Contributed by: Healthians Team
Introduction
Asthma is a medical condition where a person faces severe breathing issues. Asthma causes coughing, a whistling sound (wheezing) when you breathe out, and shortness of breath.
You cannot overlook the life-threatening impacts of asthma. As reported by the Global Asthma Report 2018, of the 1.31 billion Indian population, 6% of kids and 2% of adults had asthma.
Asthma is a non-communicable disease (NCD), wherein narrowing and inflammation of the small airways in the lungs causes breathlessness. The symptoms of asthma can differ from person to person, but cough, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness are some of the common symptoms across all ages and genders.
You cannot cure asthma completely but you can watch out for the symptoms and take necessary precautions to minimise the risk and its effect on you.
Here are some major effects of asthma as well as precautions which you can take if you or someone you know is suffering from asthma.
Effects of asthma
Trouble breathing
In medical terms shortness of breath is also known as Dyspnea.
You start feeling that your chest has become stiff and breathing becomes a tough task to perform.
It happens due to asthma as it narrows the airways and obstructs the breathing process.
Once you start facing breathing difficulties in the long term then you should not wait for some miracle to happen. Consult your doctor immediately.
Upsets daily grind
Suffering from asthma can severely affect your day to day routine. It becomes very difficult to finish daily activities like preparing meals, getting ready for work, hanging out with pals and many other basic tasks.
Poor sleep cycle
It is widely known that most asthma patients have a poor sleep cycle. Sleep is obstructed when the airways are blocked and it becomes difficult for the person to have a sound sleep.
The quality of health also declines with too little sleep. The probability of an asthma attack is too high in people who have a poor sleep cycle.
Pneumonia
As asthma is itself a chronic lung problem so it is highly possible to contract pneumonia. Due to previous lung damage or weakness in lung tissue. For the same reason, a person with asthma may have more severe symptoms and complications from colds and the flu.
Emotional imbalance
Asthma gives birth to various mental disorders such as anxiety, depression and low mood.
Asthma is a severe disease which has no cure so a person becomes emotionally unstable while dealing with it.
Precautions against asthma
Having discussed the effects of asthma, it is equally important to take precautional measures to deal with asthma.
No matter if it does not have a proper cure you can always take steps to minimize its effect.
Following are some of the basic precautions that can be followed by asthmatic patients:
Avoid smoke
Any type of smoke must be avoided at all costs for an asthmatic patient.
Smoke like incense, tobacco, fireworks, fires, and candles can make asthma worse and aggravated.
Using inhalers
When stepping out or planning to travel, never take the chance of forgetting your inhaler.
Inhaler usage allows a person to live a life freer from the fear of an asthma attack or if experiencing one, then significantly reduce the attack’s impact.
Inhalers are prescribed by the doctors themselves so that patients can take action at the time of the attack.
Know the asthma attack triggers
Every asthma patient has some triggers which provoke asthma attacks. So, it is advised to find what triggers you have to prevent an asthma attack.
Allergies, cold air, a cold or flu virus, pet fur, air pollution, smoke, dust mites, and several fragrances are some common asthma triggers.
Make sure you take actions such as using an inhaler to prevent an asthma attack.
Stay warm in winters
Winters make asthma attacks even worse. So, if you are asthmatic and thinking of stepping out during winters, make sure you wear warm clothes to maintain body heat.
Moreover, wear a mask or scarf over your nose and mouth to warm and humidify the air you breathe.
Also, avoid exercising outdoors during winters as it positions you at a higher risk of asthma attacks. Instead, exercise indoors in a relaxing environment.
Take Ayurvedic medicines
While there is no cure for asthma, yet, you can take medicines to diminish its effect and severity.
Ayurvedic medicines improve the breathing system of the patient. They do not show any side effects that are going to boost the symptoms and complications.
Herbs like ginger, honey, black, seeds and turmeric are some of the herbs that can be used for reducing the effects of asthma.
Final thoughts
It is highly recommended that you should take the necessary precautions and medications on time to prevent the onset of an asthma attack. If you, your child, or someone you know experiences frequent asthma episodes, don’t hesitate to visit your doctor.
Also, it’s vital for asthma patients to keep a check on their condition by taking periodic asthma checkups.
