Asthma Treatment

What is Asthma Disease?

Asthma is a chronic disease which affects the respiratory system causing dyspnea because of the narrowing of the airways which occurs due to the excess of mucus that is produced.

Symptoms:

• Dyspnea.
• Shortness of breath.
• Chest tightness and pain.
• Cough with mucus.
• Wheezing especially during exhalation.

Complications :

• Sleeping troubles that occur due to night dyspnea, coughing and wheezing, insomnia causes general weakness and exhaustion.
• Severe asthma cases that are caused due to triggers.
• Side effects of asthma medications due to prolonged usage.
• Sick days from work or school that need hospital visits to take ventilation sessions.
•  Narrowing airways which affects breathing and oxygen supply.

Asthma triggers:

• Genetic and hereditary factors.
• Environmental factors that include dry weather in low-humidity areas.
• Seasonal changes cause breathing problems for asthma sufferers.
• Severe psychological and nervous stress.
• Taking certain types of medications, such as: aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen.
• Preservatives found in some canned and frozen foods.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the causes of increased symptoms of asthma, a disease in which stomach acids return to the esophagus.

Factors that increase the risk of developing asthma:

• Genetic factors such as: having a parent or sibling suffering from asthma increase the likelihood of developing asthma.
• Overweight and obesity.
• Smoking or having a heavy smoker in the home or being exposed to smoke and pollutants continuously.

Lifestyle and home treatment of asthma:

• Breathing exercise, there are many phone applications to do this exercise in a good manner.
• Eating healthy food and avoiding junk food.
• Treatment with medicinal herbs:

1. Black seed oil contributes to opening the air passages in the lungs.
2. Caffeine, as it has a minor effect on expanding the trachea. Therefore, caffeine is not preferred when heading for a medical examination.
3. Choline: a substance found in some foods such as meat, poultry, fish, liver, broccoli and peanuts, and you can also take it as a dietary supplement.
4. Pine extract, called pycnogenol, can be taken as a supplement.

Treatment of chronic bronchial asthma with a nebulizer:

Steam inhalers relieve asthma symptoms.

The nebulizer is a device that works to convert the drug substance from a liquid state to a vapor that the patient inhales and then directly affects the lungs, the effect of the drug substance helps to extract the muscles surrounding the airways and dissolves mucus.

Medications used with nebulizers: 

• A saline solution that helps dissolve mucus and opens airways.
• Anticholinergics, such as: Atrovent, which also works to dissolve mucus, open the airways, treat shortness of breath and wheezing.
• Short-acting beta agonists or bronchodilators are the fastest choice for relieving asthma symptoms, such as: Ventolin.
• Palmicort is a glucocorticosteroid, which reduces inflammation, dilates the airways and dissolves mucus.

 Treatment with medications:

Corticosteroids (cortisone) and should be taken under the advice of a doctor, such as: prednisolone and methylprednisolone.

Corticosteroids are medicines that can be taken in the form of pills or drinking medicine.

Bronchodilators and there are syrups such as: Ventolin.

Treatment of asthma with inhalers:

Inhalers are the most common treatment for asthma. It is a small spray that works with a short batch of medicine from the designated plastic piece.

And there is another type that pushes the drug after you take a deep breath.

Treatment for allergy induced asthma:

If you notice that chest sensitivity results in symptoms, the doctor in these cases prescribes some medications such as:

1.  Omalizumab (Xolair): This medication targets proteins in the body that increase when it comes into contact with something you are allergic to. Your doctor may prescribe this medication every 2 to 4 weeks.
2.  Immunotherapy: by injection or allergy drops that a doctor prescribes to treat chronic asthma caused due to allergies.