Dr. Gowher Yusuf

If you have been diagnosed with asthma, it is important for you to know about the most common triggers of asthma. Asthma is a medical condition, which is characterised by paroxysmal wheezing respiration dyspnoea. It causes breathing difficulties, tightened chest and coughing. By identifying and reducing your exposure to several asthma triggers, you will be able to manage or control your asthma symptoms and the frequency of your asthma attacks. Here are the most common triggers of asthma you should know about:

Allergies that trigger asthma
Allergies, are common problems and over 80% of people are suffering from asthma and are allergic towards substances like weed pollens, animal dander, dust mites, mould and cockroach particles. Children having large amounts of cockroach droppings in their homes are more likely to develop childhood asthma. Dust exposure may lead to dust mite allergy in asthmatic patients.

Food which triggers asthma
Certain food allergies may lead to isolated asthma, where other symptoms are absent. Patients with food allergies can exhibit asthma as a part of anaphylaxis, which are food induced. The common food items which are associated with allergies include eggs, peanuts, cow milk, soy, fish, wheat, shrimps, salads and fresh fruits. Several food preservatives also trigger asthma. They may include sulfite additives such as potassium bisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfate and many others. These are commonly used in food processing and trigger asthma in sensitive people.

Asthma induced by exercise
Strenuous exercise may lead to the narrowing of the airways in maximum people having asthma. Exercise acts as a primary trigger for asthma symptoms in many people. Patients having exercise induced asthma are likely to feel chest tightness accompanied by coughing and breathing difficulties after completing an aerobic workout session. Although the symptoms subside, they may reoccur within some hours. You should warm up properly and slowly before a rigorous workout session to prevent an asthma attack.

Smoking
People who smoke are more likely to have asthma. If you have asthma and still smoke, the symptoms of wheezing and coughing worsen. Pregnant women who smoke increase the chance of wheezing in their to-be-born babies. You should absolutely quit smoking if you have asthma.

Infections which trigger asthma
Several infections such as cold, bronchitis, flu and sinus may cause asthma attacks. The respiratory infections, which are viral or bacterial, are a common cause and trigger asthma, especially in children. Asthma is also associated with severe heartburn. According to studies, more than 85% people with asthma also suffer from heartburn. This is a condition known as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.

Breastfeeding has shown to have an incredible impact on the growth and development of an infant on account of the nutrients which are provided to the baby. The mental development which occurs due to breastfeeding is said to show even years from the time that a person was an infant. When a person considers just how important breastfeeding truly is, she would not want to make a mistake, would she?

A lot of new mothers are concerned, if their babies seem to fall asleep while feeding a lot quicker than they should. As a matter of fact, they worry that the babies will not get enough breast milk and this can stunt the development of the young ones. While this is true, it can be said that a few steps taken can make sure of the fact that there would be nothing for the mothers to worry about.

1. Inadequate consumption: It is natural for a baby to have a tendency to fall asleep, after all, that rapid rate of growth is likely to consume a lot of energy. In order to make sure the baby consumes enough milk prior to falling asleep, what should be done is that the mother should transfer the baby from one breast to the other one when she notices that the rate at which the baby is consuming is slowing down. The effect this has is to make sure that the rate of transfer is maximised; as the fastest rate, the milk transfers is when the baby begins suckling, for the first few minutes.
2. Risk of Infection: Taking into due account what a sensitive and important process breastfeeding is, it can be said that an infection is something which can disrupt the process. One of the infections happens to be thrush. This is one which can spread from the mouth of the baby to the breasts of the mother. The effects of the infection include soreness and possibly even a rash. A doctor would probably provide the patient with some anti-fungal medication in order to fight the infection off.
3. Latching problems: Another issue which is faced by new mothers is that there is a pain when the baby is to latch on to the nipple. In order to reduce this, what can be done is that the mother can try keeping the baby in a position to cover as much of the area under the nipple than over and adjust the baby to cover the nipple when he or she yawns.

These are just some of the common issues faced by new mothers. However, following a few simple measures can ensure that the experience of breastfeeding is most satisfying for both mother and child. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Gynaecologist.