Asthma is a common lung condition which causes occasional and often debilitating breathing difficulties.
Prescription Doctor can offer treatment for asthma that can be delivered straight to your home safely and discreetly.
To learn more about the causes and treatments of asthma, continue reading. Alternatively, you can proceed to the medical form below.
Asthma is a common lung condition which causes occasional and often debilitating breathing difficulties. It tends to start in childhood but can affect individuals of all ages.
Adults can also suffer from Asthma and associated conditions such as COPD especially if they smoke or are exposed to irritants.
According to the British Lung Foundation, around five million individuals in the UK are affected by it. While there's no cure for asthma, treatments can manage your symptoms, so they don't negatively impact your life.
Asthma is a chronic condition affecting your airways. Those with asthma have inflamed and sensitive airways that react each time they come in contact with irritants. Asthma tends to be hereditary, particularly if there's a history of smoking and allergies.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease which causes your airways to become inflamed, restricting the flow of oxygen to the lungs.
When this occurs, the body tissues in the lungs receive less oxygen thereby making it more difficult to exhale carbon dioxide. If left untreated you become short of breath, making it difficult to stay active.
Sometimes individuals will have symptoms of both emphysema and bronchitis; therefore doctors like to refer to the condition as COPD. But, there are still other doctors that believe a person can still have chronic bronchitis even if they don’t have airway obstruction, an important COPD characteristic. Your physician will give you details about your condition and how to treat it most effectively.
Many cases of COPD are preventable and treatable. Some medicines prescribed for asthma to reduce inflammation in the lung, can also help those suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
It's unknown why certain individuals develop asthma and others don't. However, it's likely due to genetics and environmental factors. Many believe our lifestyle choices these days can contribute to the increase in asthma patients.
These lifestyle choices include your:
Certain substances and irritants can trigger allergies which can trigger asthma symptoms.
Asthma triggers vary among people and may include:
Asthma, as mentioned, inflames the airways which can cause people to have long-lasting inflammation requiring constant management, usually with lifestyle choices and medications. An asthma attack can occur at any moment. When you have mild symptoms, they will likely only last for several minutes whereas if your asthma symptoms are more severe, they can last for hours, even days.
Common asthma symptoms include:
Many things trigger these symptoms, however, chances are its asthma if they:
If you suspect you have asthma (or your child), or if you do have it and it’s difficult to control, see your doctor.
An asthma attack is when your symptoms suddenly worsen. You may feel a tightening around your chest, due to your airways becoming swollen, making it difficult to breathe. In more serious cases, you may experience dizziness, confusion, and your fingers and lips may turn blue.
Asthma attacks can occur due to stress, anxiety or exposure to irritants and smoke.
It is important to understand how to manage these symptoms. Reliever inhalers such as Salbutamol are effective remedies in treating acute asthma attacks. Usually one or two puffs inhaled immediately upon attack, can provide relief of symptoms.
Managing your asthma can reduce the risk of having asthma attacks and improve your quality of life. Avoiding known irritants like aerosols and dust, wearing a scarf over your nose and mouth in cold weather, and staying vaccinated against influenza and pneumonia during the winter can drastically reduce your chances of having an asthma attack.
Asthma medication such as inhalers, nebulisers and pills can also offer both short-term and long-term relief, as well as protect your lungs from damage brought on from frequent asthma attacks.
When you manage your asthma well, you should be free of your symptoms. Although it may be harder to control severe asthma, the aim of treatment for most asthma patients is to manage the condition so that:
Other benefits include:
When you manage your asthma well, you won't need your inhaler as much. Your doctor will also be able to prescribe you the lowest dose of medication to keep your symptoms under control. You'll even save money if you're not paying for a lot of prescriptions to keep your asthma under control.
Your asthma doesn't just affect your physical health. It also can hugely affect your whole life and those around you. Therefore, other benefits of managing your condition are:
If your asthma is under control, your doctor could prescribe less medication to treat your symptoms. This improves your quality of life, allowing you to be more active without worrying that your asthma will interfere, but it can also save you money as you will not be paying for lots of prescriptions to treat your symptoms.
Prescription Doctors offer options to treat asthma such as:
Asthma medicine plays an important role in how effectively you manage your condition. It prevents asthma attacks. It helps reduce the inflammation of your airways, making them less likely to have a reaction to triggers. With the proper medicine, you can live a normal and active life.
Once you receive your initial diagnosis, your doctor will prescribe a treatment depending on the severity of your symptoms and how long you've had them.
There is always a risk of side effects of any medication, including asthma medications. However, most individuals don't experience any side effects or very few. Your doctor will only prescribe you a medication if they believe the benefits outweigh the risks.
If your asthma attacks are frequent, it could lead to your airways becoming narrower and scarred. Doctors refer to this as "airway remodelling". To prevent this type of lung damage, quit smoking and take all medications, including inhaler as prescribed.
The exact cause of asthma is not known, however, the condition is often genetic. Your baby has a higher chance of developing breathing problems or asthma if:
Asthma UK reports that one person has a life-threatening asthma attack every 10 seconds. While most individuals having an asthma attack seek help and get better, every day these attacks kills three people.
If you're intolerant or allergic to Salamol, Atrovent, Ventolin or Clenil Modulite or any of the ingredients in them, you shouldn't use any of them. Always inform your prescriber about all medications you're on and previous medications. Also, inform them about any medical conditions you have as well.
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