Asthma Healing

Summer vacation. It conjures up visions of relaxation, sports, sunny days, perhaps sand and water or woodlands. For individuals and families with asthma and allergies though, it means extra thought and preparation before "the good times roll."

Most people know about the dangers of cigarette smoking, thanks in large part to increased efforts to educate the public. Smoking is estimated to be the single largest cause of preventable deaths in the United States. What many people are less aware of though, is that tobacco can pose risks to your health even if you are not the one doing the smoking.

The term "sick building syndrome" (SBS) is used to describe situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone, or may be widespread throughout the building. In contrast, the term "building related illness" (BRI) is used when symptoms of diagnosable illness are identified and can be attributed directly to airborne building contaminants. A 1984 World Health Organization Committee report suggested that up to 30 percent of new and remodeled buildings worldwide may be the subject of excessive complaints related to indoor air quality (IAQ). Often this condition is temporary, but some buildings have long-term problems. Frequently, problems result when a building is operated or maintained in a manner that is inconsistent with its original design or prescribed operating procedures. Sometimes indoor air problems are a result of poor building design or occupant activities.

Almost everyone knows what it feels like to have a runny, stuffed-up nose at times. Often these symptoms are accompanied by a headache in the area around the eyes, nose and temples. People with allergies are especially prone to these symptoms. They are signs of rhinitis and sinusitis, two very common medical problems. It is estimated that up to 40 million American adults and children have one or both of these conditions.

Asthma is probably the most common, potentially serious medical problem that occurs during pregnancy. Some studies have suggested that asthma complicates up to seven percent of all pregnancies. However, with appropriate treatment and care, the prognosis for a successful pregnancy is outstanding.

Americans are a people on the move. If you are planning a move, you will take your allergies and asthma with you. This article presents some important factors to consider for you and your family's health as you make your home in a new location.

If you are one of the millions of Americans with asthma, you may know that there is an array of medications that are very effective for keeping your symptoms under control. But did you know that you can also become a partner with your doctor in monitoring your asthma?

Asthma is common among persons over age 65 and can cause serious health problems. In fact, most deaths caused by asthma occur in this age group. The disease accounts for huge health care costs among older adults each year. Yet asthma is often missed or goes untreated among this age group.

If you wheeze or have trouble breathing only when you are at work, you may have occupational asthma. Since World War II, as industries have increased use of simple chemicals and organic compounds, breathing hazards have increased. Some 200 substances—gases, vapors, and organic and inorganic dusts—found in manufacturing workplaces and among certain occupations have been identified as causes of asthma. It's estimated that some 11 million workers are exposed to one of these substances.

Nearly 24 million Americans have asthma or chronic bronchitis. Metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) are a primary means of delivering asthma medication to these patients.

Allergy and asthma control begins at home. Many people with allergies stay indoors when outdoor air is full of pollen and spores. But dust mites, animal dander and even cockroaches can cause problems indoors.

You may already know that allergens found around the house can trigger "allergic asthma" attacks for many people, such as dust mites in furniture and bedding, pet dander, mold and other "allergen" triggers. But researchers are also discovering that even common house dust can cause trouble. 

Most Americans have insurance for asthma treatment and medical supplies. But many insurance plans have payment limits and other rules. Even if your insurance covers a treatment, getting the insurer to pay can sometimes be difficult. This article will help you get the most from your plan and pay the least from your own pocket.

Everyone needs to exercise, even people with asthma! A strong healthy body is one of your best defenses against disease. But some people with asthma have "exercise-induced asthma" (EIA). But with proper medical prevention and management you should be able to walk, climb stairs, run, and participate in activities, sports and exercise without experiencing symptoms. You don't have to let EIA keep you from leading an active life or from achieving your athletic dreams.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition that causes the airways (bronchi) to produce excess mucus and close, making breathing difficult. Treatment has two main objectives: first, to control and reduce inflammation and, second, to reopen the airways. Drugs that achieve the first goal are called anti-inflammatory agents, and those that bring about the second are called bronchodilators. Many asthma sufferers inhale these medications.

In 1935, the Mayo Clinic reported a research breakthrough that would affect millions of lives. Doctors had isolated the hormone cortisone from the adrenal glands, the walnut sized glands sitting on top of the kidneys. Cortisone produced by the adrenal glands reduces inflammation in the body.

Pediatricians, general practitioners, internists, allergists and pulmonologists can all treat asthma and allergies.

What You Should Know About Childhood Asthma

Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood, and yet many parents know little about it. In the United States, it is estimated that nearly 5 million youngsters under age 18 have this disease. In 1993 alone, asthma was the reason for almost 200,000 hospital stays and about 340 deaths among persons under age 25.

Chemical and Other Environmental Sensitivities

A variety of vague and hard-to-pinpoint symptoms are experienced by an undetermined, but possibly sizeable number of adults and children. Occasionally, they may suggest allergy or asthma, but most often the symptoms are much wider in scope.