Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Suffering From Adult Asthma Symptoms?

Are you suffering from adult asthma symptoms? Wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing and other lesser-known symptoms can certainly take their toll and have significant effects on daily life. Do you think you have asthma? It’s important to learn the signs and symptoms of an asthma attack, and to get it evaluated and under control as quickly as possible with minimal medical intervention. Asthma symptoms can vary greatly in severity from an occasional mild episode of shortness of breath to wheezing that persists despite the use of prescribed medications. The classic symptoms of an asthma attack include rapid breathing, wheezing on exhalation, shortness of breath, coughing, and chest tightness or pain. It can be very scary for the person having the attack, because to them it feels like they’re drowning, unable to catch a deep breath because it won’t go in.
Adult asthma symptoms usually progress over a period of hours or days, and occasionally the airways become more seriously inflamed or obstructed. At this point, it’s wise to schedule a visit to the asthma specialist for lung function tests and prescribed antibiotics and corticosteroids to get the excessive mucous and inflammation under control. A common cold can become a full blown respiratory infection in an asthmatic, which is why it’s important to recognize symptoms early and get treatment started right away. Understanding the underlying causes of allergies and allergy-related asthma is another important intervention that has been proven to reduce the number and severity of asthma attacks in a significant number of patients. Allergies are a common underlying factor, and once the allergies are addressed, the frequency of asthma attacks decreases as well.
Long-term relief medications for adult asthma sufferers are widely available, and usually consist of an inhaled corticosteroid taken twice daily and a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. Lots of information for treatment of adult asthma symptoms is available from local medical professionals including asthma and immunology specialists, so don’t hesitate to seek a professional evaluation and consultation. Over-the-counter medications are not recommended for the long term treatment of chronic asthma, and can have dangerous consequences for someone in a life threatening situation. With proper treatment, asthmatics take brisk walks, and take up running and other vigorous aerobic activity without asthma symptoms. Do you homework and learn more about asthma symptoms, treatment and underlying causes online at a number of sites dedicated to keeping asthma under control and to you living a healthy symptom-free life.