Huff and a Puff

Winter is once again on its way around and despite the excitement of Christmas for those who celebrate, or the mesmerising beauty of snow when it comes around, this time of the year can be quite daunting for a few-namely, asthma sufferers. The cold air can exacerbate symptoms by causing the airways to constrict and become even narrower.The indoors does not always hold respite either as more time indoors increases exposure to common triggers such as dust, and pet hair.

So to start from the beginning- What exactly is asthma? Well, asthma is a common respiratory condition caused by inflammation of the airways making it more difficult to breathe. The symptoms include Wheezing, breathlessness and coughing. It can happen randomly but is generally in response to a trigger, some of which include

  • exercise (this is called exercise-induced asthma)
  • allergens- dust
  • irritants- deodorant, smoke
If not controlled asthma can interfere with a healthy lifestyle. Sufferers may be unwilling or unable to partake unreservedly in physical exercise due to the threat of an asthma attack or it may disrupt a normal sleep pattern due to uncomfortable tightness around the chest which carries its own set of problems for example, trouble concentrating and changes in behaviour.

The good news is that it can be managed and the symptoms reduced, some sufferers who have it as children may even find they grow out of it during adolescence. One common method is the use of inhalers which are used to help relax the airways. Steroid medications are also used as anti-inflammatories to help relax and widen air passages. Good management should mean asthma is no barrier to living life to its absolute maximum.

Thanks for reading this weeks blog.

Written by Chris Morgan

Sources:http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Asthma/Pages/Introduction.aspx  



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