Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Otherwise Known as COPD

If you have difficulty exhaling, you may have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is a group of lung diseases that are known for blocking airflow making it difficult for a person to breathe. Emphysema, chronic asthmatic bronchitis is two diseases in this category. Unfortunately, COPD is a leading cause of death and individuals with a long-term history of smoking are at high risk. The damage caused to your lungs by smoking cannot be undone once you start to suffer from COPD and is responsible for the resultant difficulty in breathing.

The signs and symptoms of COPD vary from one person to the next. Typically all people with COPD experience more than one of the following symptoms:

Shortness of breath

Chest tightness

Chronic cough

Wheezing

Many people diagnosed with COPD were previously diagnosed with chronic asthmatic bronchitis or emphysema and some may even suffer from both of these diseases. Chronic asthmatic bronchitis is when a person has an increased mucus production, inflammation and narrowing of the airways which causes the person to cough and wheeze. A person with emphysema has damaged alveoli (tiny air sacs), which reduces the amount of surface area on the lungs in which to exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide. The alveoli walls are also weaker which may cause them to collapse during exhalation, trapping the air inside. This trapping of air causes the symptom of shortness of breath.

Adults exposed to air pollution, chemical fumes, dust, and tobacco smoke over a long time can be at risk for COPD. Another risk factor for COPD is age. COPD develops over a span of years with symptoms starting to appear around age 40 in some people. Genetics may plan a role in COPD because researchers suspect a rare genetic disorder known as alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency is a cause of some of the cases of COPD.

Individuals diagnosed with COPD are susceptible to respiratory infections such as pneumonia, which can further damage the lungs and make it more difficult for them to breathe. Other complications for those with COPD are high blood pressure. If high blood pressure occurs this could put a strain on the right ventricle of the heart, which will then cause the legs and ankles to swell. COPD increases a person's risk for heart disease, heart attack, and depression. People become depressed because of the difficulty in breathing, inability to be physically active or to do activities that they did in the past. This can make a person extremely sad about life and about their health.

There is no cure for COPD but treatments can control the symptoms and improve breathing. It is imperative that if you are still smoking you quit. Treatment may include oxygen therapy, antibiotics to control infections, bronchodilators and inhaled steroids. Surgery may be necessary for those with severe emphysema when medications alone are not enough to control symptoms. In cases of severe emphysema when nothing else helps, a lung transplant is the last resort.

As you may have guessed living with COPD especially when it is advanced is very difficult. It can be challenging to complete daily living activities and the person will require assistance.

It is important that individuals with COPD control symptoms as much as possible, exercise as much as can be done on a regular basis, eat healthy foods, avoid smoke, receive regular vaccinations to prevent disease, follow-up with the doctor on a regular basis and avoid crowds and cold air so that the best possible health can be enjoyed.

If you're the care giver, it is important to become involved in a support group so you can share your feelings, become informed of new treatments and enjoys the fellowship of people who understand what you and the person you are caring for are going through because they know how tough it is.

Natural Asthma Remedies You Can Use at Home

There are many things you can do at home to help control your asthma. You should never treat asthma without the advice of a medical professional as asthma can be serious, even fatal. However it is possible to use many home remedies to improve your comfort level, ease your symptoms and reduce the frequency of your asthma attacks.

The best way to improve your asthma symptoms or lessen the occurrence of asthma attacks is to be well educated about asthma. The better you understand what triggers your asthma, the more capable you will feel about controlling your asthma symptoms. Triggers such as dust particles, chemical pollutants and fumes, allergens and cigarette smoke can cause asthma.

Some people experience asthma when they exercise or when they breathe in cold air. Keeping a journal of your asthma attacks and what triggered them can show you a pattern of what causes you to experience asthma symptoms. Show the journal to your doctor so triggers can be identified. Once identified you can try to avoid what triggers your asthma or lessen your exposure to what triggers your attacks. This can be difficult to do at work but easier at home where you are more in control over the environment.

Once identified you can remove triggers from your home, triggers such as pet dander, cigarette smoke, and dust are usually easy to remove. You should also stop using harsh chemicals when cleaning if this triggers an asthma attack.

Home Remedies

If your lungs are congested with mucus try improving your symptoms by taking a hot, steamy shower or sitting in a sauna.

Many people have found honey to be beneficial in relieving an asthma attack. When experiencing symptoms such as chest tightness or coughing, open a jar of honey and breathe deeply over the opening. You can also mix 1 teaspoon of honey in a full glass of water and drink this mixture 3 times a day as a home remedy for asthma related symptoms.

Another known home remedy for asthma is to boil garlic cloves in thirty grams of milk and drink it 3 times a day. You can also put minced garlic cloves in a steaming cup of ginger tea and drink this mixture once in the morning and once in the evening.

People have also found drinking a glass of milk 2 to 3 times a day containing one teaspoon of turmeric powder relieves asthma symptoms

Chest rubs have been used for centuries to relieve coughing and chest congestion, the same can benefit an asthma attack when mustard oil and camphor is mixed together and massaged over the back of the chest.

Another simple but effective asthma home remedy is to boil water mixed with caraway seeds and breathe in
the steam created by the boiling water.

Mixing radish, honey and lemon juice in a blender until well blended and then cook in a small pan over low heat for 20 minutes can make another home remedy for asthma. This mixture should be cooled and then the person with the asthma should take a teaspoonful each morning.

Lifestyle changes such as spending time in fresh air and sunshine on a daily basis, living in a dust-free environment free of any triggers such as pet dander, chemical pollutants and cigarette smoke can lead to less frequent asthma symptoms. It is also important to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day because staying well hydrated can help thin out or loosen mucus.

Using home remedies are a cost-effective way to help control and combat asthma symptoms. It is vital asthma is recognized as a serious condition and that signs and symptoms of asthma not ignored. If treatment does not relieve the symptoms and the signs of asthma worsen, you should always seek emergency medical help immediately.

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Medicine for Asthma can be Confusing Unless You Know These Facts

Anyone dealing with asthma knows that you can have more than one medication prescribed for you in order to control your asthma. But it can be confusing to keep the types of asthma medication straight in your mind.

In order to understand medicine for asthma better it is important to take a look at the different types of asthma medications and how they improve asthma symptoms. To understand what the medication does to the body it is good to know what symptoms occur when a person has an asthma attack.

Most of the symptoms a person experiences while having an asthma attack are related to what is going on in the airways in the lungs. Something usually triggers the asthma attack, usually an allergen or irritant such as pollen, a pollutant, harsh chemical smell, exhaust fume, dust particles or pet dander. The airway responds to the allergen or irritant by becoming inflamed which causes the airway to get smaller, making it more difficult to move air in and out of the lungs. The inflamed airways can lead to a feeling of tightness in the chest, chest pain or discomfort can also be felt during an asthma attack. The person is usually coughing or experiencing shortness of breath.

The purpose of most asthma medications is to open up the airways so the person can breathe easier. Other medications that may be given will reduce the reaction that the body has to the asthma trigger. If the person has allergies an antihistamine or decongestant will be prescribed.

Asthma medications are either long-term control in nature or are quick-relief asthma medications designed to bring an asthma attack under control quickly so the person can breathe more easily. The exchange of air in and out of the lungs is critical to life so a chronic asthmatic must always carry quick-relief asthma medication with them at all times.

Long-term control medications come in two types; those that are anti-inflammatory drugs and those that are bronchodilators. When taken on a regular basis over a period of time the asthma can be controlled and attacks prevented. This allows the adult to enjoy a normal physically active lifestyle.

Steroids are anti-inflammatory medication and reduce the swelling and mucus production that occurs during an asthma attack. Over time the anti-inflammatory drug makes the airway less sensitive and less likely to react to the trigger which means fewer symptoms will be experienced.

Bronchodilators relax the smooth muscles that cause the airways to feel tight. When the muscle is relaxed more air can move in and out of the airway. Bronchodilators also help clear out the mucus that has formed during an asthma attack. The adult will then cough the mucus up and out of the lungs thus improving their breathing.

Some common long-term control drugs include corticosteroids that are inhaled, mast cell stabilizers, which are anti-inflammatory medications, long acting beta-agonists, which are bronchodilators, theophylline which is also a bronchodilator, leukotriene modifiers which are used as an alternative to steroids and mast cell stabilizers and xolair which is an injectable asthma medication.

Quick-relief asthma medications give prompt relief from symptoms when the airway is restricted. This type of medication includes short acting beta-agonists, anticholinergics, and systemic corticosteroids.

Inhalers, nebulizers, and pills are typical players in the asthma patient's treatment plan. An inhaler has a metered dose breathed in through the mouth. Nebulizers are machines with medicine inside that are breathed in, and pills are taken orally.

A new asthma medication (Xolair) is given as an injection (shot).

Certain asthma medications can be taken together. Some inhalers contain more than one medication.

It is important to never run out of asthma medications. It is especially important to check the expiration date on quick-acting rescue inhalers to be sure they are ok to use. Get refills on all asthma medications before you run out. Some pharmacies keep track of when you should refill your medication and inform you when to get your prescription refilled. Always call in a prescription at least 48 hours before you need more because the pharmacy may need time to restock it.

Hopefully these facts have made asthma medications a little less confusing.

Understanding the Various Treatments for Asthma

The purpose of asthma treatment is to prevent symptoms and to effectively control long-term asthma attacks. Treatment starts with educating the patient or the patient’s parents if the patient is young, about the symptoms of asthma and those things that may trigger an asthma attack. Treatment may include oral medications, inhalers and avoidance of what triggers the asthma attacks. Triggers vary from patient to patient.

If you recognize what triggers your symptoms of asthma you can avoid those triggers or minimize your exposure to them which will then lessen or eliminate your asthma attacks. Many things trigger asthma including irritants, allergens, respiratory infections, exercise and weather. One irritant trigger is dust. If a person’s asthma is triggered by dust they should have someone else dust the house and be sure to take measures to minimize dust especially in the bedroom.

Treatments for asthma include long-term control medications, inhaled corticosteroids, and rescue inhalers. There are many things that determine what medications will be right for your asthma symptoms including the age of the patient, the particular triggers that cause the asthma and your history of prior treatment and the success you had using those treatments.

There are various medications used to treat asthma. Rescue or quick-relief inhalers are used to quickly open airways during an asthma attack. Rescue inhalers may include one of the following medications:

Short-acting beta agonists such as albuterol, levalbuterol or pirbuterol

Ipratropium, which is a bronchodilator

Oral and intravenous corticosteroids, which decrease inflammation in the airway

If allergens are determined to cause asthma you will be prescribed allergy medications. Inhaled corticosteroids are medications that take several days to weeks to reach the full benefit level but have long-term success with low risk of side effects and are safe for patients to use over long periods of time. Oral medications such as leukotriene modifiers are used to prevent asthma symptoms for up to 24 hours after they are taken. Theophylline is a daily pill that is used to help keep airways open and relax the muscles around the airways so breathing is easier. This was a commonly used medication years ago but not used as much nowadays.

If allergies are determined to be a trigger for asthma it is important to take measure to control allergic reactions. Immunotherapy or allergy shots have been used successfully to reduce the allergic reaction experienced by exposure to certain allergens. A person will be tested to discover what the allergens are and then be given an allergy shot schedule; usually once a week for a few months, and then once a month for a period of one to five years depending on how severe the allergy has been determined to be.

Allergy medications can be oral or nasal spray and are usually a combination of antihistamines and decongestants. Corticosteroid, cromolyn and ipratropium nasal sprays are commonly used to control allergy symptoms.

Your doctor will discuss various treatment plans with you and your input will be important when deciding what treatment plan is best for you. Your treatment plan may change during the year especially if you have seasonal allergies, have asthma that is triggered by cold weather or participate in sports only part of the year.

Treatment typically is a combination of avoidance, lifestyle changes, medications and patient education about asthma. The treatment plan should be in writing with a way to measure success. Your doctor will want to have follow-up appointments in order to access how well your asthma is being controlled and to adjust your treatment plan to be sure that your asthma is well controlled.

What is Reactive Airway Disease?

Reactive Airway Disease (RAD) is often misunderstood and many people either have never heard of it or confuse it with asthma. RAD can also be called, Reactive Airway Dysfunction Syndrome (RADS) by medical personnel. RAD is caused by exposure to environmental allergens such as those substances you breathe in like dust, animal dander, mold spores, and mildew. These things are found in your home, public places and your work environment.

Pollen allergens are seasonal and can occur year round. Environmental allergens can cause many symptoms that can trigger asthma-like symptoms such as coughing and wheezing as well as allergy-like symptoms like sneezing, runny noses and stuffy noses as well as itchy, watery eyes.

Reactive Airway Disease is not so much a specific disease as it is a term used to describe a history of coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath. The cause is usually unknown for these symptoms and the doctor is classifying it as reactive airway disease usually until a better diagnosis can be determined. It can be difficult to obtain an accurate diagnosis especially in very young children (under age 6). The end diagnosis may be asthma but in the meantime the term, "Reactive Airway Disease" is used to describe the signs and symptoms being experienced by the patient.

It is often thought by many that if a child wheezes he/she must have asthma. This is not necessary the case as many parents come to find out when they take their young child to the pediatrician. If you have a baby who has experienced an episode of wheezing you may be relieved to discover that only 30% of babies who have experienced wheezing develop asthma later in life.

A young child (under age 6) may receive a diagnosis of reactive airway disease and then as the child gets older if certain criteria can be met, the diagnosis may change to asthma. The criteria for asthma is that the child must be at least 5 year of age, have experienced episodic symptoms of airflow obstruction or have been diagnosed as having had airway hyper responsiveness, have been seen to have reversible airflow obstruction of at least 10% of predicted forced expiratory volume after using a short-acting beta2-agonist of one second (FEV1) and have had all other respiratory diagnoses ruled out.

Some medical professionals believe that exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy or during the first year of life may predispose the child to RAD.

There is currently research being conducted on the genetic basis for the pathogenesis of asthma. Infants and very young children may be more responsive to airway when exposed to environmental allergens, or when they have contracted viral respiratory diseases such as colds and the flu.

Statistically, reactive airway disease is responsible for 13 million health care visits each year in the U.S. and accounts for 200,000 hospitalizations at a cost of approximately $1.8 billion in healthcare dollars. Statistics show that reactive airway disease occurs more often in children of black and Hispanic origins and that African Americans are 4 times more likely to contract reactive airway disease than their white counterparts.

Babies and young children may have previously been diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection that later includes wheezing and then the diagnosis of reactive airway may be given. A young child with reactive airway disease may wheeze or cough while actively playing.

A doctor may make a diagnosis of reactive airway disease when a patient is young, and presents with a fever, tachycardia, dyspnea, wheezing, coughing, cyanosis, poor feeding, distant breath sounds upon exam, an increased inspiratory-to-expiratory ratio, and may also present with an allergic shiner (semicircles of skin under the eyes).

RAD may have many causes including reaction to allergens or irritants, a reaction to a medication, a respiratory infection, gastro esophageal fistula, or a respiratory infection such as Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common cause of RAD.

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Understanding Asthma Symptoms in Adults

It is easier for an adult to recognize and understand asthma symptoms. Adults can also communicate better with medical personnel regarding what symptoms they are having so that doctors can make an accurate diagnosis. It is crucial to make an accurate diagnosis for asthma so the correct treatment plan can be started and relief from the symptoms can be on the way.

Asthma, once diagnosed is usually a chronic condition and must be treated consistently in order to control the symptoms. Asthma often begins in childhood so by the time a person reaches adulthood they are usually well adjusted to life with asthma and understand well when they are experiencing symptoms and can start treatment immediately.

The first thing many adults notice when they are having an asthma attack is they are coughing, feel tightness or pain in the chest area and have difficulty breathing. They may experience shortness of breath when being physically active if their airway is starting to become inflamed with mucus or becoming restricted as the smooth muscles along the airway contract in reaction to swelling and inflammation in the bronchial area.

Adults can have many triggers for their symptoms of asthma. Some triggers are environmental in nature such as particles in the air that they breathe in and irritate the airway. These particles include dust, pollens, and pet dander. Irritants include pollution, tobacco smoke from cigarettes or cigars, fumes from exhaust or harsh chemicals and breathing in airborne triggers like mold spores or mildew.

There are many medications that can help control the asthma symptoms in adults such as rescue inhalers to take during an asthma attack, oral medications taken on a daily basis that help to control asthma symptoms from occurring or that lessen the frequency of asthma attacks. Some medications work by controlling the inflammation in the airways or help to reduce the sensitivity to asthma triggers.

Adults who understand what triggers asthma symptoms have an easier time of controlling the condition and can enjoy life more without frequent asthma attacks. It is important to understand the symptoms, what causes them and how to avoid the triggers if at all possible in order to really feel that you are in control of your asthma.

When an adult has a firm grasp and understanding of the asthma symptoms they are experiencing they can inform the doctor treating them and a treatment plan can be devised. Symptoms can change over time however especially if the person changes environment at work or home. For instance a move to another city can expose you to different allergens and environmental pollutants that may increase or decrease your asthma symptoms. Whenever you experience a change in asthma symptoms you need to notify your doctor so your treatment plan can be adjusted to enable you to remain in control of your asthma.

It is very rare for asthma to just go away. If your asthma symptoms decrease it is usually because you are managing your condition better, you have improved your lifestyle or your environment has changed for the better (fewer pollutants). It is important that adults learn to pay close attention to asthma symptoms, making note of increases in frequency of symptoms or duration of the presence of a certain symptom and then make the doctor aware of these changes.

Your body may become more sensitive to a trigger and you will notice more symptoms than you had previously. For instance using a new laundry detergent or a new shampoo may trigger symptoms. You may be eating at restaurants or shopping in different locations where others are wearing strong colognes or perfumes and suddenly you notice an increase in symptoms.

When you finally understand your symptoms and have devised a good treatment plan you will find that adults can still enjoy an active life.

Causes of asthma

Asthma is a chronic long term illness which a person of any age can develop. It is characterized by coughing, wheezing and tightness of chest and the severity of symptoms can range from person to person.  Some people may have severe symptoms whilst others may only have a slight wheeze. Even though asthma can't be cured, it can for most people be relatively well controlled.

There are a number of theories in the medical world about what causes asthma, but the prevailing causes are thought to be mainly 2 factors which include environmental and genetic factors, asthma is also found to be more common in women than it is in men.

An asthma attack is triggered when someone is brought into contact with a "trigger" that irritates their airways, the muscles surrounding the airways start to swell and tighten up thus causing them to constrict and make breathing difficult. If the cause is due to infection there can also be mucus and or phlegm present. Asthma attack if severe enough may require the person to be admitted to hospital, luckily however most people can control their asthma attacks via preventative measures or medication they keep with them at all times in case of attacks.  Unfortunately a person who suffers from long term severe asthma may find they have permanently narrowed airways which makes breathing a chronic problem for them. 

There have been studies conducted within recent years which have shown a rise in the prevalence of asthma (especially in children) since the 1970's and it has been suggested this can be attributed to the rise in the use of irritants such as pesticides and household cleaners. Therefore it's thought that if a person is genetically predisposed to asthma, then the modern world contains a host of triggers which can make asthma attacks much worse and despite modern medical control of asthma there were 250,000 deaths from this illness worldwide in 2009/10.

If children are diagnosed with asthma there is a possibility that the symptoms will disappear as they grow older unfortunately though there is a very high possibility that they will return later on in life especially if their symptoms were relatively severe as children. The medical world doesn't really know what causes asthma but what they are sure of is the fact that it does tend to run in families, in other words if one of your parents has asthma then the chances of you or your siblings developing it are higher than if they didn't.

Asthma triggers

Anything that is found to irritate the airways in an Asthmatic is known as a "trigger". Triggers differ from person to person and whilst there are a number of triggers asthmatics share, most have their own personal triggers which may set off asthma attack in themselves but not necessarily in another person suffering from asthma.  If you're an asthmatic the secret is to find your own triggers and avoid them as much as possible.

Common triggers tend to include

*          Pollen, especially in the spring and summer when it’s most plentiful

*          Cigarette smoke, smoking should especially be avoided if you're an asthmatic,

*          Fumes from chemicals etc can also act as a trigger.

*          Extreme cold air

*          Chest ailments and infections

*          Animal fur including cats and dogs etc.

*          Extreme exercise

*          Emotion, laughing and crying can be a trigger for some people.

With asthmatics as with anything else, prevention is much better than cure, if you are an asthmatic then ensuring your condition is controlled and treated should be your highest priority as if left unattended your condition may worsen over time.  For most people asthma can be controlled and only a little thought and common sense is needed to ensure your quality of life is not compromised.