Asthma Treatment: Options for Handling Severe Asthma

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Written By Julie Ingram
Different types of asthma treatments

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the airways. It is a medical complication that makes breathing a difficult process. Asthma symptoms can interfere with performing physical activities, making them more challenging or impossible. 

 It is essential to know what exactly happens when you breathe. Usually, with every breath you take, air goes through your nose or mouth, down through your airways, and eventually makes it to the lungs. 

Likewise, your lungs contain a lot of tiny air passages that help deliver oxygen from the air you breathe to your bloodstream. 

Asthma symptoms occur when your airway lining swells and the muscles around them tighten. The air passing through is reduced when airways get filled with mucus. 

Coughing and chest tightness are common symptoms of asthma. If left untreated, such symptoms can lead to an asthma attack.

What are the four treatments for asthma?

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (2020), 8.4% of adults aged 18 and above have asthma. Although the proper asthma treatment for you depends on several things- your age, symptoms, and pre-existing medical condition. 

Your treatment plan may involve:

  • Learning about your triggers.
  • Monitor your symptoms carefully.
  • Taking the proper steps to avoid asthma flares.

Bronchodilators

These medications are used only for asthma symptoms or an attack. They help in providing quick relief to help you breathe again. They include:

Bronchodilators are the medication that makes breathing easier by relaxing the muscles in the lungs and widening the airways, i.e., the bronchi.

Inhalers like Aerocort contain bronchodilators that help widen the airways. You can buy an Aerocort inhaler to treat your asthma symptoms. If you want to know more about Aerocort inhaler, read, how does Aerocort inhaler work?

First aid treatment like asthma inhaler used for treating a sudden asthma attack

If you encounter someone who is suffering from an asthma attack. Tell them to sit upright and assist them with the help of a rescue inhaler like Foracort or nebulizer.

Asthma inhalers are available in a number of dosages. Consult your doctor before buying the medication. Similarly, check the instructions properly to know how many inhalations of medicine you need for an asthma attack.

Also read: Aerocort inhaler v/s Foracort inhaler

Long-term asthma control medications

These medications are taken every day to help reduce the number and severity of your asthma symptoms. However, such medication may be ineffective in managing the immediate symptoms of an attack.

Long term asthma control medications include:-

  • Anti-inflammatories: Inflammation is the main component that causes asthma. For instance, an anti-inflammatory like Beclomethasone dipropionate help helps reduce swelling and lessens mucus production, making it easier to breathe.
  • Anticholinergics: These help stop your mucus from tightening around your airways. It is taken in combination with anti-inflammatories.
  • Long-acting bronchodilator: These should be used in combination with anti-inflammatory asthma medications. Inhalers like Asthalin and Aerocort contain bronchodilators that help in relieving asthma symptoms. Levosalbutamol is an excellent example of a bronchodilator.

You can buy an Aerocort inhaler online from our pharmacy fordailymedicine.com to get the best discounts. 

A doctor holding a biologics drug for asthma treatment
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Biologics

Doctors use biologics to treat severe asthma cases when a patient doesn’t respond to other treatments. As a matter of fact, biologics target specific antibodies in your body. It disrupts the pathway that leads to inflammation caused by asthma.

Bronchial Thermoplasty

This treatment uses an electrode that heats the airways inside the lungs. Significantly this helps in reducing the size of the surrounding muscles and prevents them from tightening. Bronchial Thermoplasty is a minimally invasive therapy performed by the doctor in a clinic.

It is mainly undertaken by patients with severe asthma. It can help in providing relief for up to five years.    

What is the best treatment for asthma?

The best asthma treatment depends on your age, symptoms, and asthma triggers. The medication that works best for you to control your asthma is the right medicine for you. 

Another key point, the type of asthma you have helps determine the medication you need. Like some people may experience symptoms throughout the day. Such symptoms would require a long-term inhaler in order to control persistent attacks. In the same way, some may experience mild attacks once in a while.

If your asthma is well-managed, but you still have occasional flare-ups, then asthma treatment like quick-relief asthma inhalers can help in improving flares.

In addition, there is no specific type of asthma treatment that can effectively treat every kind of asthma attack.

Can you permanently cure asthma?

To enumerate asthma as a chronic and lasting condition, asthma is not curable, it is controllable to the point where the symptoms become negligible.

Doctors mostly recommend using asthma inhalers due to several asthma inhaler benefits over the long run. 

However, different asthma treatments, like inhalers are recommended for various symptoms and causes, patients can have different asthma triggers and varied responses to the treatment. Hence, there are several options available for treating asthma, but no guarantee of a permanent cure for this chronic disease.

Can you cure asthma without medication?

If your asthma is severe and your regular asthma treatment is not providing you any relief. Then, try some natural remedies that may help ease your medical condition, it would also help in improving the quality of your life. 

In other words, natural remedies do not contain any harmful side effects and naturally help control asthma symptoms

Some natural ways of treating asthma are:

  • Dietary changes
  • Buteyko breathing technique
  • Papworth method
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Honey
  • Omega 3 oils
  • Caffeine
  • Yoga
  • Hypnotherapy

You may be able to treat asthma with the help of such natural remedies. 

Recommended Reading: What is an asthma inhaler?

Conclusion

Asthma is a long-term disease. It dampens the quality of life that you lead. Despite suffering from asthma, many people can live fulfilling lives. Moreover, your healthcare provider can find the best asthma treatment, like inhalers for your symptoms. It may not possibly treat the condition, but it may help prevent future asthma attacks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ginger good for asthma?

Ginger has several health benefits, including anti-inflammatory properties. It may help treat severe asthma cases because asthma is an inflammatory disease, and ginger may help get relief from asthma symptoms. 

But, it is still unknown if ginger helps improve the overall condition of the lungs.

Does asthma worsen with age?

The immune system deteriorates with aging, making it difficult to fight off infections that can trigger asthma exacerbations. It also affects the immune system’s response to inflammation.

Inflammation of the airways is the most critical component that causes asthma. Thus with age when the body’s immune system starts declining. A person becomes more prone to getting affected by asthma. 

Does exercise help asthma?

Regular physical activity can help decrease asthma symptoms by improving your lung health, says Healthline. Exercise works as an asthma treatment by making your lungs stronger without worsening inflammation.

In addition to exercises, specific breathing exercises can also help reduce asthma symptoms. Such techniques work by opening the airways, moving fresh air into the lungs, and making breathing easier.