Asthma

Asthma is a disease that affects the breathing passages of the lungs. Asthma is caused by chronic inflammation of these passages. When the inflammation is triggered by any number of external and internal factors, the passages swell and fill with mucus. Muscles within the breathing contract, causing even the further narrowing of the airways. This narrowing make it difficult for air to be breathed out from the lungs. The resistance to exhaling leads to the typical symptoms of an asthma attack.

Asthma can not be cured, but can be controlled. With proper treatment, people with asthma can have fewer and less severe attacks.

Following are the factors contributing to the rise in asthma in people:

# Now a days, children grow up with less exposure to infection than did their ancestors, which has made the immune systems sensitive.

# We spend more and more time indoors, where we are exposed to indoor allergens such as dust and mold.

# The air we breathe is more polluted than the air most of our ancestors breathed.

# Our lifestyle has led to our getting less exercise and an epidemic to obesity. There is some evidence to suggest an association between obesity and asthma.

One-third of the total people suffering from asthma are children. Asthma affects all races and is slightly more common in African American than in other races. Asthma is more common in younger people.

Symptoms of asthma include the following:

1. Wheezing.
2. Breathlessness.
3. Chest tightness.
4. Coughing.
5. Difficulty speaking.

Self care is very important in asthma. Here are some tips for self care:

# Quit smoking, if you smoke.

# Do not take cough medicine. These medicines do not help asthma and may cause unwanted side-effects.

# Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, can cause asthma to worsen in certain individuals. These medications should not be taken without the advice of your health care provider.

# Do not use non prescription inhalers. These contain very short acting drugs that may not last long enough to relieve an asthma attack and may cause unwanted side effects.

# Do not take any non prescription preparations, herbs, or dietary supplements, even if they are completely natural without consulting your health care provider.