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| Asthma – Early
Signs Photo source |
In ancient Greece the word “asthma” is used to describe
breathlessness or shortness of breath. It was believed, that asthma is caused
by internal imbalances that could be recovered with a healthy diet and changes
in lifestyle.
Asthma is
an inflammation of the bronchi, which leads to swelling and contraction of the
airway tubes. Narrowing of the bronchi
can be fully or partially. The inflamed bronchi can become overly sensitive to
allergens (specific triggers) or other irritants.
Airways
can become irritated and remain in a state of heightened sensitivity. This
condition is known as hyperreactivity. Asthmatics have a much greater degree of
bronchial hyperresponsiveness than others. In sensitive individuals, the
bronchial tubes tend to swell and constrict when exposed to allergens- tobacco
smoke, etc. Asthma can affect people differently. Each individual has a
different degree of reactivity to the environment, which affects the type and
dose of the drug.
How does asthma affect breathing?
Asthma
causes a narrowing of the airway tubes, which prevents the normal movement of
air into and out of the lungs. Asthma is associated with the bronchi and
doesn’t affect the alveoli or lung
tissue. Narrowing of the airway tubes is caused by three main factors:
- inflammation
- bronchospasm
- hyperreactivity
1.Inflammation.
When
inflammed, bronchial tubes become red and swollen or irritated. This
inflammation leads to increased thickness of the bronchial tube walls and the
hole through which air can flow becomes very small.
The
inflammation occurs in response to an allergen or irritant. Inflamed tissues
produce extra sticky mucus in the tubes. Thus, specific allergy cells can cause
tissue damage. These cells are being secreted into the airway tubes, and thus
help to the narrowing.
2. Bronchospasm
During an
asthma attack, muscles around the bronchial tubes narrow themselves . This
narrow is called a bronchospasm. Shrinkage may be caused by inhalation of cold
or dry air.
3. Hyperreactivity (hypersensitivity)
In
patients with asthma, airway tubes are very sensitive, and it can easily be
triggered by allergens, irritants and infections. If you are constantly exposed
to these irritating factors, it leads to
even more inflammation and narrowing of the airways.
The
combination of 3 factors (inflammation, spasm of the bronchi and hyperreactivity)
leads to difficulty in breathing or exhaling. Because of this narrowing, the air should be exhaled or
inhaled "by force", causing wheezing. Typical sign for people with
asthma is a cough, caused by mucus. As a
result of the narrowing, the flow of oxygen in the blood decreases, and in
severe cases can accumulate large amounts of carbon dioxide.
The importance of inflammation
Inflammation
and swelling are normal human reactions to trauma or infections. Blood flow
itself increases to affected area and so
begins the healing process. The main problem is that inflammation does not subside
on its own. If the problem persists, it
can lead to a progressive thickening of the bronchi walls. In this situation,
the narrowing may become irreversible. Therefore, treatment of asthma reduces
to controlling airway inflammation (short-term) and stop the remodeling of the
airways (long-term).
Reasons for an asthma attacks
Asthma
can be triggered by many factors, so asthmatics may react to different agents,
as the most affected are nose and eyes.
Triggers fall into two categories:
- allergens (specific stimuli)
- no allergens (nonspecific stimuli)
Once
bronchi are inflamed (during allergic
response), they can become infected and
by repeatedly exposure to allergens. Bronchi may swell themselves by exercises, infections or other irritants. More triggers:
seasonal - pollen
perennial - mites, mold, mildew, dust mites, pets,
insects
food - fish, eggs, peanuts, nuts, milk, soy
other- latex, epoxy, formaldehyde
Types of irritants/agents
respiratory infections, viruses, colds, bronchitis, sinusitis
beta-blockers (used to treat blood pressure), aspirin,
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents
smoke
external factors- smog, weather changes, evaporation (gas)
internal factors - paints, detergents, deodorants, perfumes and
chemicals
emotional factors - laughing, crying, shouting, suffering
hormonal factors
exercises (premenstrual syndrome)
The Many Faces of asthma
Asthma
can occur in many different ways and forms.
It begins
in early childhood (2-6 years) . So, 80% of children and 50% of adults with
asthma have some other allergies.
The most
common cause of asthma in children is
allergens such as dust, mites, tobacco smoke, and other viral infections.
Most
difficult to diagnose is asthma in children under 2 years.
Along
with difficulty breathing, may occur and viral infection, and wheezing may
disappear later, without leading to asthma. However, asthma can appear during
maturity, and it is more common in women.
Symptoms and signs of asthma
Symptoms may
vary. The most important are:
- shortness of breath (especially at night)
- wheezing and hissing sounds when breathing
- coughing (may be chronic), worse at night or early in the morning. It can occur after exercises, exposure to cold or dry air
- chest tightness
They are
caused by exposure to allergens or respiratory infections. Asthma attacks are
potentially life-threatening and unfortunately do not stop by itself. If you
have prolonged seizures that do not respond to treatment, seek immediately
emergency medical care. Symptoms of severe asthma are coughing, difficulty
pronouncing whole sentences and shortness of breath. You also may have
blocked breasts and bluish lips.
Additional aggravating factors:
- excitement
- confusion or inability to concentrate
If this
happens, you need an asthma inhaler.
They are
used temporarily and removed when lungs and breathing is OK. Visit doctor if
things get worse!
Folk recipes for the treatment of asthma
Coffee
Caffeine
can control and prevent asthma attacks. People who drink strong coffee have 3
times less symptoms of asthma attacks.
Onion
It is
characterized by very good anti-inflammatory properties. According to medical studies,
it can reduce the narrowing of the bronchial tubes during astma. You can
consume several heads boiled onion a day to reduce attacks.
Cheesecloth
Place a
cheesecloth bag in any room of your home. This "home-filter" captures
dust, dead cells from animals etc. This may alleviate symptoms.
Chilli
"Hot"
and spicy foods open airways. Chilli stimulate
saliva in the mouth and throat. They, in turn, reduce the amount of mucus,
making coughing and breathing easier. They are anti-inflammatory and contain
large amounts of vitamin C.
Orange juice
Vitamin C
is a great antioxidant. It was found that patients with asthma have very low
levels of vitamin C. Drinking three
glasses of orange juice per day, solves the problem.
Salmon, mackerel, tuna
They
contain omega-3 fatty acids, helping lungs for better responding to different
irritants. Children who consume fish at least once a week, suffer from asthma
more often.
Mint extract
Place 250
ml of water in enameled pot and place it on the stove. Add 10 drops of peppermint oil and leave it to a boil. Let then simmer for
about 1 hour until the water evaporates. The essential oil will saturate the
room and you’ll breathe easier.
13 tips for preventing asthma
For
long-term control:
- Avoid exposure to cigarette smoke
- Avoid food additives, stop eating processed and fried foods
- Avoid fruits and vegetables with nitrates
- Reduce protein to 10% of the day (replace animal protein with vegetable)
- Avoid milk and milk products (replace them with other sources of calcium)
- Do not eat margarine and vegetable oils
- Use olive oil (extra virgin)
- Drink at least 2 liters of water per day
- Eat ginger and turmeric regularly, they have anti-inflammatory effect
- Move to live in the mountains or at sea, if necessary
- Include aerobic exercises, stretching and yoga in your daily life
- Eat fruits and vegetables containing antioxidants
- Experiment with traditional Chinese or Ayurvedic medicine (India)
Diseases and health conditions that can mimic asthma
symptoms
- Sinusitis (inflammation and swelling of the sinuses)
- Myocardial ischemia
- Pulmonary embolism
- Gastroesophageal reflux
- Angina
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Chronic bronchitis
- Heart failure
- Bronchiectasis
- Obstruction of the airway tubes
- Dysfunction or paralysis of the vocal cords
- Lung cancer
- Pulmonary aspergillosis
- Respiratory syncytial virus
