| If you or a loved
one has asthma, you're not alone. Asthma does not recognise social
class; it prevails in both city and country areas; it is present in
areas of clean and polluted air; it is a condition of the old and
young; male and female. There are over 15 million Americans with asthma
and in New Zealand 20% of the population suffer from this condition.
When a condition is as unpredictable as asthma, it can be hard
to understand and to control. The best weapon to fight asthma is
knowledge. You will discover through our web site that your lifestyle
doesn't have to be stifled by asthma. Asthma can be managed.
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a condition that affects the airways of the lungs. When
you have asthma, the tubes that carry air down to your lungs are
hyper-reactive (extra sensitive). They become easily swollen and
inflamed.
The breathing tubes restrict the airflow & give you asthma
because:
The smooth muscle in the walls of the airways spasm and constrict
The inner lining of the breathing tubes swell
Excessive mucus is secreted into the breathing tubes
When this happens, breathing, our most basic instinct, becomes a struggle.
Who Gets Asthma?
In some cases, there is a family history of asthma, eczema or hay
fever. In other cases there is not.
If you are diagnosed with asthma, unfortunately the
chances are that you will have it for life. One study found 85% of
females and 78% of males diagnosed with asthma between the ages of
8 and 12, continued to have symptoms 15 years later.
Why is Asthma on the Rise?
Asthma experts have a wealth of evidence, which shows that asthma
is a growing worldwide problem. Yet, they do not have a clear explanation
why it has leapt to epidemic proportions over the last 20 years.
Many suggestions have been put forward - stress, diet, dust mites,
better living standards, increased pollution, better diagnosis,
the list goes on and on.
One of the most alarming suggestion is that overuse of some asthma
drugs (the bronchodilators) may be a factor. However, it could be
that the overuse of these drugs simply identifies severe asthmatics
who have a greater risk of dying.
What Are the First Signs of Asthma?
When you experience an episode of asthma, it is known as an attack.
Many people have asthma without even knowing it. Common signs of
asthma are:
wheezing
breathlessness
chest tightness
persistent coughing
Do you have a persistent dry, hacking cough that is usually worse
at night, during exercise, or in the cold? This may be your only
symptom.
How Quickly Can Asthma Symptoms Occur?
This depends on your sensitivity to the specific trigger and how
hyper-reactive your airways are at a given time. It can occur instantaneously
and will nearly always occur within 30 minutes to 2 hours of exposure
to the trigger. Some parts of the immune system, however, only cause
symptoms about five hours after initial exposure. This is called
"late-phase" asthma.
What Triggers Asthma?
Asthma becomes worse when you are exposed to triggers. A trigger
is anything, which makes your breathing difficult, or your asthma
worse.
People with asthma react to different triggers but common ones
include:
House Dust and Dust Mite particles
Pollen
Exercise
Fumes/cigarette smoke
Some foods
Changes in air temperature
Chemicals
Colds & Flus |
Pollen for some asthmatics can trigger an attack.
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It can be very difficult to identify the actual factor causing
an asthma attack and it is rare to find an asthmatic that only reacts
to one trigger. Whether you can avoid exposure to triggers depends
a lot on what your triggers are. For example, it is impossible to
avoid dust mite particles but it is easy to avoid eating peanuts. The Asthma Trigger section has more information.
Does Exercise Bring on Your Asthma?
For many asthmatics the answer is "yes", especially when
you exercise in cold weather. This sort of asthma is called Exercise
Induced asthma or EIA for short.
Do you wheeze, cough, have shortness of breath or have chest tightness
when exercising? This may mean that you have asthma. Remember that
even if you are physically fit, you can still have EIA.
Some asthmatics only experience EIA and never have asthma at any
other time.
How well is your Asthma Controlled?
When your asthma is well controlled then you will:
not use a reliever drug more than three times a week
be free of nocturnal coughs and wheezing
remain comfortable when doing normal daily activities
be able to exercise without symptoms
If
you do not fit into this category then see your health professional
for a review of your medication and take a look at the Buteyko Asthma Management section.
Danger Signs of Uncontrolled Asthma
Should you:
get very bad asthma very quickly
have symptoms which remain or even get worse after taking your
reliever medication
have difficulty in speaking
have very severe symptoms
go blue around the lips and finger tips
get frightened about your condition
then
phone your emergency services AT ONCE
Am I Over-Using My Relievers?
If you are using a reliever and find that you need to use it more
than three to four times a week, then this could be a sign that
your asthma is not being controlled.
Where Can I Get Further Advice?
Obviously, a good start would be with your doctor or asthma educator. The Buteyko Asthma Management section gives you drug-free solutions for your lifestyle.
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