Asthma
Suffering from asthma can be a scary thing. At any point you could have a hard time breathing and an asthma attack is induced –with nothing to soothe it except a prescribed inhaler. It may be believed that genetics and environmental elements greatly contribute to asthma. Asthma is considered a chronic illness because there is no cure but there is a treatment that may help to reduce the symptoms. This illness is a very common chronic illness amongst children, possibly the most common, and accounts for upwards of 180,000 deaths in the world each year.
What is Asthma?
Asthma is considered a “chronic inflammatory disease of the airways” by the Asthma Society of Canada. Within the lungs there are airways called bronchial tubes that take the oxygen from the air and move in into your blood. When something that may trigger asthma, such as allergens within the environment, enter into these bronchial tubes, they can become constricted and inflamed. When this tightening happens, it makes it hard to breathe and extract the oxygen from the air. As a result, the bronchial tubes create a mucous that increases the constriction.
Possible Treatments
For some people, asthma is only a minor part of life that can be successfully managed, while for others it can be a daily challenge with asthma attacks taking place often or even daily. Both long-term and short-term medications are available. Short-term medications are used to reduce systems during an asthma attack and are often referred to as rescue medications. Long-term medications, however, are used to help prevent the asthma attack before exposure to triggers occurs.
Symptoms of Asthma
Each person has a different reaction to triggers that may cause the bronchial tubes to tighten and mucous to form. Reactions may range from mild to severe, changing with every person and with each trigger. Symptoms of an asthma attack might take place only at night, following intense exercise, or you might have symptoms all of the time. Common symptoms of asthma might include:
- Coughing or wheezing
- Wheezing or coughing at night resulting in an inability to sleep
- Feeling tightness in your chest
During an asthma attack all of the aforementioned symptoms become more intense and the tightness and mucous production in the bronchial tubes greatly increases. In the most severe attacks the symptoms you might experience could also include:
- Severe coughing and wheezing
- Paleness and intense sweating
- Turning blue in the fingernails and lips
- Panic and anxiety symptoms
- Trouble speaking or focusing
It is important, especially for children, to have a plan of action when the symptoms of an attack happens. Learning to recognize your individual triggers and how you react so that proper actions may be taken to soothe the attack.
How Do You Get Asthma?
Asthma is not something that is transferred to other people and is not something you catch, rather it is something that you are born with. It cannot be determined exactly what causes a person to have asthma but is largely affected by environmental factors. Some possible triggers that a person suffering from asthma may be affected by include:
- Viruses or colds
- Intense physical activity, otherwise known as exercise-induced asthma
- Smog and pollutants within the air
- Cigarette smoke
- The beginning of a menstrual cycle in women
- Stress
- Cold and wet weather
- Dust, pollen, pet hair, mold and other allergens in the air
- Preservatives or certain foods that are connected to possible allergies
- Chemicals used in the house or food odors
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of asthma is to be done by a doctor. If you suspect that you or someone you know might be suffering from asthma it is best to consult a professional. Family medical history, health history, and any symptoms that might look like asthma need to be reviewed before a diagnosis is made. A physical exam is then done to determine if there is any nasal swelling or any increase in the production of mucous, current allergic reactions or conditions, difficulties breathing, expelling air, or if any wheezing is present. After you have been diagnosed as having asthma the severity of your asthma will be determined. The range of severity is placed on a scale of mild to severe. By this determination, your asthma treatment is then decided.
Chiropractors May Be Able To Treat Your Asthma
If you are interested in an all-natural way of treating the symptoms of asthma, try visiting a chiropractor. Chiropractors don’t only treat backs, they treat the entire body as a whole. Within the spine in the back exists the nervous system. The nervous system is made up of blood vessels, muscles, and nerves that all work together to transmit messages from your brain to the rest of your body. If part of this message way is disrupted parts of the body can be negatively affected. The spine protecting this delicate system is made up of numerous bones that have spaces and joints between them. When even just one of these bones falls out of alignment it can pinch or hinder part of this system causing other problems in the body. A chiropractor can help to restore the body’s natural functioning by finding any misalignments that may exist within the spine and help the body to heal itself.
The Spine
How can the spine move out of alignment? The most common reasons that the spine becomes misaligned include trauma, sleeping incorrectly, standing or sitting in a poor posture position for an extended period of time, or just falling. Whatever the cause of your misalignment, seeing one of our Top Rated Chiropractors can help to treat your symptoms. The education that our chiropractors receive is extensive and detailed. Make an appointment today for a consultation with our chiropractors to see how they can help design a specialized treatment for you. X-rays and other devices will be used to view the spine and detect any possible misalignments that could be causing your symptoms. Possible treatments could include manual adjustments of the spine or health and nutrition options. Each treatment is tailored to fit each individuals needs and your chiropractor will work with you to find a treatment that feels comfortable for both of you. Our chiropractors have been successful in helping to treat the symptoms of asthma and many patients have seen a decrease in asthma attacks after receiving treatment. Results are not the same for each patient and are dependent on the history of each patient.
If you think that chiropractic treatment could be right for you of someone you know please call one of our Top Rated Chiropractors today.