Asthma treatment

Asthma has no cure, since it is caused by a genetic change that, when associated with some environmental factors, can trigger symptoms such as intense difficulty in breathing, due to the narrowing of the places where the air passes until it reaches the alveoli of the lungs.

However, when controlling the disease, one can live for many years with asthma and the person can have a normal life and even do physical activity.

Asthma treatment should be guided by a pulmonologist, as it is important to adapt the type of treatment and the remedies used to each person's symptoms and asthma. But treatment usually includes the use of medications to control asthma over time and other remedies to quickly relieve attacks.

How to live with asthma

Since there is no cure, the person with asthma must learn to recognize the most intense symptoms and know what to do in an emergency. It is advisable to always have the asthma inhaler close by, even when it appears that the attacks are under control.

To control asthma it is important to follow treatment, which usually includes:

1- Use the prescribed remedies

Asthma can be controlled with the use of asthma drugs, popularly known as an 'asthma inhaler'. Asthma remedies should be prescribed by the pulmonologist after diagnosing asthma, which can be done by observing their symptoms and performing respiratory tests that show breathlessness in the lungs.

In addition to the remedies that should be used in an emergency, the doctor should prescribe a remedy that must be inhaled daily to control the inflammation present in the bronchi, preventing asthma attacks. Usually these drugs are used for life, but they are well tolerated and the latest ones do not alter cardiac function. See a more complete list of remedies used in asthma.

2- Identify what causes the asthma crisis

Some environmental factors can trigger an 'asthma attack', such as perfumes, air fresheners, dust mites in domestic dust, and the hair of domestic animals such as dogs and cats. In some cases, strenuous physical exercise can cause an asthma attack, in which case exercise should be avoided until asthma has been properly controlled.

3 - Keep the house clean

The asthmatic's home must always be clean and organized, with few surfaces that can accumulate dust and care must be taken especially in the individual's room. The house should be cleaned daily with water and a damp cloth, and aromatic candles, incense, air sprays and cleaning products with an intense smell should be avoided.

One should avoid or even not have carpets, curtains, stuffed animals or thick blankets inside the house that cannot be washed weekly. Despite this, there are several practical solutions to have a clean and comfortable home for asthmatics. See how to take care of your baby with asthma.

4 - Take exams regularly

At least once a year, the person with asthma must go to a pulmonologist to assess their breathing capacity and adjust the dose of the medication.

Taking an allergy test is very useful for asthma sufferers because it makes it easier to identify the main precautions to be taken with asthmatics. After identifying the allergens, the doctor can indicate the use of 'asthma vaccines', which consists of a treatment to desensitize the patient and in this way he can stop having certain allergies, facilitating the control of asthma.

Learn more about tests to diagnose asthma.

5 - Improve breathing

To improve breathing it is advisable to exercise regularly. After learning to control the disease, using the drugs and avoiding everything that can trigger an asthma attack, the asthmatic person can start exercising. To start you should choose to walk or ride a bicycle because they are aerobic exercises that improve lung function.

It is recommended to use the medicine for asthma control before starting physical activity and at the end of the activity. If you feel short of breath during the exercises, you can decrease the intensity to see if your breathing improves or use the 'asthma inhaler' and rest for 5 minutes or even when breathing is controlled, and then return to activity.

Usually with the improvement of physical conditioning, there is no need to use the 'pump during exercise'. Upon reaching this point, the patient can choose the physical activity he likes most to be able to dedicate himself to it. See some examples at: The best physical exercises for asthma.

Also see how eating can help relieve asthma symptoms:

How to prevent the appearance of asthma symptoms

In addition to the drugs prescribed by the doctor, it is important to take other precautions that help prevent the development of asthma symptoms, such as:

• Avoid having animals that have fur inside the house; Keep the house clean and free of dirt or dust; Avoid unnecessary objects inside the house, to avoid the accumulation of dust; Practice physical exercises at least 3 times a week. See the most suitable physical activity in: The best physical exercises for asthma. Get the flu vaccine before each winter; Bet on the consumption of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant foods in the long term to relieve asthma attacks.

In the case of children with asthma it is also recommended to take special care with the preparation of the room and with the toys used. Read more at: How to care for your baby with asthma.

Signs of asthma improvement

Signs of improvement in asthma appear a few weeks after the start of treatment and mainly include a reduction in the frequency of asthma attacks. In addition, it is also possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment through the use of a small device, called Peak Flow, which checks the value of the respiratory flow, and when it increases it is because the treatment is having an effect.

Signs of worsening asthma

Signs of worsening asthma arise when treatment is not being done properly or if you are exposed to allergens, such as dust or animal hair, and include symptoms characteristic of asthma attacks such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, dry cough.