Living With Asthma
 Asthma
is a respiratory condition that has gained significant attention
in recent times because of it's increased prevalence. Some recent
studies have indicated that as many as one in four urban children
suffer from the breathing disorder. In an asthma attack, a person's
airways constrict making it difficult to breathe. In severe
cases it can even be life threatening. These serious attacks
will often result in a trip to the emergency room. Typically an
asthma attack (or episode) is "triggered" by some external
stimulus. Some common triggers would be exposure to some kind
of airborne particulate matter like pollen, molds, dust, or smoke.
Exercise can also be a contributing factor as hard breathing is
part of aerobic exercise, and that hard breathing can be a trigger.
Asthma and its causes are a complex subject matter. It
is not easy to know if you are experiencing an asthma
symptom or just some other problem. Many believe that people
have genetic tendencies toward asthmatic problems in addition
to external environmental influences.
 Many
scientists and medical researchers (probably most) would not claim
to know the exact cause(s) of asthma. It is generally accepted
that asthma is caused by an "over immune response"
in the bronchial airways... where the airways of asthmatics are
"hypersensitive" to certain triggers. But what causes that
hypersensitivity is the real question. Is it merely an allergic
reaction (allergy
asthma)? Some scientists who study fungii (mycologists) and
some natural
health advocates believe that the connection is quite clear,
and that the hypersensitivity is caused by bodily fungal problems
(like candida or yeast overgrowth). They believe that respiratory
problems like asthma are often brought about by candidiasis
(yeast overgrowth condition) which may have initially been triggered
by administration of antibiotics. As antibiotics will often wipe
out the bacteria (both good flora and bad) in the intestinal (GI)
tract which will leave the host in a weakened state and ripe for
candidiasis... and the candidiasis condition may be an influencer
in the development of asthma. Scientists who believe in the connection
between fungii and chronic respiratory problems postulate
that the onset of asthma may often be traced to the use of antibiotics
which were administered for some secondary infection, which cured
the secondary infection... but ultimately caused other health
problems.
Asthma Is Controllable
 When
you have asthma, you will want to find the appropriate asthma
treatment. Treatment will consist primarily of two things:
1) controlling your environment and 2) taking
medication or natural remedies. Medication will often help
as it will help to open up your air passages and relieve the problems
of not being able to breathe. If the problems or symptoms don't
go away in a particular episode (after medication is self-administered),
you may need emergency medical attention (a trip to the emergency
room). Don't ignore the symptoms of this disease. You may find
yourself coughing a lot when you exercise or even when
you are resting after exercise. If this happens, you need to take
your asthma medication right away. This helps to prevent any attack
from becoming dangerous and will control your breathing effectively
so that you can hopefully continue on with your activity.
Most people with this disease have a distinct shortness of breath;
when they breathe, a wheezing sound can be heard and it
is often a sign you have this disease. Many people complain of
tightness in their chest when they are having an attack or episode.
Many symptoms related to the lungs are common with asthma sufferers.
Ensure that you are taking care to properly monitor these symptoms
and record what you discover. Any evidence or information is helpful
when you are working with your doctor to diagnose the condition.
It is significant to note that asthma
medication generally deals with the symptoms. It is not a
cure. Medication could be administered as asthma
inhalers or as an oral medication that is ingested (pill,
syrup, etc.).
Don't Allow Yourself to Be Miserable
It can be miserable to live with asthma. Anyone who has this disease will tell you that.
People feel like their lives are limited when they are dealing with the symptoms but if it is
controlled, it is easier to deal with. Make sure to watch your children and those you love for
symptoms of this disease. The best way to take care of it is getting it diagnosed so you can get the proper treatments out there to stabilize it. You could have a mild case of it, or it can be much more intense.
Is Asthma Curable?
I don't know. Most medical practitioners would tell you basically...
no, as they don't know what causes the hyper sensitivity
in the bronchial airways. For those practitioners who believe
that asthma itself is actually symptomatic of bodily fungal overgrowth
(candidiasis in particular)... they would tell you to treat the
cause (candida) and eventually the symptoms (respiratory problems)
would go away.
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