Skip to main content

Causes, Treatment and Complications of Asthma

Treatments Asthma is usually treated by using an inhaler, a small device that lets you breathe in medicines. The main types are: reliever inhalers – used when needed to quickly relieve asthma symptoms for a short time preventer inhalers – used every day to prevent asthma symptoms occurring Some people also need to take tablets. Read more about how asthma is treated and living with asthma. Causes and triggers Asthma is caused by swelling (inflammation) of the breathing tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. This makes the tubes highly sensitive, so they temporarily narrow. It may occur randomly or after exposure to a trigger. Common asthma triggers include: allergies – to house dust mites, animal fur or pollen, for example smoke, pollution and cold air exercise infections like colds or flu Identifying and avoiding your asthma triggers can help you keep your symptoms under control. Read more about the causes of asthma. How long does it last? Asthma is a long-term condition for many people, particularly if it first develops when you're an adult. In children, it sometimes disappears or improves during the teenage years, but it can come back later in life. The symptoms can usually be controlled with treatment. Most people will have normal, active lives, although some with more severe asthma may have ongoing problems. Complications Although asthma can normally be kept under control, it's still a serious condition that can cause a number of problems. This is why it's so important to follow your treatment plan and not ignore your symptoms if they're getting worse. Badly controlled asthma can cause problems such as: feeling tired all the time underperformance at or absence from work or school stress, anxiety or depression disruption of your work and leisure because of unplanned visits to your GP or hospital lung infections (pneumonia) delays in growth or puberty in children There's also a risk of severe asthma attacks, which can be life-threatening.

Popular posts from this blog

Being overweight

"Four million people died in 2015 as a result of being too tubby, struck by cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other killer conditions," reports The Sun. This is based on a global study that looked at how the proportion of people who are overweight and obese has changed over time. This was determined by recording body mass index (BMI), where a BMI of 25-29.9 means being overweight and 30 or above is being obese. Researchers then assessed the link between having an unhealthy BMI and health outcomes including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. It found that, despite public health efforts, obesity is on the rise in almost every country and in both adults and children. Prevalence has doubled in most countries over the past 30 years. Researchers also estimated that having a high BMI accounted for 4 million deaths globally, 40% of which occurred in people who were overweight but not yet obese. This demonstrates that being overweight may almost be as risky to health a...
Read more

Exercise

Two sets of US guidelines have revised the public health advice on physical activity to clarify that gentle exercise is not enough to improve health, The Guardian reported. Current guidelines suggest that 30 minutes of exercise a day is enough to offer health benefits, however the newspaper said that adults “need to add jogging and twice-weekly weight-training sessions if they want to cut their risk of heart disease and obesity.” The newspaper reports that “the lightest of activities such as dusting and the stroll to the car are being counted as exercise” and quotes the researchers as saying that people have “not accepted, and others have misinterpreted the original recommendation.” The expert panel process and the recommendations offered have clarified some of the more unclear recommendations that were published in 1995. The group of experts met in 2000 to prepare this update, and this was supplemented by panel members’ own searches of the literature. It is not possible to validate ...
Read more

Back to basics

Simple painkillers are better than spinal manipulation or anti-inflammatory drugs to cure a bad back, reported The Daily Telegraph and other newspapers. “Visiting a chiropractor for a bad back may be a waste of time and money,” the newspaper said. The Daily Mail adds, “Patients get better just as quickly if they simply stay active and take a mild painkiller such as paracetamol.” The story is based on a well-conducted study in people who had persistent, acute, mild back pain. The researchers compared stronger painkillers and spinal manipulation with continued conservative treatment (paracetamol and advice about avoiding bed rest and remaining active and so on). The study suggests that neither spinal manipulation nor strong painkillers are more effective than conservative treatment including paracetamol for acute back pain.
Read more