Asthma- Learn to Live With it

Asthma is a lifelong chronic lung disease that affects a person’s airways. An asthmatic has to live with asthma every day as there is no cure for it, but the symptoms can be controlled and easily managed.

Asthma is a serious health problem that interferes with daily activities by narrowing the airways of the lungs and producing extra mucus. The condition may be found in people of all ages, although the severity of asthma symptoms varies from person to person. Difficulty in breathing, coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath are some of the common symptoms of asthma. These symptoms may sometimes even lead to an asthma attack that can be life-threatening.

Working round the clock with your doctor to cope with the condition would be best. You’ll have to seek advice from your doctor regarding what to do when your signs and symptoms worsen and when you need emergency asthma treatment. Below are various treatment options that your doctor may recommend to you to curb asthma symptoms.

Treatment and medications for asthma:

The pivotal step that an asthmatic patient should take to avoid factors that trigger the attack is undergoing proper asthma treatment and medications. With effective asthma treatment, you can live long with this condition. However, inadequately controlled asthma will put you in danger and may even send you to the hospital emergency room or even an ICU. So, for adequate treatment of asthma, you will have to find an experienced healthcare provider that you can trust and feel comfortable visiting regularly. Your doctor is the only person who will work with you to help manage your condition. He/she may create a written asthma action plan for you. The asthma action plan consists of information regarding when to take medications or when to increase or decrease the dose of the medications, depending on the symptoms. Your asthma action plan also includes a list of triggers and steps you need to take to avoid them.

Asthma medications:

Your doctor prescribes asthma medications based on a number of factors, including symptoms, triggers, and precautionary measures, to keep your asthma under control. People use two kinds of asthma drugs to treat their conditions. These include medicines that provide quick relief and medicines that bring long-term relief.

Quick relief medications- Medication is vital in saving someone’s life. Quick relief medications are lifesaving drugs that prevent asthma attacks by reducing swelling and mucus production in the airways. Doctors widely prescribe these drugs to provide instant and short-term symptom relief during an asthma attack. Some of the quick-relief medications include:

• Short-acting beta agonists- These drugs start showing effects within minutes by rapidly easing the symptoms during an asthma attack. Short-acting beta agonists include Albuterol,  Levalbuterol, and Pirbuterol. These medications can be easily taken using a portable, hand-held inhaler or a nebulizer.

•  Ipratropium—Ipratropium immediately relaxes your airways, allowing you to breathe easier. Doctors widely prefer this medication to treat chronic bronchitis, but it is sometimes also used to treat asthma attacks.

• Oral and intravenous corticosteroids- These short-term medications include prednisone and methylprednisolone, which relieve airway inflammation caused by severe asthma.

Long-term medications:

Doctors recommend regular long-term asthma medications. These drugs help asthma patients keep their condition under control on a daily basis. Moreover, these medications work by relaxing the muscles that tighten around the airways, improving breathing.

Long-term asthma medications include the following:

• Inhaled corticosteroids- Doctors may prescribe you anti-inflammatory drugs, including Fluticasone, Ciclesonide, Budesonide, Flunisolide, Beclomethasone, and Mometasone to relieve your asthma. These drugs are prescribed to be used for several days to weeks before they reach their maximum benefit.

•  Leukotriene modifiers- Montelukast, Zafirlukast, and Zileuton are oral medications that help asthma patients with their symptoms for up to 24 hours. Leukotriene modifiers are sometimes linked to psychological reactions like hallucinations, aggression, depression and suicidal thinking. If you have any of these symptoms, immediately seek your doctor’s advice and attention.

• Long-acting beta agonists—These medications include Salmeterol and Formoterol, which open the airways of asthmatic patients. Various research has proved that long-acting beta-agonists may increase the risk of a severe asthma attack, so it is recommended to take these asthma inhalers only in combination with an inhaled corticosteroid.

Asthma is a lifelong condition but can be managed easily if you get proper treatment and medications. In order to lead a better life, it is important to take your asthma medicines as prescribed. Furthermore, the more you learn about asthma, the better you can manage living with this condition.