly increases their chances of developing the disease.

The "westernised" environment and lifestyle in developed countries has a lot to do with the chances of whether a person will develop asthma or not.

Many people believe air pollution has something to do with asthma, although the evidence, at this stage, is surprisingly very weak.

Allergies

Causes of asthma include allergies to house dust mites, cats, dogs, and moulds.

Childhood infections and exposure to substances from bacteria in a dirty environment seem to protect against allergies, and this seems to be the main reason why richer populations have more allergic disease.

So the causes of asthma are complicated. They include genetics, exposure to chemical irritants and pollution, a low immune system, emotional or mental problems, allergies to certain foods.

Almost all asthma in young people is cause by allergies. This means that if you have asthma you probably have inherited genes which make it possible for you to get asthma. Add to this, allergy-producing things in your environment, such as house dust mites, cats, or dog and your asthma get worse.. The allergies and the genes are the causes for developing asthma, because if either of them were not present you would not developed asthma.

But, what about colds, exercise, laughter, or tobacco smoke, which are asthma triggers?

You can't cure your asthma by not doing exercise, or by not laughing. Quite simply, these are not causes of asthma, though they can be causes of an attack.

The type of interior house paint can apparently make asthma worse. Glossy oil paints used for home decorating can bring on asthma attacks. The good news is that emulsion paints don't seem to do this.

Polyurethane paints, usually recognisable because they come in two packs which need to be mixed together before use, can cause occupational asthma in people who use them regularly. However, they probably cause no great risk in people with asthma who use them infrequently. As always, when using chemicals and paints, it is surely a good idea to ventilate the area well during and after use.

Emotional issues

Now, deep seated emotionally issue can be the cause of asthma. When emotion is embedded into the body, it has to express itself in a way that its electrical charge can be released. This release happens over and over as outside situations trigger the memory.

The way an embedded emotion issue choses to express itself is by the path of least resistance. If your heart is weak, the emotional issue will pound your heart. If your joints are weak, it will pound your joints. If your bronchia or lungs are weak, it will pound them and eventually weaken those more, leading you to asthma or other respiratory diseases.

Early on everyone should be aware of their family illness history. This is something that is seldom considered. If it were, you could take preventative measures if you knew you were prone to asthma. Choosing the right foods and keeping specific body organs or systems strong, with the right nutrients early on, would definitely prevent you from having to suffer with asthma as you became older.

About The Author

Rudy Silva is a Natural Nutritionist. To discover more about using natural remedies for asthma go to: http://www.asthmatreatments.info.

rss41@yahoo.com

Asthma Cause: Understanding What’s Happening

2007-05-30T18:32:00.000-07:00

Understanding asthma cause factors can help you to insure that you know why and what is likely to happen to you. Those that face asthma do so, on a daily basis. The cause or triggers of their episodes or attacks really can range in what they are. But, what brings on the disease of asthma in the first place? Understanding this can help to provide you with the overall best results when it comes to treating your asthma condition as well.

For some people, asthma is caused by hereditary conditions, passed down through the course of their family genes. Yet, for others the cause of the asthma that they have has to do with the outside factors such as the environment in which they live. Still, there can be an infection or allergy that causes the asthma to come on as well. While finding out what has caused asthma in your specific case may seem important, what is more important is to know what causes your asthma attacks instead.

In this case, the cause of your asthma is that of the trigger. The trigger can be things such as dust, fumes, mists, smoke, cold air, or other conditions. In some people, too much physical activity, such as exercising, can bring on an asthma attack. Still others can get it just from laughing or from anxiety. The cause of your asthma will be something that you specifically need to take into consideration. Each person that has asthma needs to understand what is causing their condition in the hopes of insuring that they can avoid those things.

When it comes to asthma, the causes of your asthma attacks are very important things to know. You and your doctor can work out this to help in determining what the cause of the attack is so that you can better avoid it. If you do not do this, you will find that you may be unprepared to handle the asthma attack if and when it happens to you.

About The Author

Roger Thompson writes about asthma, health related Issues and Jobs for http://www.idohealthcare.com

Asthma Cure? Is It There?

2007-05-30T18:29:00.000-07:00

Is there an asthma cure? While we know that there are millions of people around the world that are suffering from asthma, the cure for this condition may or may not be in the works. If you suffer from asthma, though, there are many things that you can do to just about cure your asthma attacks. The chronic condition of asthma is something that many suffer from on a daily basis. But, with the help of the right medications, possibly even all natural treatments for asthma, and the right type of lifestyle, those that have asthma may be able to avoid and even cure the symptoms that they face.

The cure for asthma may happen one day but until then there are some things that the asthma sufferer can do to feel better. First off, the asthma sufferer should determine what their trigger is. About 60 percent of all of those that face asthma have an allergic reaction to something that brings on an asthma attack. Removing that trigger from their lifestyles can work as the first step in the cure to asthma for them. Improving their health and well being by getting exercise, staying fit and keeping in good spirits can also improve and even help take a step closer to curing their asthma.

In addition to these things, those that want to find a cure for their asthma symptoms should work on insuring they have the best medications in store for the asthma attack should it come on and they should have the best possible natural remedies on hand to help in warding off possible asthma attacks as well. Natural products always work in a natural way to help the individual to rid themselves of the occurrence of asthma attacks. While there is no for sure cure just yet, there are many possible ways to improve the lifestyle and cure symptoms of asthma that you face.

About The Author

Roger Thompson writes about asthma, health related issues and jobs for http://www.idohealthcare.com.

Is Exercise Advisable For People With Asthma?

2007-05-30T18:25:00.001-07:00

Many people mistakenly think that those with asthma cannot and should not exercise. Contrary to this common belief, it is indeed possible, and even recommended that asthmatics get in shape and exercise. Exercise and asthma can go together quite well if proper precautions are undertaken.

Defining Asthma

Asthma is a chronic lung disease. Its symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing. Symptoms can be mild or life threatening. It is thought there is a genetic link to asthma as well as environmental triggers.

An asthmatic episode can be set off by allergens, exercise, and respiratory infections. Dust mites and roaches are known to aggravate asthma and a big part of the management of the disease is cleaning the living environment to get rid of these pests.

Controlling Asthma

Follow these tips to help reduce asthmatic episodes:

1. Reduce pet dander by bathing your pets once a week.
2. Do not smoke. Do not let anyone else smoke in your house.
3. Monitor pollen and mold counts. Stay indoors when levels are high.
4. Wash bedding at least once per week in hot water. Pillows included.
5. Decrease chances of picking up viral illnesses by washing hands often.
6. Take a flu shot every year.
7. Protect your airways by covering your mouth and nose with a scarf in cold weather.
8. Identify your personal triggers and learn how to avoid them.

Exercising with Asthma

Your doctor will probably advise you not to abandon sports or exercise because you have asthma. You will just need to be cautious and smart about how you play.

Remember to have your inhaler and medications close by. If you have been wheezing the day of exercise or the night before, then go easy until you can determine how your airways will react.

Exercise Induced Asthma

There is a condition known as exercise induced asthma (EIA). With EIA, asthmatic symptoms will occur after approximately 10 minutes of exercise and occurs more frequently in dry and cold air.

Even with exercise induced asthma, you still have a wide variety of sports to participate in such as swimming, biking, and team sports.

The most important aspect of controlling your asthma during exercise and otherwise is to know your triggers and be consistent in your treatment. Asthma attacks are often easier to prevent than they are to reverse, So be consistent with medications and trigger avoidance. Consult with your doctor on a regular basis and take responsibility for managing and preventing your symptoms.

About The Author

Karina Jacobsen is a staff writer at http://www.wellness-digest.com and is an occasional contributor to several other websites, including http://www.alternativehealthadvisor.com.

Asthma Relief And Prevention

2007-05-30T17:24:00.000-07:00

Asthma is a chronic lung condition characterized by breathing difficulties. People with asthma have hyper-responsive, extra sensitive airways. During the course of an asthma attack, irritated airways react by narrowing and constricting. This causes increased resistance to airflow and obstructs the flow of air through the bronchial passages to and from the lungs.

There are two main types of asthma treatment medicines:

* Long-Term Control Medicines: also called preventers, are taken daily, usually over long periods of time, to control chronic symptoms and to prevent asthma episodes or attacks. The effects of these medicines are generally felt after taking them for a few weeks. Long-term control medicines are necessary for people with persistent asthma.

* Quick Relief Medicines: also called relievers, give rapid, short-term treatment and are taken when you have worsening asthma symptoms that can lead to asthma episodes or attacks. These medications are effective within minutes.

Drugs, such as those resembling two of our hormones, can help alleviate asthma symptoms. These two hormones are adrenaline, called epinephrine in the United States, and the steroid hydrocortisone. There are also other medications that help treat asthma. Though drugs can remove all of the symptoms for a mild asthma sufferer, more severe or long-standing cases of asthma generally do not get such good results.

Adrenaline, also called epinephrine, is pumped into our bloodstream in cases of sudden fright or in an emergency. It is the quick-acting hormone created by the adrenal glands located near our kidneys. It causes a racing pulse, a thumping heart, and readies your body for emergency action. In asthma, these adrenaline-type medicines quickly alleviate symptoms of asthma for a short time, and are called relievers.

Hydrocortisone is manufactured by the outer part of our adrenal glands, called the 'cortex'. It is also partly an “emergency hormone” but it works much more slowly, in a completely different way to adrenaline, and lasts for a longer duration. Medicines which resembling hydrocortisone gradually allow the lining of air tubes in an asthma sufferer to resemble regular, healthy airways. This results in asthma that is less severe and a lesser likelihood of asthma attacks. Therefore, these steroids medications are called preventers. There are additional asthma 'preventers', but the steroids are the most effective. Most asthma sufferers should take both preventers as well as relievers.

Usually the most effective way to administer these medicines is to inhale them. That is, you breath them in, through your nose or mouth.

The reasons you inhale them are:

* the medicine works more rapidly,
* because you need a smaller dose of the medicine, and
* you won't suffer the same number of side effects.

The speed with which the medicine is effective is particularly important with the adrenaline-like, fast-acting relievers. Quick relief medicines are used only acutely, at the time of an attack or impending attack. One kind of quick relief medicine is a short-acting inhaled bronchodilator. Bronchodilators take effect by relaxing the muscles that have constricted around the airways. They help rapidly open up airways and make breathing easier. Occaisionally, they are called "rescue" or "relief" medicines because they can cease an asthma attack very rapidly. These medicines act fast but their effects only last for a short duration of time. It is recommended that one take quick relief medicines when one initially begins to feel asthma symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath. Asthma sufferers should always be in possession of one of these inhalers in case of an attack. In the case of severe attacks, your physician may administer steroids to treat the inflammation.

Long-term control medications include :

* Long-acting beta-agonists are one kind of long-term control medication. They are bronchodilators, not anti-inflammatory drugs. These medicines are used to aid in controlling moderate to severe asthma as well as in preventing night-time symptoms. Long-acting beta-agonists are taken in conjunction with an inhaled corticosteroid medicine.

* Cromolyn and nedocromil are two long-term control medicines utilized in the treatment of mild persistent asthma.

* Leukotriene modifiers (such as zafirlukast, montelukast, and zileuton) are long-term control medicines administered either alone to treat mild persistent asthma or in conjunction with inhaled corticosteroids to treat moderate persistent asthma or severe persistent asthma.

* The most effective, long-term control medication for asthma is an inhaled corticosteroid. The reason for this is that this medicine reduces the swelling of airways that increases the chances of asthma attacks. Inhaled corticosteroids (or steroids for short) are the preferred treatment for controlling mild, moderate, and severe persistent asthma. They are safe when taken as directed by your doctor. Inhaled medicines go directly to the affected lungs. There are many types of inhalers that are used by different methods. Therefore, it is important to know how to correctly use your inhaler. In some cases, steroid tablets or liquid are used on a short-term basis to rein in asthma symptoms. The liquid or tablet varieties may also be utilized in the treatment of severe asthma.

* Theophylline is a long-term control medication used either alone to treat mild persistent asthma or in conjunction with inhaled corticosteroids to treat moderate persistent asthma. People who take theophylline should have their blood tested regularly checked to ensure proper dosage.

If you cease taking long-term control medicines, your asthma will likely recur. Optimally, one should use the least amount of medicine required to manage asthma symptoms.

About The Author

David Davis contributes to several web sites, most recently http://fozic.com and http://great-healthy.com.

Asthma Attack - What It Can Do To You

2007-05-30T17:23:00.001-07:00

When asthma strikes, it is usually due to a constriction in the air passageways, which disallows a person to breathe normally and even produce a wheezing sound in severe cases. The main factors that cause the airways to become narrowed and blocked during an asthma attack include a constriction of the muscles surrounding the air tubes, an inflammation and swelling of the lining of the air tubes, and an increase in mucus production, which clogs the air tubes.

Twitchy Airways

The air tube is made up of several layers. On the outside of the air tube there is muscle which, by tightening and relaxing, controls the size of the opening of the air tube (the space through which air must pass). The muscle works by reflex, and is guided by the same portions of the nervous system that control reflexes, like involuntary blinking.

We have little conscious control over the tightening and relaxing of these muscles. Everyone's airways have the potential for constricting in response to irritant, such as cigarette smoke, perfume, or newsprint. In the asthma patient the airways are overreactive and have been described as 'twitchy'.

The overreactive asthma airway responds not just to allergens (like cat dander and ragweed) but also to other factors, like viral infections, barometric pressure changes, exercise, and cold air. During an asthma attack, the muscles surrounding the airways tighten, causing airway narrowing.

Asthma is not a problem limited to muscular constriction of the airways. An equally important problem is the inflammation of the lining of the airways. Inflammation can be understood by describing what happens when you scrape your knee. The scraped area becomes swollen and oozes with a fluid that contains many kinds of cells, some of which help to fight infection.

However, this fluid also contributes to the swelling. In asthma, the innermost lining of the airways is filled with cells and fluid that, as with the scraped knee, are a product of the inflammatory response. These cells and the associated swelling contribute to the obstruction of the airways in asthma attacks. Steroids, the medication most often utilized for difficult to manage flares of asthma, help to reduce inflammation in the airways.

Mucus Plugs

Mucus, which normally lubricates the airways to allow air to flow smoothly, increases in amount during asthma attacks and serves as a sticky plug to clog the airways, especially the smaller ones. All asthma patients are aware of the sensation of trying to cough up mucus. Often, they feel that if they could clear their airways by coughing up a sufficient amount of mucus, their asthma symptoms would subside.

But frequently there is so much mucus that even if one mucus plug is brought up, the same sensation and symptoms persists. It is important to seek your doctor's advice early on if you are unable to clear mucus plugging your airways, since neglected mucus plugging often prolongs asthma attacks.

In addition, when the plugs are allowed to linger they can become a source of infection. For this reason, an antibiotic is often prescribed for patients who are slow to respond to treatment during an asthma attack.

Asthma attacks at varying time intervals. The attacks can be as brief as several minutes or as lengthy as hours or days. Between attacks, there may be symptom-free intervals when it is impossible to tell an asthma patient from someone who does not have it.

A breathing test called spitometry, which is used to determine whether a person has asthma, may be normal in an asthma patient during an asthma-free attack. Nevertheless, spirometry is an important clue for determining whether a patient has asthma and should be part of the doctor's evaluation.

About The Author

Charles Amith reveals a FREE $27 eReport...For The First Time Ever... * Barely Known Secrets * That The Drug Industry Has Been Hiding That Can End The Pain and Suffering Caused By Allergies and Asthma Attacks!"

http://AllergyandAsthmaTreatment.com

Air Purifier For Asthma Patients

2007-05-30T16:55:00.001-07:00

Since breathing comes naturally to us and we perform the function subconsciously, we hardly appreciate the need for it. However, those who are suffering form asthma, know the true value of breathing, as it is so much an effort for them. They, like us, cannot take breathing for granted.

An asthma patient suffers severe respiration problems since the lung and air passageways of his are affected. Although we are yet to find a perfect cure for the condition, there are certain things we can practice which will help us to at least curb the symptoms of asthma. To begin with, cleaner the air the patient breathes, more will he be avoiding asthmatic symptoms. And on this count, getting an air purifier at home helps.

We should know that impurities in the air like dust, pet allergens, chemicals, pollen all play a significant role in increasing the symptoms of asthma in a patient. It should be noted however that dust and allergens are by themselves not the cause for asthma. Their presence in the air the patient breathes can only make the problem more severe.

Asthma is caused either by the constriction or inflammation of the air passages inside our breathing tract. While constricted, the airways become extremely narrow and the surrounding muscles seem to squeeze the airway further. Again inflammation of the passage causes the airways to swell up.

Such constriction or inflammation can happen anytime, anywhere. However, with an air purifier, such occurrences at home can be significantly reduced. As it filters out the allergens and dust particles it allows the asthma patient to breathe much more normally. With airborne substances absent, things are much more comfortable for the asthma patient.

With proper air purifiers, there would be hardly any particles in the air inside the room. There have been studies that show that with HEPA filters a purity of 99.7 percent can be achieved within the room.

You might be contemplating buying an air purifier for your home. Before you do so, just take into account a few things. Of them, you need to know how big your rooms are, what kind of filters you are looking for, and what is the kind of capacity you will be happy with in your air purifier. There are loads of models. So you will be spoilt for choice.

Removing toxins from air is a great way to tackle asthma. And an air purifier does it best.

About The Author

Jason Uvios writes about on Air Purifier for Asthma Patients to visit :- http://www.airpurifiers-today.info, http://www.air-purifierstoday.info and http://www.airpurity-today.info

Yoga For Asthma

2007-05-30T16:53:00.000-07:00

What is Asthma?

Asthma is an ancient Greek word that means "panting, gasping or short-drawn breath." It is one of the most discomforting of respiratory ailments, known to affect around 5% of the world’s adult population and 10% of children. Asthmatics suffer from periodic attacks of breathlessness interspersed with bouts of complete normalcy.

When normal people inhale, their air sacs fill up with air like small balloons. In exhalation they deflate expelling air. Airways are clear and open in healthy people. In asthmatics, the reverse takes place because their airways and air sacs have lost their shape and have become floppy. Their bronchi and alveoli collapse, rather than expand when air flows through them. As a result, they can inhale and exhale less.

Symptoms of Asthma

1. Dry cough
2. Difficulty in breathing
3. Shortness of breath
4. Feeling of lightness in the chest
5. Wheezing (hissing or whistling sounds during exhalation.)
6. Sometimes an attack is preceded by a running nose, irritated eyes, or an itchy throat.

Two peculiarities of asthmatics:

1. Almost all patients suffer more attacks at night, in their sleep.

2. Asthmatics have more trouble exhaling than inhaling.

Causes for Asthma

Factors that precipitate an asthma attack are called triggers. They cause the air passages to get clogged and constricted, making it difficult for the patient to breathe. The inflamed bronchioles generate more mucus and also cause the muscles around them to tighten and get irritated, constricting the airways. This is called a bronchospasm.

However, asthma has a variety of causes.

1. Allergy: For most it is an allergy to foods, perfumes, scents, body sprays, deodorizers, the weather, drugs or any other irritants. They vary from person to person. However, dust allergies seem to be the most common factor.

2. Combination of Factors: For others, it is triggered off by a combination of allergic and non-allergic factors including stress and tension, air pollution or infections.

3. Abnormal Body Chemistry: Asthma may result from the abnormal body chemistry involving the body’s enzymes or a defect in muscular action within the lungs.

4. Heredity: In 75 to 100 per cent cases it has been found that when one or both parents suffer from asthma, the children have similar allergic reactions.

Yoga Therapy for Asthma

Tests carried out at Yoga Therapy Centers, across the world, have shown remarkable results in curing asthma. In some cases it has also been found that attacks can actually be averted, without the aid of drugs, just through yogic practices. There is ample research evidence to substantiate the fact that Yoga Therapy makes the treatment so much more successful. Nowadays, even allopathic and homeopathic doctors have arrived at the consensus that Yoga is an excellent alternative therapy for Asthma.

Since Yoga believes that the mind is central to a diseased condition, pacifying and placating it would, in itself, help cure the disease to a great extent. The practice of yogasanas, yogic kriyas, pranayamas, relaxation and meditation calm down the whole system. This, in turn, facilitates proper assimilation of food and strengthens the lungs, digestive and circulatory system. Over a period of time, that checks attacks and even cures the condition.

This is because Yogic practices result in more anxiety reduction than drugs do. Yoga gives patients access to their own internal experience and helps them pin-point the cause of their ailment, i.e find their own triggers. This comes through increased self-awareness. Simple Yogic practices help regulate breathing patterns, as well as enhance lung functioning. Result: Most patients are able to manage their condition by simply allaying their fears and anxieties.

Yoga also has a stabilizing effect on the body’s immune system. It is now proven that the regular and consistent practice of yoga raises the body’s tolerance to infection as well as its local resistance to infections in the respiratory tract. Yogic rest and relaxation reduce the nervous system’s overall activity, leading to remarkable recovery. Only Yoga offers resources like Abhyasa (regular, constant practice) and Vairagya (detachment) as means of holistic healing.

For best results, do all the practices prescribed in our sections on Yoga Asanas, Cleansing Techniques and Pranayama. Lay more emphasis on cleansing techniques like Jala Neti and Sutra Neti, Vaman Dhauti and pranayamas like Kapalbhati, Anuloma-Viloma, Ujjayi, Surbyabhedana and Bhramari. All yogaasanas prescribed are highly beneficial without exceptions or emphasis on any. However, Shavasana, should be practiced for as long as possible and whenever possible, lying down, sitting or standing

The practices work best on an empty stomach, but you should continue to sip water from time to time, to help keep your airways moist. Wear light, loose-fitting clothes and practice in a comfortable, well-ventilated, airy room or outdoors, with adequate room to lie down. If you experience any symptoms lying down, sit on a chair for a while and rest your head on a table, either on your folded arms or on one cheek. If you feel nauseous, anxious, or short of breath in any of the practices, stop immediately, get up and walk around. You are probably just hyperventilating and need to burn off some energy. Don't resume your practices right away. Rather give them a break for about a day or two.

Above all, tell yourself from time to time – particularly when you get irritated or upset with yourself – that the way you breathe now is what is making you ill. It is conditioned behavior, which can easily be altered.

About The Author

Kevin Pederson, authors web content for http://www.yogawiz.com, your online guide on yoga, fitness and wellness. This article "Yoga for Asthma" explains about asthma and yoga therapy for healing asthmatics. He also writes on natural home cures, hair-n-skin care and many more health sites.

What is an Asthma?

2006-10-20T11:27:00.000-07:00

Asthma is a disease of the respiratory system in which the airways constrict, become inflamed, and are lined with excessive amounts of mucus, often in response to one or more "triggers," such as exposure to an environmental stimulant (or allergen), cold air, exercise, or emotional stress. In children, the most common triggers are viral illnesses such as those that cause the common cold[1]. This airway narrowing causes symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing, which respond to bronchodilators. Between episodes, most patients feel fine.

The disorder is a chronic or recurring inflammatory condition in which the airways develop increased responsiveness to various stimuli, characterized by bronchial hyper-responsiveness, inflammation, increased mucus production, and intermittent airway obstruction. The symptoms of asthma, which can range from mild to life threatening, can usually be controlled with a combination of drugs and enviromental changes.

Public attention in the developed world has recently focused on asthma because of its rapidly increasing prevalence, affecting up to one in four urban children.[2] Susceptibility to asthma can be explained in part by genetic factors, but no clear pattern of inheritance has been found. Asthma is a complex disease that is influenced by multiple genetic, developmental, and environmental factors, which interact to produce the overall condition.