Diseases of the respiratory tract are different. Some are temporary ailments that can be quickly treated. Others are considered dangerous diseases that require long and expensive therapy.
Asthma can be attributed to which of the mentioned categories of ailments? Symptoms of the disease, causing painful discomfort, need urgent and long-term adjustment with medication and other means. Is the disease really that dangerous?
How does asthma start? Can it be determined in time to prescribe timely and effective treatment? How do the symptoms of asthma appear? Is it possible to prevent their occurrence? How to help yourself or another person at the first sign of an asthma attack? And in general, is it possible to cure this disease? This and much more can be found in the information below.
Illness definition
What is asthma disease? Many people, even little knowledgeable in medicine, understand that its manifestation is associated with shortness of breath and lack of air, when a person, if not helped in time, can suffocate. But why is this happening? Let's find out.
Whathappens in the body
To put it simply, asthma is a pathology of the respiratory organs. The disease is a consequence of the inflammatory process occurring in the respiratory tract, however, it is not an infectious disease.
In the course of the disease, the airways adjacent to the lungs suffer changes. At the onset of an asthma attack, they narrow, which can cause the bronchi to become inflamed and swollen. As a result, sputum accumulates in them, which thickens and prevents the patient from breathing normally. This can start an asthma attack.
According to official figures, asthma affects twice as many women as men. The disease can develop in childhood and progress over the years. Thus, a chronic form of asthma occurs. With timely treatment, the disease can be completely eliminated. At the very least, it is possible to minimize the number of asthma attacks by minimizing their unwanted manifestations.
However, before we talk about therapies, let's find out why the disease occurs, how it is classified, and discuss in detail the main symptoms.
What is the culprit of the disease
It is not fully understood why asthma occurs in children or adults. However, scientists have identified specific factors that are its provocateur. Here are some of them:
- Heredity or genetic predisposition. That is, if one of the parents has asthma, then the symptoms of the disease may also occur in a small child.
- Internal pathologies. Asthma is usually diagnosed in adults with impaired metabolism or overweight.
- Prone to allergies. Most often, it is in allergy sufferers with experience that a disease such as asthma is diagnosed over time.
What can trigger allergic reactions leading to severe asthma attacks? First of all, these are:
- pet wool;
- regular dust;
- cleaning and detergents (powders, gels, varnishes);
- some foods (this can be citrus fruits, chocolate, spices, etc.);
- mold or fungus;
- cigarette smoke;
- individual medicines;
- bad habits;
- smells and fragrances.
If we talk about the manifestations of the disease in newborns, then you should definitely consider what the mother eats (if the baby is breastfed) or what is included in the mixtures (if the little one is artificial).
However, this is not all that can trigger asthma in children or adults. Additional factors include:
- past infectious or viral diseases;
- colds, inflammation of the respiratory system;
- compromised immunity;
- frequently taking aspirin;
- long-term use of certain pharmacological drugs.
So, we got acquainted with the causes of the disease. Now let's find out how the first signs of asthma appear.
Dangerous bells
The main symptoms of asthmaare spasms that form in the bronchi as a response to certain smells that irritate a person. However, the disease does not always appear overnight. Often, the patient experiences alarming symptoms for a certain period of time, which may indicate the development of a serious pathology. What should I pay attention to?
One of the first symptoms of asthma is the constant urge to cough, which gets worse at night. At this stage, the disease can be confused with the common cold. Asthma cough is strong, dry, hysterical, accompanied by a sensation of sore throat.
Also, the patient should definitely be alerted by difficulty breathing during a conversation, especially if it is difficult to take a full deep breath.
Respiration may be accompanied by wheezing with noticeable whistling. Shortness of breath that appears even with minimal exertion is another dangerous symptom in asthma, indicating the onset of the disease. Nasal congestion, allergic rhinitis are other signs of bronchial disease.
Depending on the symptoms, asthma is classified into types and subtypes. Let's talk more about this.
Bronchial view
This disease is the most common form of asthma. In turn, it is divided into several subspecies:
- allergic;
- professional;
- night;
- cough;
- tension asthma.
Depending on the severity, the disease is divided into several stages: the first, second, third andfourth. How to determine this or that stage of asthma? Very simple: you need to calculate how often the patient has seizures.
The first stage has a mild form and is marked by one attack every three to four days. At the same time, the exacerbation does not last long, and night attacks of suffocation occur once a month.
The second stage is characterized by attacks that occur no more than once a day. At the same time, nighttime suffocation disturbs the patient three or even four times a month. The disease is accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms - insomnia and pressure surges.
The third stage involves constant exacerbations. Feelings of suffocation appear at least once a day, at night the disease worries the patient every other day. Against this background, the general condition of the patient worsens, other organs suffer.
The fourth stage is a severe form of asthma. Attacks bother the patient several times a day, very often at night. Because of this, the patient leads a very limited lifestyle, forced to stay at home all the time.
Allergic subspecies
Is the most common type of asthma. It is he who is diagnosed in many children and is the body's response to all sorts of irritants (animal hair, fluff, smoke, pollen, aromas, dust, and so on). Accompanied by allergic rhinitis, sneezing, coughing and profuse lacrimation.
Treatment for this type of asthma is the appointment of antihistamines that suppress the body's allergic reactions.
Aspirin subspecies
Diagnosed in a quarter of patients suffering from asthma. It can be provoked, as is already clear from the name itself, aspirin and preparations based on it. Also, substances similar to aspirin in chemical composition can be an irritant.
Accompanied by such bronchial asthma with frequent asthma attacks, inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx, the presence of polyps on the mucous membranes. Very rarely, the aspirin subspecies is diagnosed in children. Women in their thirties and forties are at risk.
Stress Asthma
Accompanied by severe coughing and difficulty breathing as a result of increased exercise. The treatment of asthma of this subspecies is the use of inhalers that can mechanically stop the attack.
Cough subspecies
As the name implies, the main symptom of this type of bronchial ailment is a strong prolonged cough. It can occur against the background of colds, infections and physical activity. This type of asthma is very difficult to recognize, and a lung function test is used to detect it.
Professional subspecies
Occurs in a person directly at the place of work and is accompanied by symptoms such as coughing, watery eyes, runny nose. The intensity of these manifestations subsides on weekends. Such a disease is most often diagnosed in hairdressers, carpenters, artists.
Night subspecies
Intensification of symptoms occurs at night. This is very dangerous, because at this time of day, due to the horizontal position of the body and sleep, the working capacity of the lungs decreases andcircadian rhythm.
Cardiac asthma
How does this kind of disease manifest itself? First of all, you should know that the disease develops against the background of cardiac pathologies, namely, disturbances in the work and functioning of the left ventricle. Because of this, the outflow of blood from the lungs is disturbed, blood pressure rises, and blood circulation in the brain worsens. Seizures occur most often at night, following daytime stress or physical activity.
What causes the disease? First of all, a sedentary lifestyle, overweight, constant excitement or overwork, alcohol abuse.
Among the symptoms of cardiac asthma, difficulty breathing when inhaling, swelling of the veins in the neck, pallor of the skin, agitation, panic fear during an attack, profuse sweating.
This type of disease is accompanied by the release of a large amount of sputum. In the initial stage of asthma, sputum is secreted in small quantities and is almost colorless. If the disease is not treated, then the sputum becomes more abundant, blood impurities are added, due to which it becomes light pink.
Little patients
As mentioned above, asthma is often diagnosed in childhood.
And although it is very difficult to cure, in adolescence, the main symptoms of the disease can still disappear. Especially if serious and thoughtful therapy was applied.
Asthma in children has the following forms:
- infectious;
- atopic;
- mixed.
Most often, the disease is caused by allergens and manifests itself in prolonged attacks, during which the cough can disturb the baby for several days. Then the child begins to feel good and leads an active lifestyle. This state is called remission.
It is very important that there are no pathogens in the field of view of the baby that provoke his attacks. Therefore, caring parents must constantly adhere to these simple rules:
- all cupboards and bookshelves in the house should be tightly closed;
- it is impossible for the apartment to have feather or duvets, pillows;
- recommended to avoid soft toys;
- cleaners and detergents should also be hidden away from the baby's nose;
- regular wet cleaning in the house;
- it is better to refuse pets, if they are available - they should be carefully looked after by bathing the animal and combing its hair.
And, of course, the baby should be shown to the doctor. In general, asthma cannot be treated on its own, relying on the experience of friends or relatives. Moreover, when it comes to the he alth of the child, it is urgent to contact a specialist and follow his recommendations impeccably.
Expectant mothers and disease
If a young woman had asthma before conception, then you should not hope that during the period of gestation her condition will improve. This happens only fourteen percent of the time. Moreover, you may feel worse.
During pregnancy, whenthe body of a woman is already overstressed, asthma may manifest itself for the first time. The main signs of an attack are unreasonable runny nose, sore throat, chest pain, shortness of breath, pallor or cyanosis of the skin, profuse sweating, cough with a small amount of sputum.
An attack can last for several days, which negatively affects the he alth of the baby. Can I take asthma medication during pregnancy? Of course, and do not be afraid to harm the child with the so-called "chemistry". The fact is that asthmatic symptoms will harm the baby much more - he can simply suffocate!
Most often, doctors advise expectant mothers to use inhalers and avoid allergens.
How to identify an ailment
To determine the disease, a blood test is prescribed, as well as additional examinations:
- lung function test (spirometry);
- peak flow meter to help determine airflow speed;
- allergen tests and other types of research.
If we are talking about cardiac asthma, then doctors prescribe an ECG and ultrasound of the heart, doppler.
Asthma is diagnosed only after a comprehensive examination.
Medication Therapy
It is clear that the treatment is prescribed depending on the type of disease. In bronchial asthma, therapy with anti-inflammatory drugs that block attacks is provided. These include drugs based on prednisolone.
If a patient is diagnosed with moderate to severe asthma, thenthe use of bronchodilators that dilate the bronchi is necessary. These can be drugs based on ventolin (for inhalation), berodual, eufillin (for intravenous use) or theophylline (for oral use).
To improve the condition at the time of an ambulance attack, there are special inhalers for asthmatics that can stop an attack and stop it.
How to treat cardiac asthma? Most often, therapy is carried out in a hospital setting. Assign narcotic analgesics, antipsychotics, nitrates, antihypertensive and antihistamines. The course of treatment and dosage is selected only by the attending physician, based on the patient's medical history.
With the therapy described above, as well as the necessary lifestyle adjustments, it is possible to minimize the frequency of attacks and prolong the time of remission.
Treatment with folk remedies
Despite the fact that many actively use folk recipes in the treatment of illness, it is very important in this regard to be balanced and prudent. In no case should such treatment be independent. It is best if folk remedies come in combination with medications, and then after consultation with your doctor.
Some time-tested recipes can be found below:
- Potato steam. Boil a few large potatoes in their skins, put the pan on the table, bend over it and breathe for a few minutes. The procedure can be repeated twice a day.
- One milliliter of garlic juice mixed with 3 mlhalf-percent solution of novocaine. Add the resulting mixture in the amount of one and a half milliliters to a glass of boiling water. Use this liquid for inhalation once or twice a day.
- For internal use, mono prepare such a remedy: dilute thirty drops of ordinary peroxide (hydrogen) in half a glass of water. Drink the solution on an empty stomach every morning. In parallel with this, honey and badger fat should be taken at night in the amount of one teaspoon of each ingredient.
- Also, according to reviews, a mixture of aloe (a quarter of a kilogram), honey (350 g) and wine (half a liter) is very effective. However, there is a small recommendation - aloe leaves should be cut after the plant has not been watered for two weeks. You can't wash it with water either. So, mix the prepared ingredients and send them to the refrigerator for ten days. After that, use the remedy one teaspoon two or three times a day.
- For blocking seizures, coltsfoot and nettle smoke helps. To do this, the leaves of the plants must be thoroughly dried and set on fire. If you use this method regularly, the number of seizures will be significantly reduced.
- For long-term oral treatment, an infusion of five crushed medium plantain leaves, one hundred grams of rose petals, half a kilogram of raw grated pumpkin, two tablespoons of honey and a liter of dry red wine is suitable. Combine all components, bring to a boil and insist for a day. After the product must be filtered and taken five times a day, one tablespoon.
Respiratorygymnastics for asthma
Many experts believe that special gymnastic exercises can help patients overcome their illness. Especially if used in addition to medical treatment.
What is breathing exercises for asthma? There are several techniques that improve the functioning of the respiratory apparatus, which means that they reduce the frequency of bronchospasms and asthma attacks. What exercises should you do?
For example, slopes. Starting position - standing or sitting on a chair. The body is tilted forward, the head is lowered, the back should be rounded, and the arms should be bent at the elbows. Then the person should take a short noisy breath, and with the next quiet, calm exhalation, it is necessary to slowly straighten up. Repeat these exercises until you feel a little tired.
The next exercise is called “hug your shoulders”. Standing, the patient bends his elbows and raises them to shoulder level. Then you need to sharply hug yourself with your palms. Performing this exercise, it is recommended to follow the correct breathing. During the so-called embrace, a noisy breath should be taken sharply. Taking the starting position, you need to make a slow, calm exhalation.
For more on the essential breathing exercises for asthmatics, see the video below.
Asthma Help
What to do if an asthmatic has an attack in your presence? First of all, you should calm the person and not panic yourself. Next, you need to seat the patient on a chair, unfastenwearing clothes, open a window, or use a fan to keep him ventilated.
It is important to encourage the person to breathe properly. If necessary, you can massage the wings of his nose.
Be sure to use the special inhaler that asthmatics always carry with them, and also help the patient take drugs that block the allergic reaction. If the attack is prolonged, you need to call an ambulance.
What to do if you suffer from asthma? Always carry an inhaler and other medications recommended by doctors to block an attack. Warn the people you work or study with that you may suddenly experience choking and tell them how they can help you with this. And most importantly, don't panic!
Good he alth to you!
