Many people on discovering they have asthma often assume they have been given some sort of life sentence when in actual fact most cases of asthma can be controlled very easily. Knowing everything there is to know about your illness if you suffer from asthma enables you to control your disease.
The main treatment when looking at asthma is avoidance of triggers. Asthma triggers are what causes an asthma attack and there are often common denominator triggers.
However many asthma sufferers often find their set of triggers may differ from other asthma sufferers, the trick is to find your own triggers and avoid them as much as you possibly can. Therefore working with your healthcare provider as closely as possible is essential in ensuring you control your asthma triggers as much as possible.
The two main treatments for treating asthma are quick relief drugs which are used whilst having an attack and control drugs which help in preventing attacks. Taking control drugs are essential if you have moderate to severe asthma even if you feel well and healthy.
Many asthmatics make the mistake of discontinuing their control medication when they feel well; the problem with doing this is that attacks may become more frequent and also more intense. If your asthma is fairly mild, you'll probably be able to get away with just using quick relief drugs if and when you have an attack of asthma.
Commonly used drugs in asthma tend to be inhaled as the medication hits the source of the problem as quickly as possible, this is especially true of drugs such as short acting beta agonists like Ventolin. Other quick relief drugs include Alupent, Maxair and Terbutaline and are also known as bronchodilators.
Quick relief or rescue medications are usually taken when the person starts coughing, wheezing or has a tightness in their chest. They are normally very effective and in most cases (as long as they are taken quickly enough) will prevent an asthma attack.
Preventative/quick relief medications work by relaxing the muscles of your airways thus allowing your breathing to be much easier when having an asthma attack. A rule of thumb is if you find you're using your quick relief medications more than twice a week then your asthma is probably not under control and you need to speak to your health care provider, it may just be that your dosage needs to be changed slightly. It's also especially important you don't "run out" of this medication, you should always have a good supply at hand ready in case it's needed.
Side effects of quick relief asthma medication include tremors, (especially if a large dosage has been taken), anxiety and restlessness, they can also have an adverse effect on anyone with cardiac problems so it's vital your healthcare provider is aware of any other health issues you may have especially if they are cardiac in nature.
Asthma Control Drugs are again usually inhaled for the more moderate asthma sufferers, however if symptoms and attacks are fairly severe, medication such as steroids can be taken orally. Common control drugs taken via inhaler include Pulmicort, Azmacort, Vanceril, AeroBid and Flovent.
Treatment with asthma control drugs concentrates on ensuring you manage your asthma effectively so there is no reduction in quality of life. They work well because they prevent the airways becoming inflamed and swollen, they are also known as anti inflammatory drugs.
It's imperative that if a person who suffers from asthma is deemed to require control drugs they take them as prescribed to ensure their symptoms and asthma attacks are kept as low as possible.
Asthma is unfortunate but it doesn't have to be a life sentence, many asthma sufferers lead a full and productive life and find their asthma is only a minor inconvenience most times.
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