Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the upper segment of the respiratory canals, the bronchi, in which the patient periodically experiences attacks of asphyxia. Previously, it was believed that the condition inevitably leads to death and the only treatment was to limit contact with allergens. What has changed in 20 years? Let's take a closer look.
Treatment Basics
Can asthma be cured?
The scheme according to which the disease will be treated must be step-by-step and drawn up separately for each. Each stage of rehabilitation must be certified by a doctor. This helps to see the first results in the fight against asthma. All drugs for treatment are divided into several categories. Some are used to get rid of asthma, others as aids in case of suffocation.
Principles of drug therapy:
- It is impossible to relieve the patient from attacks without introducing glucocorticoids into therapy. With their help, the disease becomes controlled. Thanks to their effect, the swelling of the bronchial mucosa is reduced, and the accumulated mucus is diluted. Glucocorticoids can be used for prevention and for emergency cases.
- Treatment of asthma in adults with medications includes the use of cromones (cromonic acid). They are used for anti-inflammatory purposes.
With the help of cromones, the synthesis of mast cell components slows down, the bronchi decrease in size.The use of cromones is allowed for primary therapy, but not during an exacerbation of the disease.
The most effective medications for treating asthma:
- Akolar.
- Xolate.
- Singular.
- Berotek.
- Intal.
- Thailand.
- Spiriva.
- Seretide.
- Teopek.
- Bectolide.
conclusions
Getting rid of asthma forever is not an easy task. However, there are such cases, you just have to not give up. And the main attention should be paid to increasing immune defense - the main barrier to any disease.
As we can see, curing asthma at home is more than possible. There are many excellent effective remedies that can both get rid of the symptoms of the disease and overcome its root cause. But remember that you should not limit therapy only to folk home remedies if the disease is severe.
Find out about treatment methods for obstructive bronchitis in adults in this material.
Causes of bronchial asthma
The causes of asthma have not been identified by specialists.
Therefore there can be many reasons. More often, the main role is played by the accumulation of large amounts of mucus in the bronchi, which gradually provokes an inflammatory process of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, which will lead to their reduction, that is, bronchitis. The processes are accompanied by short-term spasms and then suffocation. The difference between an attack of suffocation in bronchial asthma and ordinary suffocation is that in asthma it is difficult to exhale, not inhale. The presence of asthma is associated with a hereditary predisposition. The main factors provoking the occurrence of the disease are allergens:
- Flowers,
- Medicines,
- Dust in the house
- Pets,
- Infectious agents (germs, bacteria, fungi),
- Mechanical particles (evaporation of alkali, silicate, acids, cotton or metal dust).
An important role in provoking the formation of asthma is played by the uncontrolled use of medications used to try to cure respiratory diseases, the immune system suffers and an allergic reaction is formed with the consequence of allergic asthma.
It is possible to gain control over the course of the disease by introducing into therapy medications that do not cause an allergic reaction and hormonal drugs.
Main stages of rehabilitation
First of all, you need to eliminate the symptoms and select a treatment algorithm that will be as comfortable as possible for the patient. In addition, you should always remember about pathogens and infections floating in the air.
Maintain a proper diet, because the functioning of all systems, including the respiratory system, depends on the amount of nutrients entering the body with food.
Physical activity will have a beneficial effect on the body as a whole, and on the respiratory system in particular. There are no allergens in fitness clubs, which means nothing will interfere with training and health improvement.
Symptoms of bronchial asthma can be easily identified, so you need to decide how to design and administer a course of treatment. It depends on the stage of the disease, age and level of health. If the disease is already at a terminal stage, you will have to add symptomatic therapy to the basic one. If the disease has just begun to develop, then every effort must be made to ensure that its subsequent course is painless.
Inflammation in bronchial asthma lasts a long time, however, you should remember:
- the use of medications must be strictly dosed to avoid;
- in the process of choosing drugs, you need to check for allergies;
- priority is given to mucolytics and drugs that cleanse the bronchi..
Symptomatic
The essence of the treatment is:
- mitigation of attacks;
- excluding complications;
- physiotherapeutic procedures (ultrasound therapy, inhalations, vibration massage).
All drugs used in treatment are prescription, which once again demonstrates the danger of the disease and the danger of self-medication. Anti-inflammatory drugs and bronchodilators are mainly used. Modern medical practice involves the use of corticosteroids, which strengthen the body and stimulate the removal of mucus.
IMPORTANT! Asthma can be a causative agent or a companion to other allergic and respiratory diseases. It is imperative to recognize all diseases and avoid mixing drugs that can harm the body.
Basic
This is therapy with basic drugs, that is, drugs that are taken throughout life, regardless of whether the situation worsens or not. This hormone replacement approach provides a stable condition in most cases.
Contrary to popular belief, the receptors do not become tolerant to the drugs, otherwise the condition would worsen every day. Quite often, patients make the mistake of stopping taking basic medications after they feel better.
Basic drugs:
- Nedocromil sodium (Tiled)
- Sodium cromoglycate (Intal).
Drugs in this group are prescribed to patients with intermittent and initial stages of the disease. Intal and Tailed are taken as inhalations, 2 puffs 7 times a day. In some cases, the frequency of taking the drug is reduced to 2 times a day.
Pros: these drugs are not hormonal, which means they do not disrupt the functioning of the lymphatic system.
Cons: due to its mild action, it is not as effective as hormonal agents. It is also prohibited to use together with Ambroxol and Bromhexine.
IMPORTANT! Tailed is prohibited for use by children under 12 years of age.
Asthma deprives us of many of the joys of life, including walks in nature or in the park, during the warm season. To live a full life, you need to consult a doctor in time to receive recommendations regarding lifestyle and instructions for action in the event of an attack of asphyxia. Remember that sooner or later the condition will reach a point where ordinary dust particles in the air will cause discomfort.
At home
Humanity underestimates the healing properties of herbs and herbal medicines. In the entire history of the development of the pharmacological and chemical industries, man has not developed a single unique substance. Everything that is synthesized in laboratories has a natural analogue.
Rim Akhmedov’s book “Odolen Grass” describes the properties of plants, including those that alleviate the condition of a patient with asthma . It describes in detail how to treat bronchial asthma using folk remedies.
At a young age, due to lack of life experience, the author believed that asthma was a disease of people exclusively of old age. His brother often came from the village to stay, and his constant companions were coughing and attacks of suffocation. The medications prescribed by the doctor did not help, so I had to resort to the help of nature.
The recipe for recovery was simple:
- Grind 400 grams of peeled onions through a meat grinder;
- add a liter of water, half a glass of sugar, 1 tablespoon of honey.
- Place the pan on low heat and simmer for 3 hours.
- The onion should boil down into porridge, but the resulting liquid still needs to be filtered.
Take 4 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
A couple of months later, when my brother came again, the author of the book asked if the medicine had helped him?
The result exceeded all expectations. Asthma did not disappear completely, but during the entire period of use there was not a single attack. It is worth noting that this remedy is a preventative against colds and a medicine for bronchitis and sore throat, eliminating inflammation.
IMPORTANT! Before using traditional recipes, consult a doctor. There are contraindications.
Specific symptoms and signs
The main symptom of asthma is asthma attacks, which occur frequently.
An exacerbation of the disease is accompanied by a paroxysmal cough, with shortness of breath and mucous discharge. Then, mild, moderate and severe suffocation occurs progressively. Attacks are often accompanied by copious liquid discharge from the nose, sneezing, and a wet cough with characteristic wheezing. Often at such moments the patient tries to take a comfortable position, often squatting, leaning on a chair or bed with his hands.
The chest should be straightened, in this position it is easier for the patient to exhale.
The attack ends with the discharge of viscous sputum. Severe attacks can develop into an asthmatic state, in which an acute attack of suffocation develops, from which the patient takes a long time to recover, his condition gradually worsens, the pulse quickens, and the pressure rises.
If you do not call an ambulance in time, the patient may die due to respiratory failure.
After such attacks, the patient may experience for a long time:
- Apathy,
- lethargy,
- Depression.
Prognosis and possible outcomes of the disease
Can asthma be cured?
It is impossible to completely get rid of it, but with the help of controlled medication, you can keep the disease under control, get rid of asthma attacks and lead a full life, like others. But you can’t deal with unfortunate “allergens”, and of course you need to stop smoking.
Hormonal medications that relieve spasms and suffocation will help in the fight against asthma. And for basic treatment, such drugs must be taken regularly.
To gradually reduce the dose of a hormonal drug, it is necessary to complete a successful course of treatment for at least six months.
Many people suffering from bronchial asthma are alarmed by the issue of addiction to hormonal drugs, which may be followed by the need to take stronger medications. Everything is just different.
If the patient begins to take hormonal drugs, they have an anti-inflammatory effect on the bronchi, which means attacks will be less frequent and easier to tolerate. It turns out that taking the drugs is not addictive, and over time, with positive dynamics of treatment, a transition to lighter medications is possible.
Causes of the disease and its exacerbations
Bronchial asthma is classified as a number of chronic diseases of the respiratory system. A distinctive feature of the course of the disease is the danger of recurrence, when prolonged daily attacks are replaced by long periods of remission. Exacerbations, as well as the development of respiratory tract pathology, are associated with internal and external irritating factors that affect the course of asthma.
- Allergic component. An exacerbation of the disease occurs under the influence of irritating factors (allergens) - animal hair, dust, pollen, household chemicals, medications, etc. The influence of allergens provokes specific symptoms in the form of rhinitis and urticaria, seasonal exacerbations during the flowering period of some plants.
- Non-allergic (endogenous) component. For this type of asthma, the development of exacerbations is associated with a reaction to negative conditions. Physical and emotional overload, stressful situations, dysfunction of the endocrine system, previous infections, weakened immunity will not help cure the disease. Provoking factors can be considered hereditary predisposition, chronic bronchitis, smoking, and poor environment.
In response to irritating factors of any nature, the airways sensitive to them narrow. The result is the appearance of edema and bronchospasm with the simultaneous production of a large volume of bronchial mucus by the body. The normal movement of air flows through the narrowed bronchi is disrupted, which results in symptoms characteristic of asthma - uncontrollable cough with signs of suffocation, shortness of breath, dry wheezing behind the sternum.
Important: pathology is recorded not only in adults, but also in children. Moreover, if it is impossible for adults to completely get rid of the chronic form of the disease, then for children the chances of curing asthma forever are quite high. The main task of successful treatment of childhood asthma should be an individual treatment regimen using the latest techniques with constant medical supervision.
Breathing exercises for illness
Breathing exercises, used mainly at the initial stage of the disease, are more often called an unconventional drug-free method of getting rid of asthma.
The purpose of this exercise is to develop correct breathing and control it. First you need to learn how to breathe through your nose; your breathing should be even, continuous and calm. The method is based on the work of the diaphragm and the abdominal cavity. The main thing in this technique is to perform breathing exercises one by one:
- Inhale through your nose, sticking out your stomach, exhale through your nose, pulling in your stomach.
- Take short breaths and exhales, letting the diaphragm work. Exhale, pursing your lips into a tube so that the air comes out in a “stream”.
- Exhale and at the same time try to pronounce the letter “S”.
- Exhaling with full lungs, pronounce the hissing letters “sh”, “sch”, “z”, then move on to the sounding “u”, “e”, “i”, “a”.
- Try to pronounce the above letters and combinations of them while exhaling through your nose.
Breathing exercises are effective at the initial stage of development of bronchial asthma, at least once a day, then increasing the time of exercise and combining several exercises.
To prevent asthma, you need to learn about the causes of its provocation and eliminate them.
The house should always be kept clean, allergens such as hair, dust, and mites should be eliminated.
Extremely careful about cigarette smoke and exhaust gases, burning. Do not abuse prescribed medications and take them strictly on time.
Primary and secondary prevention measures
Bronchial asthma is a socially significant disease. Disease prevention is divided into:
- Primary
- Secondary.
Primary prevention is preventing the development of the disease. Secondary prevention of the disease is the reduction of risk factors that provoke repeated attacks of suffocation.
Primary prevention of asthma should be taken care of by those who are at risk for this disease.
Risk group:
- Long-term smokers
- People with a hereditary predisposition to asthma
- Allergy sufferers
- Working in hazardous industries.
Patients with an existing disease need to take measures to prevent attacks of the disease. Secondary prevention measures:
- Timely treatment of colds,
- Eliminating allergens from food
- Thorough wet cleaning of premises,
- Regular breathing exercises,
- Physiotherapy (salt caves) and acupuncture.
These simple tips will help you avoid new asthma attacks.
Prevention of the disease
Measures to prevent bronchial asthma are primary and secondary in nature. Particular caution should be exercised by persons with a genetic predisposition and a tendency to allergic reactions. Primary preventive measures include:
- Exclusion from the environment of possible allergens: house dust, animal hair, odors of household chemicals, perfumes, cosmetics; elimination of occupational hazards;
- Compliance with sanitary standards for cleaning, ventilation of premises, air humidification;
- Increasing the level of immunity: good nutrition, hardening, physical education;
- Quitting bad habits, especially smoking.
Secondary measures are primary ones plus various massages, breathing exercises, acupuncture, etc. In short, everything that helps prevent an approaching attack for already sick individuals.
Bronchial asthma is treated by minimizing or completely eliminating the trigger and drug therapy.
With the right approach, asthma in a child can be prevented.
List of actions that will help with this:
- daily wet cleaning of the premises to remove allergens;
- ventilation of the premises for at least one hour;
- removing carpets, soft toys and bedspreads from children's rooms;
- It is better to wash soft toys in hot water or freeze them in the refrigerator;
- getting rid of pets;
- use only hypoallergenic detergents for washing;
- the use of special dust-proof mattress covers and pillowcases;
- knocking out pillows;
- preventing contact with pollen during flowering plants;
- taking medications only as prescribed by a doctor.
If an asthma attack occurs, immediately consult a doctor for a comprehensive examination.
To ease the course of the disease and prolong the therapeutic effect, you must constantly take care of your well-being. In other words, preventative measures should be kept in mind.
For such purposes, doctors recommend the following activities:
- Adults and children are recommended to take walks, light physical activity, stay in the fresh air, contrast showers and light hardening of the body.
- It's worth getting rid of bad habits. Especially from smoking.
- It is necessary to follow a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Drink teas and decoctions recommended for colds.
So, now you understand that it is impossible to completely recover from bronchial asthma. But do not neglect the recommendations of doctors. It is necessary to use medications prescribed by doctors. You should definitely carry an inhaler with you. The patient needs to adhere to a diet, avoid contact with allergens, and exercise.
By strictly following all the instructions, you can significantly improve your condition, reduce the number of attacks and reduce their severity.
Diagnostic methods for asthma
Asthma is an insidious disease that can cause great harm to health. The time of its treatment and a person’s life depend on how quickly it is detected.
There are several methods that allow you to diagnose asthma in a timely manner.
- Physical examination.
At the very beginning, the medical specialist is obliged to conduct a detailed interview with the patient. He will need to conduct auscultation and percussion of the chest cavity. This will allow the doctor to make a preliminary diagnosis for the patient.
Carrying out an examination of the patient does not always give the necessary results. For example, at the very initial stage of the disease, the doctor may not diagnose the presence of asthma in a person. If we are talking about a situation where a person’s disease lasts a long time and is accompanied by various attacks, then doctors note the development of a certain symptom. This usually results in a barrel-shaped chest. With difficulty in exhaling, the patient gradually develops emphysema. Then the volume of these organs increases, and this causes expansion of the chest.
In a situation where auscultation and percussion of these organs is performed, the doctor listens to the lungs using the most ordinary phonendoscope. Indirect signs in such an examination, which may indicate the presence of the disease, are dry wheezing with a whistle in the fields of the lungs. If the exacerbation begins to fade, then these wheezes begin to appear in the basal parts of the pulmonary apparatus (this is approximately in the lower part of the shoulder blades). They will also occur when breathing in a forced mode. When tapping the lungs, the sounds are also informative. When the disease lasts for a long time, the sounds take on a box-like tone. It is associated with emphysema.
- Conducting laboratory diagnostics.
The main method of such diagnosis is a general blood test. It may contain large numbers of eosinophils. This is already a marker for such processes.
When performing a general sputum analysis, signs characteristic of the disease are detected. For example, the sputum may be viscous and thick. If you examine it in detail, you can see the delamination. When examined under a microscope, eosinophils are revealed.
Carrying out allergy tests, including scarification, allows you to identify triggers. If the reaction is positive, inflammation in the form of swelling with redness and itching can be seen on the patient’s skin, at the site called scarification.
Analysis of stool based on its general form makes it possible to detect a parasitic type of infestation, which is often the reason for the development of asthma.
Possible complications
Bronchial asthma is a progressive disease, and a constant lack of oxygen in the body cannot but affect the functioning of almost all systems and organs. Complications are distinguished between acute and chronic.
Spicy:
- Pneumothorax - as a result of rupture of lung tissue, air accumulates in the pleural cavity;
- Pneumomediastinum - when the lung tissue ruptures, air accumulates in the mediastinal tissue;
- Bettolepsy - loss of consciousness during a coughing attack due to insufficient oxygen supply to the brain;
- Atelectasis is a violation of pulmonary ventilation and collapse of the alveoli as a result of blockage of the bronchi with mucus.
Chronic:
- Pneumosclerosis is the replacement of functional lung tissue with connective tissue, resulting in a decrease in the respiratory surface of the lung;
- Pulmonary emphysema - as a result of destructive changes in the alveolar walls, they cease to perform their functions, cough appears even outside of attacks;
- Pulmonary heart - pathological processes in the lungs cause a gradual increase in the cavity of the right ventricle of the heart. Weakness, dizziness, pain in the heart area, swelling and loss of appetite may appear.
Pulmonary heart
Complications from the gastrointestinal tract may occur as a result of long-term use of medications: gastric and duodenal ulcers. In later stages, brain pathologies (respiratory encephalopathy) and metabolic pathologies (blood acidification, increased carbon dioxide levels) may occur. These include a decrease in the level of potassium in the blood, which causes arrhythmia, deterioration of kidney function, and blood clotting disorders.
Help of folk remedies for the treatment of asthma
There are a number of folk remedies that can effectively combat this disease.
- Taking long walks. It will be most effective when such walks are taken in coniferous forests. This allows you to saturate your lungs with fresh air with a high content of phytoncides.
- Consume the decoction several times every day as a drink. It is prepared from nettle leaves. Use one teaspoon of this decoction for a glass of boiling water. This significantly improves a person’s condition and has a bad effect on the development of the disease.
- Before going to bed, you should drink one glass of turnip juice. Recommends boiling it. The method is effective in the initial stages of the disease.
- Periodically drink an infusion made from hawthorn. To do this, take a tablespoon of ripe fruits of this plant and pour a glass of boiling water over them. Then it must be infused for a couple of hours, then it can be consumed. If asthma is accompanied by difficulty breathing, then the infusion should be drunk at least three times a day.
- You can eat sandwiches using butter. The oil should first be mixed with grated garlic. Sprinkle the whole thing with salt on top.
- You can take baths. Extracts made from pine needles should be added there in proportions.
Physiotherapy for asthma
Carrying out physiotherapy for the disease is an additional means of treatment.
The procedures can be used both during an attack and at a stage accompanied by a lull in the disease.
There are several basic treatments that can be used to treat the disease.
- Carrying out barotherapy.
The method involves exposing a person to an increased or decreased level of pressure. To do this, it is necessary to have a chamber that closes tightly, and pumps are connected to it. With their help, you can create different levels of pressure. There are cameras designed for one and several people.
It is possible to carry out such procedures using a local method, when a certain part of the human body is exposed. Reduced pressure allows you to improve the blood supply to the skin and mucous membrane. This improves metabolic processes. High blood pressure makes it possible to displace toxins in gaseous form from the human blood. In other words, the effectiveness of this method is determined by the body’s reaction to pressure drops created by external means.
- Breathing exercises.
The method provides the body with oxygen. The effect of maximum removal of carbon dioxide from the body is achieved.
Breathing exercises:
- For 10 minutes you can stand near an open window and breathe oxygen-saturated air.
- It is possible to correctly distribute inhalation and exhalation. The inhalation should be deep and slow. Exhale, quickly lowering your shoulders.
- You can take a deep breath while raising your hands. The lift ends by squeezing the palms above the head. You need to exhale for a longer time. The time difference should be double.