Asthma Symptoms And Signs To Look For




Posted on December 20, 2011 by LifeWAsthma

Asthma symptoms, what are they? What to look for? Asthma affects the respiratory system. It is often a chronic condition and is affecting thousands of individuals across the globe. People with asthma usually explain an asthma attack or a flare-up as a heavy pressure crushing on the chest, feeling as if someone is squeezing your chest taking every molecule of air away.

Some asthma symptoms are common among all sufferers. However, some of the symptoms can be specific to the person suffering the asthma attack and the environmental conditions at the moment. You can classify asthma symptoms in three main categories:
early symptoms, asthma attack symptoms and extreme attacks symptoms.

Early Physiological Asthma Symptoms

Asthma symptoms in the early stages are usually felt before the asthma attack. The  symptoms can be unique to the individual and can be unique to environmental conditions. Early symptoms might only be noticed by the person suffering them while in some other cases could be seen by others.

Some of the early physiological asthma symptoms are:

  • Breathing changes
  • Rapid heart beat
  • Under eyes dark circles
  • Feeling tired
  • Intolerant to exercise
  • Headache
  • Runny nose
  • Becoming sweaty
  • Scratchy throat
  • Fever

Other Early Asthma Symptoms

  • Being moody
  • Feeling sad
  • Wanting to be alone

As you can see, the above symptoms can be mistaken for a cold or the flu. Parents must pay attention to the early signs as sometimes is not clear if a child has asthma or not.

Asthma Attack Symptoms

During an asthma attack the symptoms become more focused on the lungs and the chest area.

  • Tightening of the chest
  • Coughing
  • Wheezing
  • Shortness of breath

If you were near a peak flow meter the readings will be in the red zone. In children the wheezing can be noticed even without a stethoscope, by just listening to the chest.

The asthma attack symptoms might show up in different sequence at times. Sometimes you will feel the tightening of the chest for days before you start wheezing. Sometimes you will start coughing before the wheezing. Sometimes you will go straight to wheezing, especially if chemicals are involved.

In a study done in Norway in 2007, it was discovered that some symptoms can also developed in the upper airway system. Those symptoms were described as itching inside the nose, sneezing, hearing impairment, nasal blockage and mouth breathing.

It is also quite common from asthma sufferers to feel sleepy through the day due to the lack of sleep during the night coming from breathing difficulty.

Extreme Attack Asthma Symptoms

During an extreme asthma attack, the symptoms will be life-threating. If you are suffering from the following symptoms or you see someone with the following symptoms, call 911 or take the sufferer directly to an emergency room for treatment as they are probably in danger of a respiratory arrest and death. If you are the one suffering the symptoms, do not attempt to drive, call 911.

The extreme asthma symptoms are:

  • Extreme shortness of breath
  • Feeling lightheaded
  • Talking and concentrating is extremely difficult
  • Nostrils are flaring to inhale as much air as possible
  • Shoulders are hunched (posturing)
  • Blue or gray tint to the skin, especially around the mouth

And the last sign before respiratory arrest:

  • Drooling, as your body is working so hard to breath, that you cannot control your saliva

Identifying asthma symptoms is critical to the control and the management of the asthma condition. Sufferers, parents, teachers, trainers and coworkers should understand and recognize the warnings and symptoms for a prompt treatment.

An accurate evaluation of the situation at hand should be able to aid you in determining if the situation requires in home treatment, a doctor’s appointment, or a trip to the emergency room.

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Different Kinds of Allergy Relief Home Remedies



Posted on January 12, 2012 by LifeWAsthma

As the number of people with allergy increase, so are the people looking for allergy relief home remedies. Millions of Americans suffer from different kinds of allergies, it could be pollen allergy, dust allergy, mold allergy or any food allergy. Since there is no cure for allergies, all we can do is prevent it and address its symptoms. Aside from the standard allergy medications offered by modern medicine, there are also other options found at home that can serve as allergy relief home remedies.

Apple Cider Vinegar: One very common allergy relief home remedy is Apple Cider Vinegar, it’s acidic nature helps relief itchy skin symptoms. Providing quick relief for hives symptoms, swabbing affected area with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water is all it takes to help you with itchy skin.

Oatmeal: Hives allergy symptoms can also be addressed with a home allergy remedy such as oatmeal. Save the leftovers and apply it to bug bites for relief from itch.

Chamomile: This popular herb is rich in chamazulene, an anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory compound which helps in the relief of pollen allergy symptoms. This organic anti-histamine can be applied topically to help hives symptoms and is mild enough to be prescribed to children. Drinking a cup of chamomile tea a day will greatly decrease chances of having an allergic reaction and help gain immunity to allergens.

Green Tea: Similar to chamomile, green tea also has antihistamine properties that can help aid allergy relief, taking this regularly can give you better immunity to allergens.

Honey: Reducing allergic reactions can also be done by taking honey regularly, it has properties that strengthen your immune system. Consume regularly to enhance resistance of your immune system. Include honey to your regular diet to improve allergen immunity.

Peppermint Tea: A natural decongestant that helps lighten the symptoms of allergic reactions, it also helps reduce sinus problems and aids cough relief.

If you want allergy treatment that doesn’t have side effects, try out allergy relief home remedies, it is healthy, safe and very reasonably priced.

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Home Allergy Relief: Tips To Take Seriously



Posted on January 11, 2012 by LifeWAsthma

Most of us that suffer from allergies are looking for alternatives, like things that we can use as a home allergy relief. Allergies can be a bothersome illness that is experienced by many. Ranging from a runny nose, itchy eyes, clogged noses to skin rashes it is a bodily response to a certain substance that is not necessarily harmful in nature.

It is a bodily reaction that causes symptoms which in turn is the main cause of your inconvenience. Luckily the convenience found on home allergy relief remedies and tips  can help you with your symptoms.

Taking medication for every illness experienced is a process practiced by many which may take its toll on you if you are not conscious about the chemicals that enter your body.

Standard treatment of allergies would involve the use of antihistamines, a drug that uses steroids to combat the symptoms, however these steroids are not good for the system especially when taken regularly. Home allergy relief should be considered as a first option before treating with chemicals.

One good example is Chamomile Tea, this deliciously healthy tea variant acts like, believe it or not, a natural antihistamine. A few cups of this stuff everyday can help you deal with your every day allergies.

Honey is also an excellent home allergy relief agent that has a number of benefits associated to it. This can be most useful during the spring when pollen levels are at its peak because it has a natural tendency to block of pollen, the main source of allergies.

Having a clean home is definitely needed for home allergy relief. Making your home as dust free as possible will help you decrease the regularity of your allergy problems.

Changing the decade old sofa or the taking out grandmas carpet might be the best thing that could happen to you. No matter how well kept it may be, allergens are hidden well within the fibers.

Your bed could also be a source of dust, pollen and dead skin are major causes of stuffy noses or itchy skin, changing it or having it professionally cleaned will greatly reduce the chances of allergy.

As a general rule, if you have allergies, it would be best to keep your house as clean and dust free as possible. It might take up some of your time but it will definitely improve quality of living.

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How To Get Mold Allergy Relief



Posted on January 10, 2012 by LifeWAsthma

How to get mold allergy relief is one of the questions at the top of the list of many allergy sufferers. Mold allergy is a common allergy present almost anywhere. Aside from the fact that molds grow in almost every household, it can also be quite difficult to get rid of. In order for you to find a good mold allergy relief, it wouldn’t hurt to know a few basic things about molds.

  1. One of the most common allergens, molds is a type of fungi that helps in the decomposing process of certain woods and plants.
  2. If molds are found everywhere it’s because they can thrive almost anywhere. Moisture is it’s key ingredient, allowing molds to grow on almost any surface known to man, from the sewer canals all the way to your bedroom ceiling, these guys find their way through almost anything.
  3. Spotting a mold can be a challenge since it can grow anywhere, it also grows long before exposing itself as black spots or branch like formations that can often be spotted in bathrooms.
  4. Molds also give out a musty smell that you often experience in cold dark and damp areas, but there are some that are undetectable by the human senses. More often than not, this type of fungi is undetected by human senses but occasionally give off a musty smell in cold and dark areas.

Understanding how molds work is a good way to find out how to rid your house of this moisture loving organism and give you mold allergy relief.

Taking standard medication for your allergies only provide you with temporary relief since it targets only the symptoms. If you really want a full proof mold allergy relief, you have to be willing to make a few changes.

  1. A general cleaning is what your house needs, standard vacuuming just doesn’t do the trick, so get ready to scrub your house from the floor up. Scrub your walls and floors with disinfectants and make sure you get to all the hard to reach spots, molds love congregating in these areas.
  2. Seeking help from professionals would be advised for a more thorough cleaning.
  3. One sure way to decrease mold activity in your home is to get a dehumidifier since this eliminates the very thing molds thrive on, moisture.
  4. Other areas needed for checking are the water pipes and sewage systems, these areas are just crawling with molds.

All you really need to keep mold activity to a minimum and give you mold allergy relief is an extensive general cleaning of your home.

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Exercise Induced Asthma At School



Posted on December 21, 2011 by LifeWAsthma

Exercise Induced Asthma At School is something that many children are experiencing now a days. Statistics show that one in every fifteen students presents asthma symptoms. These numbers are a lot higher than what they were twenty years ago. Asthma is basically what happens when the bronchioles and alveoli (air sacs) inside the lungs are restricted preventing the air from being released.

The asthmatic student can get air in but can’t exhale adequately. The lungs become overly inflated with air that no longer has oxygen to be delivered to the body.

Although asthma can restrict physical activities it doesn’t have to negate physical activity. Exercise Induced Asthma at school can be handled the proper planning and management. Physical fitness is an important goal for all students. Physical fitness increases the chances that the student will maintain fitness as they grow into adulthood and decrease their chance of becoming overweight adults.

A partnership between students, teachers, parents, coaches, doctors and physical education teachers to manage and control asthma will increase the student’s chance of remaining active. Part of that partnership is the asthma management plan. In that plan is recognizing the triggers or factors that make your asthma worse or cause an episode. Asthmatics should avoid and control these triggers.

Some common triggers that are factors in an asthma episode include exercise, mold, allergies, upper respiratory infections, irritants, cigarette smoke, cleaning solutions, perfumes and paints. Some of these triggers can be avoided while others may only be limited. In either case they should be included in the management plan for asthma and physical activity at school.

If you or one of your students are subject to exercise induced asthma, knowing how to react during an asthma attack is extremely important. Another part of the management plan includes access to medications that used to treat asthma attacks. Asthma and physical activity at school require access to rescue medications during asthmatic attacks. Using a management plan will increase the chances that the student will remain active during the school year and develop good fitness characteristics that will take them through life.

Asthma and the level of physical activity at school should be modified to match the student’s current lung status. Their status can be evaluated using a peak flow meter. The goal is to keep the students included in the activities even if they aren’t able to perform the physical activities. Students can be the time keeper, score keeper or equipment manager until their health improves.

Asthma and physical activity at school are more successful when a management plan is used. The management plan should include the students medical history, their individual symptoms, how to contact the parents and health care providers, normal peak flow numbers, triggers, medications and signed by the parent/guardian and student. The plan should have the student involved during the development because with the student’s participation they will be more liable to follow the plan.

The final piece of the management plan for students with exercise induced asthma should be complete access to rescue medications. Students should be able to access their medications, administer them and determine when they need them. Teachers and coaches should not only know the student’s triggers but also the symptoms that require immediate action such as coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, chest tightness or low peak flow readings.

When these symptoms appear from asthma and physical activity at school the student should stop the activity, use their inhaler and be taken for emergency help if they don’t improve. Asthma and physical activity at school are important pieces to improved physical fitness for students to continue their fitness growth.

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