What is Asthma?

Asthma is an inflammatory condition of the bronchial airways in the

lungs caused by allergens, irritants and respiratory infections (like colds
and flu).

What are the Symptoms of Asthma?

Frequent coughing
• Wheezing
• Frequent respiratory infections,
like colds and flu
• Chest tightness
• Trouble breathing
• Frequent night coughs
• Coughing after crying, laughing,
or physical activity

What Triggers Asthma?

Exercise, particularly running

• Respiratory infections, like colds
and flu
• Allergies
• Cigarette smoke, fumes, dust mites,
animal dander, cockroaches, mold,
pollen, strong odors, sprays, and
other irritants
• Weather, particularly cold air
• Emotional stress or excitement

How to detect asthmatic attack symptoms and manage?

 Asthma attack symptom manifests in many ways such as, shortness

of breath, tightness in the chest, uncontrollable cough are some.
 How do you tell if your asthma attack symptom is getting worse?
Here are a few instances in which doctor assistance is needed:
1) Your asthma medications do not relieve the symptoms.
2) If your finger nails turn blue or grey color. In case you have
trouble walking or talking.
3) You have extreme difficulty breathing.
4) Your nostrils flare when you breathe.
5) Your neck, chest and ribs get pulled in with each breath.
6) Your peak flow keeps dropping after treatment. Asthma
cannot be treated due to which there are many types of
medicines that control and suppress any such asthma attack
symptom.
 Some asthma medicines are taken with a metered dose inhaler as
this is the quickest, most effective way to administer medicines to
asthma patients.
Here are some basic steps in how to use an inhaler:
1. Remove the cap and hold the inhaler upright.
2. Shake the canister well.
3. Tilt your neck and breathe out.
4. Put the inhaler one or two inches away from your mouth.
When using a spacer (spacer is the tube that one attaches to the
inhaler it helps a great deal to inhale) put the end of your mouth
and seal your lips around it.
5. Press down on the inhaler to release the medications slowly
breathing in for 3-5 seconds at a time.
6. Hold your breath for about 10 seconds to give time for the
medicine to get to your lungs.
7. Repeat the above cycle for as many times as your doctor suggests
giving at least 1 minute time between cycles.
 Stress is the cause of many of many serious diseases that work on
your nervous system. It can worsen the existing illnesses such as
asthma. Stress creep sup on you without any warning but, if you
are aware of being stressed take immediate action.
 Both stress and asthma attack symptom can be controlled if
detected in good time. Do not neglect any illness, however minor
you think it may be. Therefore, it is rather important to take note
 that emotional factors are in fact making asthma worse. So, stress
management played a vital role in your asthmatic treatment.

 Calling Your Health Care Provider

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if asthma symptoms develop.

Call your health care provider or go to the emergency room if:

 An asthma attack requires more medication than recommended

 Symptoms get worse or do not improve with treatment
 You have shortness of breath while talking
 Your peak flow measurement is 50% - 80% of your personal best

Go to the emergency room if:

 You develop drowsiness or confusion

 You have severe shortness of breath at rest
 Your peak flow measurement is less than 50% of your personal best
 You have severe chest pain

Prevention

You can reduce asthma symptoms by avoiding known triggers and substances that
irritate the airways.

 Cover bedding with "allergy-proof" casings to reduce exposure to dust mites.

 Remove carpets from bedrooms and vacuum regularly.
 Use only unscented detergents and cleaning materials in the home.
 Keep humidity levels low and fix leaks to reduce the growth of organisms
such as mold.
 Keep the house clean and keep food in containers and out of bedrooms -- this
helps reduce the possibility of cockroaches, which can trigger asthma attacks
in some people.
 If a person is allergic to an animal that cannot be removed from the home, the
animal should be kept out of the bedroom. Place filtering material over the
heating outlets to trap animal dander.
 Eliminate tobacco smoke from the home. This is the single most important
thing a family can do to help a child with asthma. Smoking outside the house
is not enough. Family members and visitors who smoke outside carry smoke
residue inside on their clothes and hair -- this can trigger asthma symptoms.