Treatment is often the most available thing to find these days. Everyone seems to have a new way to cure an old disease. But don’t let anyone sell you any glass houses with asthma. Because I’ll have to just barge right in, throw my stone, and tell you the truth: there is no cure. As much as I’d like there to be, you’ve got to remember: this is a TREATABLE disease. That’s good enough for them, right now. And with asthma, it’s important to remember that symptoms vary based on the individual who’s gotten them.
Even the season may make one person seem as two, the first thing it’s important to do? Talk with your doctor about you. Ask him the questions you need to know for your particular case, and keep the channels of communication open. If you have a question, you should always ask. If symptoms feel like they are getting worse, they probably are.
Remember; never take heresy or urban legend as fact. Doctors are the only ones qualified to treat your individual case, no matter what “cure-all” you see on TV.
Your doctor can help you understand:
1) What medication works to minimize your symptoms, and why.
2) Ways to keep your own asthma under control by avoiding individual triggers, keeping out of contact with recurring stressors, and upping the overall quality of your life.
3) Preparation of an action plan with realizable goals for you and hopes of tamping down your symptoms.
4) Schedule visits at regular intervals to monitor your progress. When it comes to asthma symptoms, No news is definitely good news!
In order to minimize side effects, watch for your doctor to give you the lowest doses to control your symptoms. While it may takes some experimentation to find the correct amount, it is better than your body rejecting too much of the medication with possibly bad side effects. Over time it is more than likely your needs will change.
THE TWO MEDICINES:
There are two medications for most people grappling with asthma. Each medication treats only one aspect of the disease.
1) Controllers or Preventers: these reduce inflammation in the air passages. These should be taken each day. The medicine is working if you find, over time, that you’re having fewer and fewer symptoms. However, even though your asthma symptoms stop, you should not stop taking your medication. If you do, airway inflammation is prone to recur.
2) Relievers: help in alleviating symptoms immediately. Coughing or wheezing is often treated this way. However, relievers do nothing for your long term inflammation. Hence, the need to take both simultaneously. Monitor your reliever use. If it increases, you can tell your asthma in general is getting worse.
Treating a disease like asthma has no cure-all. No matter what that late night infomercial tells you. However with proper monitoring, communication between you and your health care provider, and personal responsibility, you can take part in assuring your health is maintained in a continuous, long-term way.