Beating Asthma with Medications Proair vs. Advair
When you think of Asthma, you almost always associated that kid back in grade school that could hardly keep up with the rest of the kids in gym class without puffing on an inhaler.
However, there’s nothing childish or weak about asthma. In fact, literally millions and millions of adults all over the globe are living with asthma at this very moment – to the point where inhalers and asthma treatments are a multibillion dollar industry alone.
The important thing to understand is that you are nowhere near alone in your fight against asthma. There are a number of highly effective solutions for treating, reversing, and even illuminating asthma (prescriptions, off-line prescriptions, and even all-natural solutions as well) that you can turn to in this battle. Hopefully you get the inside information you’re looking for through this quick and easy to read asthma guide, and that you have all of the necessary foundational information to move forward fighting off the this medical condition.
What exactly is asthma?
While medical science and research (published by doctors and off for years and years now) still has yet to come to a definitive agreement as to what causes asthma, the major symptoms of this condition are an attack on the respiratory system – literally crippling your ability to breathe correctly.
A traumatizing situation for all involved (but particularly the person dealing with the asthma attack), it’s impossible to know exactly how severe your asthma is at this very moment – or how severe the next asthma attack may be. This is why it is so absolutely mission critical that you speak with a trained and trusted medical professional just as soon as humanly possible to get a proper diagnosis. Sure, you’ll be able to find a whole host of information and resources about this specific condition through different online doctors, but nothing beats getting hands-on medical attention from a professional.
What happens during an asthma attack?
Everything starts with a tightness throughout your respiratory system, and then a serious degradation in the ability for you to breathe as you normally would. Different spasms and swelling will happen all up and down your respiratory system, constricting the amount of air door able to take in which causes you to struggle to breathe more and more – it spread in the problem at the exact same time.
Coughing, shortness of breath, and a severe tightness of the chest all can be part of an asthma attack – and even some highly severe and dangerous asthma attacks have resulted in passing out, loss of consciousness, and throwing up all because of the body being deprived of essential oxygen.
Most people report that asthma feels as though it is pressing in on you from all sides, literally as though someone had sucked the air out of the room you are in – drowning you without any water. Fear is almost instantaneous, and the anxiety and stress you feel when dealing with an asthma attack will only compound the issue.
How do I beat asthma for good?
The real issue here is that very few doctors or medical professionals would agree as to exactly why asthma happens in the first place. Though there are a number of different theories – some of them more popular than others – most people have come to the conclusion that asthma as a medical condition is most likely genetic.
This means that if you’re ancestors had asthma you’re likely to deal with some form of asthma, but there could also be environmental factors, dietary factors, and even exposure to certain things that could contribute to your asthma as well.
This makes beating asthma rather difficult, as it’s so hard to pin down exactly why it’s happening in the first place. The overwhelming majority of people diagnosed with asthma have received some sort of orally inhaled steroid – an aerosol-based solution delivered through an inhaler.
Prices on these inhalers have continued to skyrocket, which is why it’s so important that you investigate whether or not you could actually tap into prescriptions for these types of solutions. Obviously, you’ll only want to do so with the help, assistance, and recommendation from a trusted medical professional that has already seen your medical chart and understands your asthma
There are also a number of all-natural solutions and supplements designed to combat asthma, though the jury is still out as to whether or not they are truly effective. The truth of the matter is that these may prove to be effective over the long term, but you’ll never want to rely on a slow acting solution when you’re in the midst of an asthma attack – or can feel one coming on.
No, you’ll want to rely on science, medical research, and technology every single step of the way when your life is on the line – provided that you’ve gone through the proper channels to secure those medications and solutions. Prescriptions are just as potent as those you would receive off-line, and there’s a reason why you need a legitimate and legal prescription to use them.
Investigate any of the sources of your prescriptions before you take advantage of them, and definitely make sure that you’re not dealing with any serious negative side effects that may result from tapping into these high quality solutions. Doctors should be able to point you in the right direction, but only move forward after the recommended a solution like this from your trusted medical advisor or traditional doctor.
Asthma causes wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. It also causes coughing, which may be worse at night. If you or a loved one has asthma, find out about the source of this condition and how to effectively manage your symptoms.
Asthma 101
The breathing tubes, or airways, of asthmatics are chronically inflamed. Muscles surround the airways, and when the airways react to something, they swell and cause the muscles around them to contract in response. As a result, less air flows into the lungs. If more mucous production occurs, as a result of the inflammation, this only adds to the problem. The breathing difficulty of a severe asthmatic worsens with this cycle, and usually worsens quickly, unless you use a rescue inhaler. Because untreated asthma can result in complete airway obstruction, it is important to seek help if you think you might be asthmatic, or if you know you are asthmatic and you have increased and uncontrollable symptoms.
Asthma Quick Facts
• Asthma often runs in families.
• It is also known as reactive airway disease, because the symptoms of asthma are produced by constriction of the airways in reaction to something external.
• In people with mild asthma, the symptoms of asthma may be self-limited.
• Allergies and asthma often occur together.
• Some lifestyle modifications help asthmatics.
• Cockroach droppings are thought to be responsible for the asthma experienced by many children in inner cities.
• Acid reflux causes some people’s airways to constrict.
• Most experts recommend low intensity exercise for asthmatics.
• Omega-3 fatty acids, as in fish oil or flaxseed oil, decrease inflammation and help with asthma.
Current Medications for Asthma
Asthma medications include a class of medications known as beta-agonists, because they affect the beta-receptors in the airway muscle and cause it to relax. A typical asthmatic utilizes a beta-receptor agonist, like an albuterol inhaler, as often as four times a day. When your asthma worsens despite additional inhalations of albuterol, you should go to an emergency department for treatment with steroids to stop the inflammation. Also you need a nebulizer to more effectively administer a beta-agonist. Other medications commonly used by asthmatics include inhaled steroids, which prevent inflammation. Inhaled steroids are not "rescue" inhalers, but have an effect over time of decreasing asthmatic exacerbations.
Most asthma, COPD and the other respiratory problem sufferers are already aware of the wide range of medications that are available to them, as well as the two most popular options; the bronchodilators and the inhaled steroids. Both of these options have unique properties that make them useful to different groups of patients. Understanding the difference between the Proair (bronchodilator) and Advair (inhaled steroid) can go a long way in assisting patients in determining which option might be best for them, although it is not uncommon for patients to use both options, depending on their specific diagnosis. In some instances, medical professionals might actually recommend the use of Proair and Advair to ensure that their patients benefit from the maximum possible amount of relief.
The bronchodilators, like Proair, deliver pre-measured doses of medication to a patient, and they work by relaxing the bronchial muscles, which allow them to open up so that the patients can breathe more easily. In most instances, these types of inhalers tend to be used more often for fast action relief, and so they are known as “rescue” inhalers. This specific option tends to be recommended for individuals taking part in physical activities, and so they should be used before the physical activity begins, to prevent an attack from occurring. Patients who have experienced severe asthmatic attacks know how scary it can be to endure these episodes, and so it is important for them to focus on preventing these attacks from occurring, rather than trying to stop them in their tracks once the person begins to show signs of the condition.
Inhaled steroids such as Advair work differently to the Bronchodilators. Basically, these options tend to function by preventing the bronchial tubes from constricting once they are open, and they are generally used as a long-term option to control the swelling and constriction of these bronchial tubes. This treatment option tends to be offered to patients who are suffering from chronic asthma, which is why patients need to carefully discuss their condition with their medical professional before picking one of these options.
In certain instances, individuals will be prescribed both the bronchodilators and the inhaled steroids, and because both of them have been designed to deal with specific asthma-related or chronic lung problems, they can be very effective when they are used in conjunction with one another. Patients are generally advised to use the inhaled steroids, such as Advair, on a daily basis in order to remain in control of their symptoms, which could arise at any time. In instances when an emergency arises, such as a sudden onset of an attack, patients who are carrying a bronchodilator, such as the Proair, can be used to allow the patient relief.
Basically, patients who assume that one of these options will work better than the other might be happy to find that this is not the case, especially those who have to deal with lung-related issues on a daily basis. The wider range of treatment options allows patients the chance to deal with the symptoms as they arise, and not simply as a whole, and this flexibility has proven to be more effective time and time again. It is important for patients to remember, however, that they need to use the medications precisely as they are prescribed by their medical practitioner.
The specific advantages of Proair (the bronchodilator) and Advair inhalers (the inhaled steroid) make them both effective in treating COPD, asthma and acute respiratory problems. Those that are struggling with these conditions should speak to their medical professional so that they can analyze the problem and come up with the solution that will work best for their patients’ circumstances. Getting your asthma and other respiratory conditions under control takes time, but it is more than possible with the wide range of treatment options that are currently on the market, and so this makes it important for patients to make an effort to obtain information about their alternatives. While there might not be a winner in the match between Proair vs. Advair, it is still advantageous for patients to learn about both options so that they can use them to their advantage and find relief from the very uncomfortable symptoms relating to breathing conditions such as Asthma.
Asthma Triggers
Pollens or dust mites trigger allergy-induced asthma. If you have both allergies and asthma, you should avoid house pets or certain foods. When the body senses something foreign, it triggers a release of histamines and leukotrienes, which cause the symptoms of runny nose and congestion. These same chemical triggers can cause the initial irritation of the airway. A medication that modifies leukotrienes prevents and controls the release of other immune system reagants during an asthma attack. Allergy shots also help combat this problem.
Some allergic triggers to asthma include tobacco smoke, dust mites, industrial pollution, and roach droppings. Other asthma triggers are mold, wood smoke, cockroach dropping or infection. Although short-term medication - like albuterol - may help treat an acute asthma attack, you should realize that long-term medications prevent such attacks.
Allergic Reactions
An allergic reaction typically occurs during the second time your body encounters a substance that it has perceived as foreign or dangerous. The body makes antibodies known as IgE antibodies, in reaction to something the body first experiences as an allergen. These antibodies release the next time your body encounters the allergen, and they cause your immune system to release histamines and other chemicals. By interfering with the IgE in the body, some medications work to prevent the release of these endogenous substances.
Things Asthmatics Should Avoid
Because of the allergic component, you should reduce the amount of foods you consume which have additives or are cooked with hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils. Nitrates and nitrites, as in deli meat and cheese, hot dogs, and bacon all contain sulfites, and you should steer clear of these. B 12 supplements help asthmatics, along with molybdenum, to metabolize sulfites (deCassia et al., 2013).
Exercise should include a balance of aerobic and resistance training, with stretching for 10 minutes, but doctors advise that you do low intensity activities and avoid strenuous activity. Antioxidant therapy is important if you have asthma, and you get antioxidants through either diet or supplements. Magnesium relaxes smooth muscle, and increasing the amount of magnesium in your diet or by supplements, aids in the prevention of the muscle constriction that causes the airways to narrow (deCassia et al., 2013).
Bitter Compound Could Help Scientists Treat Asthma
Several years ago, researchers found taste receptors in the cells of study participants’ intestines. Recent research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School identified taste receptors in the airway, and linked them to a reaction with bitter substances, like quinine. Quinine and other bitter compounds cause the airway muscles to relax. These scientists utilized a substance known as the bitterest compound in existence, called denatonium, and studied its reaction on the taste receptors in the airway cells of mice (Johnson, 2013).
The results of the study were counter-intuitive. However, Rongus ZhuGe, a microbiologist at the University previously read of experiments that suggested bitter compounds caused some smooth muscle cells to relax. In addition to implications for asthma control, smooth muscle also surrounds the blood vessels, and this knowledge could help researchers and scientists develop new medications for blood pressure and asthma control (Zhang et. al., 2013).
Rongus ZhuGe studied cell signaling in muscle function, and discovered the precise cellular mechanisms were at play. He is not, however, sure of the evolutionary processes which led to taste receptors in the airways. He speculates that it might be a protective mechanism, as part of the fight-or-flight response the body preserves to protect itself when confronted with a real or perceived threat. ZhuGe published the results of his study in PLOS Biology in early March of this year (Zhang et. al., 2013).
Summary
With exciting new treatment options on the horizon, you should remember that asthma attacks, or exacerbations, have caused many deaths. Parents of small children need to understand that it is difficult to definitively diagnose asthma before the age of 5. However, many children are treated presumptively if they experience symptoms that they may someday outgrow. With the availability of long-term preventive maintenance therapies, most people should be able to live with asthma without significant disruption in their lives. Failure to control asthma long-term can result in serious and life-threatening problems. At the same time, those who suffer with asthma will be happy to hear of this potential breakthrough. It is always a good idea for patient's suffering with asthma to always have a "rescue inhaler" handy since you never know when you will have an asthma attack, a convenient way to get your medication is to get a prescription via telemedicine from an online doctor
References
de Cássia Ribeiro Silva R, Assis AM, CruzAA et al. Dietary Patterns and Wheezing in the Midst of Nutritional Transition: A Study in Brazil. Pediatr Allergy Immunol Pulmonol. 2013 Mar;26(1):18-24.
Johnson, C.Y. of Boston.com (2013). Could a bitter compound provide clues about how to treat asthma?
Zhang T, Smith MA, Camp PG, Carleton BC. High use of health services in patients with suboptimal asthma drug regimens: a population-based assessment in British Columbia. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2013 Apr 5 in print.
Zhang CH, Lifshitz LM, Uy KF, Ikebe M, Fogarty KE, Zhuge R. The cellular and molecular basis of bitter taste ant-induced bronchodilation. PLoS Biol. 2013 Mar;11(3):e1001501. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001501.
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