Answer:

First and foremost: no, there is no harm in using a preventative inhaler during an asthma attack. It will not worsen the attack or make you feel unwell in any other way. The only issue (if one can call it that) with using a preventative inhaler during an acute asthma attack is that it will not actively help with calming the attack; for that, you need the “reliever” inhaler.

As for telling the difference between the two inhalers, it depends largely on the country you are in. In some countries, the inhalers are placed in canisters which differ in colour. Most typically, the “reliever” inhaler will be in a blue delivery tube, and the “preventer” will be in a brown version. You may need to specifically request this from your chemist, so it is worth checking to see if colour-specific inhalers are available to you. The difference in colour should solve the problem of knowing which one to grab in a rush.

If the colour-specific canisters are not available, then use a labelling system or – better yet – a substance like nail polish to make each canister look different.

Answer:

Asthma is predominantly identified in children, who are more susceptible to the inflammation of the lungs that causes asthma. Almost 90% of cases are identified before the sufferer reaches the age of 16, as a combination of children being easily distressed and monitoring by their parents helps to pinpoint the illness.

It is, however, completely possible for someone to get in to their 30s or 40s and only then is it discovered that they have asthma. While the illness can suddenly manifest itself – usually due to a lifelong exposure to an asthma irritant, such as certain chemicals or allergens – in most cases, late-diagnosis asthma is not due to a sudden development of the condition. Usually, if it takes 20 or 30 years to identify the condition, it is relatively mild and has not presented much of a noticeable problem for the sufferer until then. This is quite usual, and simple things like moving in to a more polluted environment or beginning a new job around chemicals may make a long-hidden asthma condition become known.

The prognosis of adult-diagnosed asthma is very good, providing you are willing to learn how to use your inhalers properly and how best to manage the condition. Read up as much about the illness as possible to inform yourself, as it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Answer:

First and foremost, consult your doctor. If you are experiencing any breathing difficulties at all, it is important to get things checked with your doctor.

At said appointment, your doctor will perform a number of checks to see if they can confirm a diagnosis of asthma:

- Listen To Your Chest

Your doctor will listen to your chest using a conventional stethoscope. Asthma is caused by a narrowing of the airways due to irritation, and this affects the way your breathing sounds. By listening to it, your doctor will have a firm idea of asthma may be the cause of your troubles.

- Perform A Peak Flow Reading

A Peak Flow Meter is a device used to determine the strength at which a person can exhale; someone with asthma is not likely to be able to exhale forcefully, and will have a low peak flow reading. The measurement is taken by blowing in to a small circular tube with a gauge at the top, and takes only a few seconds. This will be a key part of assessing whether or not you have asthma.

- Giving You Inhalers To Try

If the above tests, along with your detailed symptoms, suggest that you may be suffering from asthma, you will begin experimental treatment. Your doctor will prescribe two inhalers for your daily use, and you will return to see them within a fortnight. At this point another Peak Flow reading will be taken; if the reading has improved on the previous one, this is due to the inhalers, confirming you need them and thus confirming asthma.

- Smoke: tobacco smoke is a major stimulant of asthma and can in fact worsen the conditions over time.

- Strong cleaning products: any cleaning product that contains strong chemicals is to be avoided. There are plenty of natural product solutions which will leave your home just as clean, but your lungs far more healthy.

- Certain medications: penicillin (primarily used to treat infections) and aspirin (used in pain relief) can exacerbate asthma. Use substitutes wherever possible, such as paracetamol in place of aspirin when you have a headache.

- Swimming pools: not for the water, but for the chlorine. As mentioned with cleaning products, any strong chemical will have an adverse effect on asthma sufferers. Always check with a pool venue before using it to see if the pool is chlorinated.

- Menstrual cycle: women may be more prone to asthma attacks during their menstrual cycle or during pregnancy, due to the hormonal changes and imbalances that occur during this time.

- Stress: an asthma sufferer is far more likely to experience an attack when they are stressed, nervous or panicked than they are when they are feeling emotionally stable. It is especially important to control your temper if you have asthma.

The above is just a brief grounding in the many stimuli of asthma; avoid them wherever possible, and also note down any stimuli that seem applicable to your experiences.

Answer:

The “hygiene hypothesis” is a school of thought presented by certain medical studies, discovered during investigations in to why asthma is seemingly on the rise. While by no means a new condition, cases of asthma have been steadily rising since records began. Certain medical studies have tried to find out why this is, and along with environmental factors, the hygiene hypothesis has been suggested for this rise in cases.

“Hygiene hypothesis” is the term used to describe the fact that, as a species, we are far more hygienic than we have ever been. Most households use strong cleaning products, and young children are not as exposed to dirt and bacteria as they were in the 1950s and 1960s. While this cannot really be seen as a bad things, some studies have suggested that it may have contributed to a rise in asthma cases.

Bacteria in the air, when inhaled, is aggravating – and can cause temporary inflammation of the lungs. This usually manifests itself in coughing. Young children in the earlier parts of the 20th century would have had daily exposure to bacteria due to less rigorous hygiene and cleaning standards; as a result, the bronchi of their lungs would appear irritated. The body would then learn how to deal with this, and calm the bronchi down.

Asthma can essentially be described as a irritation of the bronchi. As children nowadays are not exposed to the same levels of bacteria, their bodies do not learn to ‘calm’ the bronchi in their early life. This, some suggest, has lead to a larger number of asthma cases, as when presented with bacteria now, the body is not as well-versed in how to react.

Thankfully, such monitoring can be done at home, using an item of equipment called a Peak Flow Meter. Essentially, a Peak Flow Meter monitors the effectiveness of a person’s lungs. This is done by measuring their expiration rate, known as their Peak Expiratory Flow Rate. When someone is suffering with asthma, their Peak Expiratory Flow Rate will be lower than one would usually expect.

The measurement is taken using a Peak Flow Meter, as mentioned. This is effectively a circular tube of plastic with a mouthpiece on one end; the user then blows, as hard as they can in a sudden burst of breath, in to the tube. A slide on the top of the tube will then move along a numbered chart, giving a Peak Flow reading.

The resulting reading will fit in to one of three categories:

Green: A normal Peak Flow Expiratory Rate has been detected. Medication is effective.

Yellow: Indicates a narrowing of the airways. If someone with asthma has taken their inhalers and still only achieves a yellow reading, they may require a stronger dosage.

Red: A medical emergency, seek immediate help.

A Peak Flow Meter will be provided to anyone diagnosed with asthma and should be used regularly to monitor the condition.

People who suffer from asthma are more likely to have allergies, particularly to dust mites and hay fever But again, this is not a certain link: lots of people who have hay fever do not have asthma, for example, just as lots of people who have asthma do not have hay fever

There are no known substances that are thought to actively ’cause’ asthma – though certain things, such as chemicals, allergens and smoke are known to exacerbate an existing condition.

It is natural when you, or someone you know, is diagnosed with asthma to question why it has happened. Unfortunately, asthma is one of the many illnesses that simply do not have a specific and clear-cut cause for why they have occurred. Learning to accept that sometimes, quite genuinely, these things do just happen is an important part of coming to terms with their asthma diagnosis.

Finally, if you are a parent and are concerned about passing asthma on to your children, this is by no means a certainty, so try not to fret.

Answer:

The “hygiene hypothesis” is a school of thought presented by certain medical studies, discovered during investigations in to why asthma is seemingly on the rise. While by no means a new condition, cases of asthma have been steadily rising since records began. Certain medical studies have tried to find out why this is, and along with environmental factors, the hygiene hypothesis has been suggested for this rise in cases.

“Hygiene hypothesis” is the term used to describe the fact that, as a species, we are far more hygienic than we have ever been. Most households use strong cleaning products, and young children are not as exposed to dirt and bacteria as they were in the 1950s and 1960s. While this cannot really be seen as a bad things, some studies have suggested that it may have contributed to a rise in asthma cases.

Bacteria in the air, when inhaled, is aggravating – and can cause temporary inflammation of the lungs. This usually manifests itself in coughing. Young children in the earlier parts of the 20th century would have had daily exposure to bacteria due to less rigorous hygiene and cleaning standards; as a result, the bronchi of their lungs would appear irritated. The body would then learn how to deal with this, and calm the bronchi down.

Asthma can essentially be described as a irritation of the bronchi. As children nowadays are not exposed to the same levels of bacteria, their bodies do not learn to ‘calm’ the bronchi in their early life. This, some suggest, has lead to a larger number of asthma cases, as when presented with bacteria now, the body is not as well-versed in how to react.

Answer:

There is actually some truth in this – perhaps not in medical record, but certainly in people’s experience of young children with asthma. Some children do indeed appear to “grow out” of asthma, and do not need to use inhalers or suffer attacks in their adult life.

There are various theories for this; the main one being that a child’s developing lungs are more sensitive, and this can make a mild tendency towards asthma seem more serious than it actually is. When the child grows up, their asthma appears to almost vanish, as their lungs grow and mature.

However, the concept of children never suffering from asthma again in their adult life is very rare – many childhood sufferers will find their illness returns as they age, particularly in their 50s and 60s. Hoping that your child’s asthma will fade away as they grow is natural, though it is important to be realistic. This is particularly true if your child has moderate to severe asthma, as this is less likely to be improved with age.

When one first receives an asthma diagnosis, there is a natural reaction of shock and upset. Asthma is a chronic condition, and when diagnosed in adults will tend to be with the person for the rest of their life. This shocked and saddened reaction is completely natural, but it is important to focus on the fact that asthma is very, very rarely fatal – and even then, usually only in conjunction with other medical problems.

Asthma is an illness that needs to be recognized in a daily lifestyle, but not given in to. With correct, inhalation-based treatment, the vast majority of asthma cases can be controlled – and the sufferer will live a normal life, providing they take the correct precautions. Asthma does not mean the end of being able to exercise or enjoy life – it merely means learning what works for you, what triggers an attack and how to prevent it.

Simple changes can make big differences to the life of an asthma sufferer. Things like switching from chemical-based cleaning products to natural solutions have great effects, and avoiding smoky places also makes a big difference. Asthma is controllable, and with the correct medication and a little due care and attention, people may never need know someone has it.