Do You Suffer From Asthma Or Know Someone That Does?

If you have experienced that feeling of your airways constricting and your lungs becoming sore and tight, then you know what it is like to have an asthma attack. It can be a scary process and have you feeling panicked really quickly.

Having to live with a life threatening disease can be really difficult for everyone involved. The person that has the asthma wants to lead a normal life and not be fussed over or made to feel fragile. Your child will want to participate in all school activities and not be made to sit on the sidelines.

Asthma attacks are caused by triggers, some triggers are due to the environment such as dust, pollen or grass. Other triggers are from allergies, cleaning agents, pet hair or a reaction to certain foods. Avoiding these as much as possible is key to managing your asthma attacks.

An asthma attack occurs when mucus builds up in the lungs, the membrane inside your lungs becomes irritated and starts to swell. The respiratory tract becomes inflamed and causes difficulty in breathing. The affected person develops a cough and can be heard to be wheezing, gasping for breath.

With all the medicines available today it is possible to get your asthma under control and keep it controlled without experiencing too many severe attacks. It is really important to communicate with your doctor so he or she can prescribe the best controllers for you. Tell him what your lifestyle is like, if you enjoy running or swimming or playing tennis but are just having trouble breathing. He can advise you of how and when to take your medication so that you can play your game of tennis without fear of an attack happening. Just remember to always keep your emergency puffer close at hand and follow your doctor's advice completely.

Other simple things that you can do, to keep your asthma under control is to ensure that you are following a healthy lifestyle. Eating and exercising regularly. Learning how to breathe correctly will develop your lung function and strengthen your muscles. So when you do experience an attack you can handle and recover from it far more easily. It can sometimes take up to 6 weeks to fully recover from an attack.

While there is no cure for asthma, symptoms can improve and virtually disappear over one's life time. By using good self management techniques it is possible to lead a normal lifestyle.