Asthma in Adolescents

Most of the teenagers who have asthma are also allergic to many things. The asthma can get severe even if the people with asthma are exposed to allergens of low grade. Allergies play an important role in asthma cased which are undiagnosed. Other factors that also trigger childhood asthma include upper respiratory infections like colds, second hand smoke, and certain climate conditions like cold air and due to emotional physical expressions like laughing, crying or yelling. However, it is not the end of the road for asthmatics as they can live active and healthy if they manage asthma properly by avoiding asthma triggers, regular intake of prescribed medications, being alert of the warnings and be aware of the ways to deal with an asthma attack.

There is a great consensus among the parents whether their children would outgrow asthma as they grow up. But the truth is it depends from child to child. While some children experience improvement in their teens others see asthma becoming even more severe. But almost half of the children who have asthma outgrow asthma as they grow although some symptoms may come back later.

Many parents have questions like whether their children can take part in sport activities. The answer is both yes and no. Some kids may get an asthma attack when they participate in exercises like running. But with proper management a teenager suffering from asthma can actively participate in sports. Special aerobic exercises can improve airway function. This strengthens the breathing muscles. Some of the ways that one can participate in sports is to follow the regimen of stretching the muscles prior to and after exercising, nose-breathe instead of breathing through the mouth and make sure that humidified air passes through the airways. Also parents should make sure that the adolescent has taken all prescribed medication supposed to be taken before they begin exercising. Carrying a reliever is a must for asthmatic teens which would come handy if asthma attack occurs. Asthmatic teenagers should make sure that they wear something over their mouth and nose to stop cold air from entering.

It is not easy for adolescent teens to attend school when they have asthma but it is not difficult also at the same time if proper coordination is made among the teenager, doctor, family and school employees. It is a good idea to consult teachers, nurses and other pertaining employees of the school and let them know that the teenager has asthma and may have special requirements. Also, let the school management know on medications the teenager regularly takes and how to help the teenager when an attack occurs. The school staff should be asked to treat the teen normally once the attack subsides. The physical education coach should also be informed about the condition so that he/she can let the kid stretch the muscles before any exercises or to deal with asthma attack induced due to exercises. Also, before admitting the teenager to a new school care must be taken to check the quality of air, irritants and allergens if any present in the school. The school staff should take considerations to avoid symptoms which could hamper the energy level kids. Also asthmatic teens should be assured from time to time that they are no different from others and asthma in any way does not slow them down, They need this emotional confidence otherwise they may have personality problems.

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Asthma Attacks

To healthy individuals, asthma may be a simple health problem but for the sufferers, its really a different thing especially when the attack is slowly setting in.

Asthma attacks happen when the air passages constrict. This may be due to allergens, air impurities, food, exercise or strenuous activities, and many others. Severe attacks are often characterized by wheezing or whistling sounds, dry cough, and breath-shortness. In an asthma attack, the air passage of the individual is clogged by mucus, the air tubes lining is swelling or inflamed. Gasping for breathe is a dreaded situation for asthmatics and so you should try to prevent the attacks as much as possible.

There are several layers in the air tube. A muscle located outside relaxes or tightens and it is responsible for controlling the air tubes opening. It is guided by the nervous system, particularly the portion for the reflexes. The muscle works like that of involuntary blinking.

You cant control how the muscles work. The outside muscle of the air tube reacts to irritants like perfume, dust, allergens, pollution, pollen, or cigarette smoke by tightening or relaxing. In the case of asthma patients, the outside muscle overreacts to the irritants, thereby causing an attack.

Aside from reacting with irritants and allergens, the muscle also reacts to other factors like exercise, cold air, pressure changes, and viral infections. When the muscle tightens, the airway narrows.

Asthma attacks are not only limited to the tightening of the muscles of the air tube but it can be caused by the inflammation of the airways lining as well. Have you ever experienced scraping your knee? If youre observant, you will notice that the knee area swells and a fluid oozes out. This fluid is made up of cells which fight the infection but it also contributes to swelling. The same thing happens in the airways. When the airways are inflamed, the lining oozes out fluid which contributes to swelling and at the same time, it obstructs the air passage.

Mucus found in the airways in not all that bad. It normally aids in the smooth flow of air into the lungs but during an asthma attack, the mucus increases and it clogs the air passage. The mucus becomes sticky making it more difficult to breathe. As long as the mucus clogs the air passage, the asthma attack will persist. You need to consult a doctor right away so that you can receive appropriate medical attention.

Keep in mind that if you leave the mucus clogs untreated, it can lead to infections. Only the doctor can give you the proper antibiotic that suits your situation. Attacks can last for a couple of minutes but for severe attacks, it can last for many hours or even days. There are intervals wherein the asthma patient will not feel any of the symptoms but it will soon return if no proper medication is given.

Doctors often conduct a breathing test to determine if the person has asthma and it is called spitometry. During the evaluation, several tests will be conducted to identify what caused the asthma attack. Once the trigger or triggers are identified, you need to stay away from them as much as possible. You have to work closely with your doctor if you want to prevent future asthma attacks. The attacks can be deadly, so dont disregard them.

Asthma And Yoga

Many people are now opting for alternative treatments since conventional medications are already very expensive. Medical costs are continuously rising every year and because of this, individuals suffering from different health problems are turning to cost effective alternative treatments which were used many years ago by the ancient people. Did you know that yoga can prevent and control asthma attacks? If you dont believe it, keep on reading.

Asthma is a Greek word which means short-drawn breath, gasping, or panting. It is considered as a respiratory ailment which causes discomfort among patients. About 10% of the children and 5% adults around the world are suffering from asthma; these are millions of people suffering a dreaded disease and when it is left untreated, it can cause death. Asthma symptoms dont show everyday. The attacks happen when the asthma is triggered by a certain factor.

Normally, the air sacs appear like balloons when filled with air but in the case of an asthmatic, the air sacs become floppy-like while the alveoli and bronchi collapses. The asthma patient will therefore inhale more air but they will have difficulty in exhaling. Its easy to tell if youre having an attack, just look at these symptoms dry cough, breath shortness, breathing difficulty, lightness or tightness of the chest, and whistling or wheezing sounds. Prior to your asthma attack, symptoms like irritated eyes, itchy throat, and running nose may also appear.

Asthmatics have trouble in exhaling but they can inhale with ease. Another thing that you should watch out for is that the asthma attacks occur at night, when the person is sleeping. If you want to control your life and prevent asthma attacks, you need to identify the possible triggers or factors. The triggers include allergy, abnormal or unusual body chemistry, heredity, and combination of several factors.

Bronchospasm occurs when the airways are constricted and clogged. This results to difficulty in breathing. Once the bronchioles become inflamed, it generates mucus and this result to muscle tightening; the airways are thereby irritated and the doctor will tell you that youre having a bronchospasm.

If you dont want to suffer from asthma symptoms often, you can try yoga. There are already a large number of Yoga centers all over the world. Asthmatics that joined yoga showed favorable results. Through yoga, you can avoid attacks without using any drug or medication. If youre currently undergoing a medical asthma treatment, yoga practices can also enhance the efficacy of such medicines. Homeopathic and allopathic doctors now believe in Yogas effectiveness in treating asthma.

According to Yoga experts, your health condition is centered in the mind. Through yoga practices like meditation, relaxation, yogic kriyas, pranayamas, and yogasanas, the whole system can be calmed down. This aids in adequate food assimilation and the strengthening of the circulatory and digestive systems, as well as the lungs. By practicing yoga regularly and for longer periods, asthma attacks can be prevented.

If youre taking drugs and medicines, the anxiety is still there and this can trigger an attack. With yoga, you get to relax because of the increased awareness of oneself. If you can allay your anxieties and fears, you can control asthma with ease.

The immune system is stabilized by the yoga practices and therefore, there are less respiratory tract infections. You can recover from asthma; find a Yoga center near you now.

Asthma And Hypnotherapy

People who have asthma tend to live a suffocating and dreadful life especially if the attacks occur frequently. There are different causes of asthma symptoms or attacks. Some asthma symptoms are induced by exercise, dust, stress, cigarette smoke, pollen, pollution, and many others. These things are external factors which aggravate the condition of the asthma patient. It doesnt really matter if youre young or old because asthma can definitely debilitate you when youre having frequent and severe attacks.

Asthma patients must learn to calm themselves when symptoms begin to exhibit. However, very few individuals can remain calm when the airways are already constricting and there is insufficient oxygen in the body. Once youre diagnosed with asthma, the doctor will examine you thoroughly to identify the asthma triggers. If youre already aware of these triggers, you can stay away from them. Somehow you can already tell when an asthma attack will happen.

Today, asthma and hypnotherapy go hand in hand in controlling this dreadful health condition. Here is a very good example.

You were exposed to one of your asthma triggers and so youre already expecting an asthma attack soon. Hypnosis is a very good way to prevent the attack. With the help of an experienced hypnotherapist, you will be able to remain calm through the suggestions given. The hypnotherapist will tell you to visualize your air passage as wide and relaxed. Focus on the air passage and try to disassociate yourself from the actual situation. If you visualize your lungs that way, you can prevent the attacks since normal lung functioning is encouraged.

Hypnosis is a vey effective way to achieve a relaxed state naturally. You dont have to force yourself to do it. If you simply focus on what the hypnotherapist is telling you, you will be able to relax in no time. When youre in a relaxed state, the hypnotherapist can easily give you suggestions and your mind will automatically follow. Did you know that hypnotherapy can also be used to ease stress and anxiety? This only means that hypnotherapy will also work for asthma patients. If you want to prevent the asthma attack, use auto suggestion or hypnosis.

There are already lots of hypnotherapists and you can find them online as well. You can do a simple research online and find a local hypnotherapist. You can also check their backgrounds and see if their past customers were satisfied with the services. You can also look into their personal profile so that you can at least determine if you will be comfortable working with the individual. This is very important since you will also be paying a certain amount of money for their services. Next time you encounter any asthma trigger, contact your hypnotherapist so that you can start with the hypnosis. Dont panic because this can only aggravate your condition and encourage the asthma attack even more.

Asthma and hypnotherapy is gaining a lot of popularity in the recent years. People are more open to hypnosis today as compared to long ago. Many studies have already proven the effectiveness of hypnosis in preventing the attacks and in treating other health conditions. Consult a licensed and experienced hypnotherapist now. You can learn many things and ways to control your asthma before it controls your life. There is a way to control the attacks; so why not try hypnotherapy?