Thursday, 15 November 2012

Asthma and Pregnancy

Asthma is one of the common health issues among pregnant women, including some who conjure it first time. During pregnancy, asthma not only impinges on you, but also affects your unborn. This clearly states that asthma is chronic condition, which should be taken care of. However, that does not mean in any sense that it will make your pregnancy dangerous. If asthma is properly controlled during pregnancy, women have little or no risk to themselves or their fetus.

The process of managing asthma during pregnancy is the same as the one followed in non-pregnancy. Pregnant women must have a plan ready for asthma attacks, which include recording fetal movements. Consult your doctor immediately if you experience a decrease in fetal kicks. To be on the safer side, monitor your fetal movements after 28 weeks. There are certain things to watch out for during pregnancy:
  • Communication between your asthma specialist and gynecologist is necessary. In tandem, they can keep your pregnancy and asthma risks at minimum.Monthly checkups are advised with your doctor to monitor lung functionality. This is done to ensure that your growing fetus gets enough oxygen, as asthma severity changes in women during pregnancy.
  • If you have moderate or mild asthma, consider having ultrasound to check your fetus’s growth after 32 weeks.
  • Make an extra effort to control asthma triggers like stopping the consumption of tobacco, cigarettes and so on.

Get extra protection against flu as soon as it’s available. It is safe and proposed for all pregnant women.

It is believed that there are certain risks involved while taking asthma medication during pregnancy. Asthma, if left untreated during pregnancy can trigger into extreme attacks. It is however, safe for a pregnant woman to have asthma medication. Discuss with your doctor if you want to stop the medication. Do not do it yourself. You might have to wait until the birth to make changes in your medication.

Asthma? Try Herbal Treatment

Asthma happens to be one of the fastest growing diseases in the world and anybody can become its victim. Asthma is a respiratory disorder exemplified by wheezing. According to medical professionals, a patient suffering from asthma has issues with breathing in addition to having sensitive or hyperactive responsive airways, which react by means of obstructing when they become irritated. Prominent symptoms of asthma include wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and chest congestion.

When it comes to curing asthma, you can always go for the herbal treatment. Not new, though people consider this as an easy option. You have to consult with the proficient persons for herbal treatment of asthma.

Garlic is regarded as the premium herbal treatment for asthma. The best way to consume garlic is to mix it boiled milk and then drink it. This should be done after seeing the first signs of asthma attack. This treatment is known to minimize the symptoms associated with the attack of asthma.

Turmeric is extensively helpful in treating asthma. To get the best out of turmeric, combine it with a glass of milk and drink it twice a day.

One of the lesser-known facts is that mustard oil is as effective as any other form of treatment for asthma. Use it as massage oil. Mix it with some camphor and rub it on your chest. It helps in warming up the mucous that has formed in the chest.

One of the common ways people use to treat asthma is mix ginger with tea. This is ideal, especially because it relieves the symptoms and retrains the attack of asthma. Drinking garlic rich tea twice a day would do wonders for your symptoms. Additionally, you can search over the internet regarding other types of herbal treatments.

Wednesday, 7 November 2012

How to Prevent Asthma When You Have Allergy

When it comes to prevention of allergies, it is important that you take relevant steps at home. Allergies can worsen asthma symptoms, often leading to asthma attacks. Allergies can also momentarily increase the inflammation of the airways in a vulnerable individual. The best way to prevent an asthma attack is to avoid coming in contact with the substance you are allergic to. Here is a list of important tips that might help you avoid some of the most common allergy triggers at home.

DREADFUL DUST MITES

Try the following methods to prevent allergies happening due to dust mites.

•    Wash your bed sheets and pillow covers in hot water once a week.
•    Do not smoke inside your house. Tell your friends and relatives to do so as well.
•    Limit your exposure to dust mites while cleaning, vacuuming or painting by covering your face and hands.
•    If possible, go for hardwood floors instead of carpets. Dust mites are found mostly    underneath the carpets.
•    Keep all your clothing in enclosed drawers.
•    Keep humidity levels of your home to 40%-50%, or else use a dehumidifier.
•    Use vacuum cleaner twice in a week.

MOLD AND MILDEW

Following suggestions will help you prevent mold and mildew allergies.

•    Clean your bathroom on a regular basis with products that kill and prevent mold.
•    Wash your shower curtains and bathroom tiles with mold-killing solutions once a week.
•    Use a dehumidifier to make your house humidity free. In addition, use air conditioners when possible.
•    Do not store indoor plants, as they are the perfect place for mold and mildews to breed.
•    Mold and mildews multiply in humid areas. Keeping this in mind, avoid basements, garages, and compost heaps.

Insects

Insects can also trigger allergies, especially cockroaches. Try these simple techniques to control insects in your home.

•    Roach baits are the best ways to trap them.
•    Use insect sprayers. Make sure everyone is out during spraying, especially children, as it can cause breathing problems.
•    Fix any leakages in water pipelines to minimize the breeding of cockroaches.

Allergy and Asthma Awareness

Do you often suffer from runny nose in the morning? Do you stay away from pets because you are allergic to their hair? Are you susceptible to certain food items? Do not worry. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, you are accompanied by one third of the Americans affected by allergies.

From certain plants and foods to pets, individuals suffering from allergy and asthma tackle daily or seasonal challenges. Predictably, over the counter medicines and doctor’s prescriptions has been the bastion for asthma and allergy patients. However, doctors around the globe have been proactive in researching and developing alternative treatments for asthma and allergy relief.

Allergy is your body’s reaction to something foreign and harmful. Your body recognizes harmless substance as harmful like dog hair, woolens, dairy and triggers the immune system, which causes an allergy attack. Acupressure helps practitioners identify the pattern of an allergic reaction in a patient and assists in normalizing the patient’s immune system that gets disturbed when it is exposed to a harmful substance.

Many individuals do not realize that allergies may be the root cause for many disorders like digestive issues, chronic pain, headaches, circulatory and respiratory problems. Allergies are also known to drive autoimmune disorders, including Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, which is associated with gluten or wheat intolerance. Recent surveys have revealed that milk products, corn, rice, chocolate can cause gluten intolerance. Allergies are quite dangerous or you can term it as a slow poison. It affects nearly 60 million Americans. Following tips may be helpful in managing your allergy:
  • If you can, minimize the intake of wheat, dairy products and sugar as they can cause inflammation and may increase reactions.
  • Use humidifier to maintain humidity levels in your room, In addition, install a negative ion generator in your home or office to decrease the toxic load.
  • Stress relief techniques such as deep breathing, exercise and meditation help soothe the symptoms.


Remember: If your allergic warning signs persist for more than a week, visit to a doctor immediately. Explain your situation and he/she will prescribe you medication accordingly.