Asthma Healing

The truth about cats and dogs is that dogs seem to be worse, at least for people with asthma.

Two studies have found that mite-proof bed coverings, at least by themselves, fail to relieve asthma and allergies, a perplexing discovery that challenges the frequent advice of doctors.

People with asthma that gets worse at night might do well to avoid using melatonin as a sleep aid, according to a study issued yesterday.

Despite a government recommendation that people with asthma receive annual flu vaccinations, only about a third do so, a new study reports.

Perhaps the most frightening symptom one can experience is being unable to inhale enough air to perform even the simplest activities, like walking from the bedroom to the bathroom or even talking. But that is the ultimate fate of millions of Americans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

People with asthma who are taught biofeedback techniques to regulate their heart rate may be able to reduce their reliance on inhaled steroids, a new study reports.

AstraZeneca has won approval from the Food and Drug Administration for its asthma drug Symbicort, but the company said Saturday that it would not sell it in the United States until mid-2007.

By ANTHONY DePALMA
Published: August 28, 2007

Rescue and recovery workers at ground zero have developed asthma at a rate that is 12 times what would be expected for adults, according to findings released yesterday by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

By ERIC NAGOURNEY
Published: November 13, 2007

Inhalers are an effective treatment for asthma and other respiratory diseases, but they can have adverse side effects. The conclusions of studies on these effects apparently depend in part on who pays for the study.

Q. Are common cockroaches carriers of disease?

Julien Jourdes for The New York Times

Angie Cano, a 5-year-old with asthma, is evaluated at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx. Asthma afflicts a disproportionate number of minority children in urban areas.

Asthma is a chronic, inflammatory respiratory disease characterised by recurrent breathing problems. People with asthma suffer an asthma attack when the airways in the lungs constrict and become inflamed and clogged, which causes breathing difficulty. There may be tightness in the chest; as breathing becomes harder it may hurt and there may be coughing. The air moving in and out of the lungs may make a wheezing or whistling sound.

The Breathology Programme aims to offer asthma sufferers worldwide a real choice in managing their asthma without resorting to a lifetime’s dependency on asthma inhalers. The combination of our personal experience and commitment to the science and study of all the contributory factors that influence asthma and breathing health has enabled us to develop a unique programme of simple breathing techniques and practical lifestyles choices that can easily be integrated into daily life, giving quick and consistent results.

Asthma is the leading cause of chronic illness in children. It affects as many as 10%-12% of children in the U.S. and, for unknown reasons, is steadily increasing. It can begin at any age, but most children have their first symptoms by age 5.

Being proactive and maintaining close communication with your doctor are important keys to controlling your asthma. Instead of just answering your doctor's questions, consider asking some of your own to better understand your condition.