What Causes Asthma and What Can You Do About It?

By Kim Archer

If you have been suffering from asthma for quite some time, or if the symptoms of asthma have been more noticeable in your body, it may be time to seek various forms of asthma remedies. Whether you suffer asthma attacks frequently, or if you have allergic asthma that is triggered by certain environmental factors, the condition is one that can affect your overall health if not treated promptly and properly.

In order to find out what exactly is contributing to asthma attacks, you should visit your doctor to get a skin prick test. During this procedure, you will be pricked on the back with a number of common allergens, as well as food and cosmetic substances that may cause a reaction. The specimens will be left on your back for a few days, so that you can see which substances give you a reaction. This way, you will have more information when it comes to preventing asthma attacks; for instance, you may know that you allergic to plants, but a skin prick test may reveal that you are especially allergic to dandelions and lilies.

When you are first diagnosed with asthma, your doctor will most likely place you on medication that will reduce the swelling of your airways and make breathing easier. These medications are usually referred to as corticosteroids, and are given to you in the doctor's office before you begin taking a daily prescription for the symptoms of asthma. The medicine is either taken orally, as an inhaler, or injected into the blood stream in the form of a shot, and doctors will monitor your asthma control during your stay in the office before prescribing you the best daily asthma treatment. If your symptoms get worse, or you need immediate attention, you may have to visit an asthma clinic once a week or so for another injection of the medication in order to ward off asthma attacks.

It is important to realize that people of every age group can suffer from asthma. Asthma in infants is somewhat common, and the condition should be treated and monitored as soon as possible in order to prevent further damage to the lungs as the child grows. Some people also experience asthma symptoms during the adolescent years, when tolerances to certain food substances and plant combinations change in the body.

For long term treatment of asthma, be sure to visit your doctor to find out in detail how your condition should be remedied, since everyone's asthma condition will be slightly different. There are two major forms of medication for asthma; quick relief medicines, such as the Epi-Pen, offer immediate relief during an allergic reaction or asthma attack, and longer term control medicines such as Singulair work to open the airways on a daily basis in order to prevent asthma attacks. If you are unsure which type of asthma you have, and think you may need to have more tests done to determine if you have asthma, be sure to visit your doctor as soon as possible in order to receive the treatment you need. - 30286

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