Posts Tagged ‘asthma treatment’

The term Asthma refers to a chronic inflammatory condition or disease affecting the airways. Symptoms of asthma include coughing, chest tightening and shortness of breath. Symptoms are often recurring and can vary. Besides those already listed, asthma is also characterized by airway obstruction and bronchospasms (constriction of the muscles in the bronchioles). The condition is also called Reactive Airway Disease. A part of the danger of the disease lies in the fact that it is impartial and can affect both large and small airways.

For an attack or episode to occur, the airways affected are forced to contract causing coughing or wheezing. It is not uncommon for both to occur. Persons affected by asthma can merely experience occasional annoyance while the condition can be disruptive for some. It can be frightening because symptoms may be severe enough to be life-threatening.

An approximated 10 percent of girls and 15 percent of boys will be affected at some stage in their lives. The disease is documented as the most common cause of hospitalization in children in the US annually. Children with asthma are likely to experience their first attack by the age of 1. Almost 90 percent will experience this by age five.

It is noted that in most instances a child who develops persistent or sever symptoms has a family history of either asthma or allergies. In these cases, signs of the disease may present themselves within the first year of the child’s life. It is possible to outgrow the condition. In fact, approximately half of all asthma patients will eventually stop exhibiting or suffering from their symptoms. This happens mainly because airways tend to get larger as children grow.

The dark side to asthma is that despite advances in the field of study, asthma-related deaths have increased over the years. This being the case, it is important to keep monitoring symptoms, noting any and all changes and act swiftly in the event that an attack or episode takes place. Patients may also suffer from other conditions like sinusitis and bronchitis, both of which can trigger wheezing. Other triggers include common allergens like dust, animal dander, pollen, air pollution, cockroaches and some food kinds.

Drastic changes in emotions and exercise (light or heavy depending on the severity of condition) can also trigger asthma attacks. It has also been discovered that some girls experience wheezing shortly before the onset on their menstrual period and some drugs; aspirin for example, can trigger wheezing so check with a doctor before taking any medication.

The airway constriction caused by asthma is reversible over time and with proper treatment. Rescue inhalers (some which contain steroids) are used during attacks to keep airways open. Treatment can be used outside of attacks to help prevent them. There are many types of inhalers and alternatives to inhalers so a physician should be able to find a suitable match.

Since inflammation and swelling may still exist even in the absence of the listed symptoms, the treatment chosen should address these since treating the manifested symptoms will only provide temporary relief.

A child of any age with asthma needs a team of attentive parents and health-care providers on his side. Good rapport among all concerned is essential. The specific approaches used for your child will depend upon the frequency and severity of the asthma episodes and the triggers that set it off. Treatment may be needed sporadically or year-round. The most important intervention for asthma may be daily medication that prevents wheezing, not the sporadic treatment of flare-ups.

Several types of medications are prescribed to treat asthma, but patients (or the parents of young children) most clearly understand their specific functions and when and how they should be used.

A fuzzily of medications called bronchodilators-for example, albuterol (Proventil or Ventolin) or team-taline (Brethaire) – immediately relieve wheezing and usually maintain improved airflow for four to six hours. These are usually taken through metered dose inhalers (MDIs), which dispense measured bursts of medication. For very young children as well as older children with more severe asthma, a home nebulizer device may be more appropriate. This converts liquid medication into an aerosol form that is easily inhaled using a facemask or mouthpiece. Because bronchodilators are distantly related to adrenaline, they may cause tremors or rapid heart rate, especially if taken more often than prescribed. (These symptoms are more likely if the pill or syrup forms are used rather than an inhaler.) In children twelve years or older, the inhaled bronchodilator salmeterol (Serevent) may be used for maintenance to prevent attacks, since it is active for up to twelve hours.

However, salmeterol cannot be used to treat an asthma attack.

Because they help asthmatic children feel much better right away, they are frequently use. Repeated doses of this type of medication may cause enough temporary relief. While it is okay, it actually is deteriorating your child if using it for four or five times a day regularly. Asthma is very likely to get out of hand and you should see his doctor about additional treatment. Do not buy and use over-the-counter as a substitute for proper medical care supervision.

Steroids in various forms more directly quiet in the inflammation that underlies the reactive arms response. Your child’s doctor might prescribe a course of oral steroids to bring an intense episode when under rapid control. Long-term oral 5 treatment can pose a major dilemma because of its fixation of lifesaving benefits and major side effects – the same treatment given by inhaler does not risk the side effects. Using a steroid inhaler daily for weeks to months to prevent wheezing will generally be safe, intermittent doses of bronchodilators to stop acute air attacks.

Cromolyn (Intal and other brands) is another for long-term prevention, especially for a child exercise-induced wheezing or a strong allergic comet to his asthma. This medication is given by inhaler. While it is not as potent as a steroid, cromolyn can help minimize wheezing in a child.

Inhalers are usually more effective in children when spacers such as AeroChamber or InspireEase are used with them. A spacer is purchased separately or provided by the physician, and the inhaler canister inserted prior to each use. (One steroid product, Annacomes, comes with a built-in spacer.) These devices eliminate the need for precise coordination of the child’s inhalation and the actuation (firing the puff) of the inhaler. Spacers also prevent larger droplets of medication from being deposited in the mouth and throat. If your child is going to use a chodilator and a steroid and/or cromolyn inhaler at any same time, the bronchodilator should be given firs t because it will open up the airways and allow better distribution of the other medication. Holding the breath for a few seconds after inhaling a puff will help more of it arrive at its destination. Theophylline has been used to treat asthma for and may still be helpful for some children.