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Asthma has no cure, since it is caused by a genetic change that, when associated with some environmental factors, can cause narrowing of the airways and trigger symptoms such as severe difficulty in breathing, coughing and wheezing.
However, there are some remedies and other forms of treatment that help control the disease, one can live many years with asthma and lead a completely normal life.
Asthma treatment should always be guided by a pulmonologist, as it is important to adapt the type of treatment and the remedies used to each person's symptoms and asthma. But treatment usually includes the use of medications to control asthma over time and other remedies to quickly relieve attacks.
Main remedies to treat asthma
Asthma can be controlled with the use of asthma drugs, popularly known as an 'asthma inhaler'. Asthma remedies should be prescribed by the pulmonologist after diagnosing asthma, which can be done by observing their symptoms and performing respiratory tests that evidence the shortness of breath in the lungs.
In addition to the remedies that must be used in an emergency, the doctor must prescribe a remedy that must be inhaled daily to control the inflammation present in the bronchi, preventing asthma attacks. Usually these drugs are used for life, but they are well tolerated and the most recent ones do not alter cardiac function. See a more complete list of remedies used in asthma.
How to live with asthma
Since there is no cure, the person with asthma, in addition to using the medications indicated by the doctor, must also take some care in their day-to-day to keep the symptoms more controlled, such as:
1. Avoid situations that make asthma worse
Some environmental factors can trigger an asthma attack, such as perfumes, air fresheners, domestic dust or pet hair, such as dogs and cats. In some cases, strenuous physical exercise can cause an asthma attack, in which case exercise should be avoided until asthma has been properly controlled.
2. Keep the house clean
The asthmatic's home must always be clean and organized, with few surfaces that can accumulate dust and care must be taken especially in the individual's room. The house should be cleaned daily with water and a damp cloth, and aromatic candles, incense, air sprays and cleaning products with an intense smell should be avoided.
One should avoid having carpets, curtains, stuffed animals or thick blankets inside the house that cannot be washed weekly. Despite this, there are several practical solutions to have a clean and comfortable home for asthmatics. See how to take care of your baby with asthma.
3. Take exams regularly
At least once a year, the person with asthma must go to a consultation with a pulmonologist to assess their breathing capacity and adjust the dose of the medication.
Taking an allergy test is very useful for asthma sufferers because it makes it easier to identify the main precautions to be taken with asthmatics. After identifying the allergens, the doctor can indicate the use of "vaccines for asthma", which consists of a treatment to desensitize the person and in this way he can stop having certain allergies, facilitating the control of asthma.
Learn more about tests to diagnose asthma.
4. Do physical exercise
To improve breathing it is advisable to exercise regularly. However, physical activity should only be initiated when the disease is well controlled with the use of medicines and there is an indication from the doctor.
To start, one must choose to walk or ride a bicycle because aerobic exercises improve lung function.
It is recommended to use the medicine for asthma control before starting physical activity and at the end of the activity. If you experience shortness of breath during exercise, you should decrease the intensity to see if your breathing improves or use the 'asthma inhaler' and rest for 5 minutes until breathing is controlled, and then return to activity.
5. Have an anti-inflammatory diet
Here's how eating can help relieve asthma symptoms:
Signs of asthma improvement
Signs of improvement in asthma appear a few weeks after the start of treatment and mainly include a reduction in the frequency of asthma attacks. In addition, it is also possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment through the use of a small device, called Peak Flow, which checks the value of the respiratory flow, and when it increases it is because the treatment is having an effect.
Signs of worsening asthma
Signs of worsening asthma arise when treatment is not being done properly or if you are exposed to allergens, such as dust or animal hair, and include symptoms characteristic of asthma attacks such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, dry cough.