Asthma is the most common chronic condition for women in pregnancy. While Asthma control can affect pregnancy, pregnancy too can affect Asthma. Yet while pregnancy does not beget Asthma, neither does it abate.

Nevertheless, Asthma management during pregnancy is very important. Improper Asthma management, especially in difficult Asthma, during pregnancy may imperil both the mother and the child.

Along with taking the right medications, Asthma patients also need to avoid exposure to Asthma triggers.

Avoiding Asthma Triggers

Asthma triggers may be different for different people. In general, one or a few of the following act as Asthma triggers:

Allergens like pollen, dust mite etc.

Smoking

Certain exercises

Certain occupational exposure

Pollution

Certain drugs like  blockers, aspirin etc.

Alcohol, dairy products, orange juice, peanuts etc.

Additives like tartrazine, monosodium glutamate etc.

Certain medical conditions like gastric reflux, rhinitis etc.

Apart from avoiding these Asthma triggers, she would also need to follow the instructions of her gynecologists. She should always be concerned that if the treatment is not working or if she is experiencing any trouble, she must consult with the gynecologists. She can also do some exercises to stay active and healthy.

However, she should always consult a doctor before doing any exercise, especially for those who have experienced Asthma attacks in the past.

Effects of Asthma on Pregnancy

Poor Asthma management and difficult Asthma before pregnancy are associated with increased risk of hypertension during pregnancy, which can beget Preeclampsia. Studies have also shown that women with Asthma tend to undergo Caesarean sections more than others. It has also been observed that Asthma may restrict the growth of the fetus leading to low birth weight.

However, this is more due to poor Asthma control such as persistent breathing difficulty or poor lung function etc., than Asthma per se.

Effects of Pregnancy on Asthma

Certain physiological factors during pregnancy do affect Asthma. In difficult Asthma, control usually deteriorates between 24 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, mainly due to poor adherence to corticosteroids. This is why pregnant women with Asthma should be monitored closely irrespective of the severity of Asthma.

Breathlessness in Pregnancy

Breathlessness during pregnancy is common. In fact, even pregnant women with no Asthma symptoms may feel breathless at times. It reflects some normal physiological and anatomical changes during pregnancy. Even anxiety may precipitate breathlessness. This indicates that pregnant women with difficult Asthma may feel breathless, not just because of Asthma, but also because of normal changes during this period. However, new incidents of Asthma can also be a cause of breathlessness.

Respiratory Distress in Pregnant Women

Respiratory distress in pregnant women may not always be due to asthma. There may be a whole host of reasons that include Anxiety, Hyperventilation, chest infection, dysfunctional breathing, pneumonia, interstitial lung disease, thromboembolic disease, amniotic fluid embolism, pneumothorax, ischemic heart disease, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy and a variety of endocrine, hematological and renal disorders.

Preventing Respiratory Distress During Pregnancy

Apart from avoiding Asthma triggers, pregnant women with Asthma or difficult Asthma need to strictly adhere to Asthma control. This indicates that they need to adhere to their corticosteroids religiously. However, before that, they also need to make sure that the corticosteroid is safe to be taken during pregnancy.

Asthma may or may not affect pregnancy. However, it is always a great idea to go for Asthma management. This will help women deal with complications related to Asthma during pregnancy.

Apart from that, always consult a doctor before going for any medication related to Asthma control, or actual treatment of Asthma.

Difficult Asthma - All You Should Know!

Bronchial adenoma is an uncommon benign tumour that begins in the mucous glands and the airways of the lungs (bronchi). These cancers progress very slowly and can be cured if detected. These cancers can easily spread to other parts of the body, such as the adjoining cells and tissues. These types of cancers, however, respond well to treatment.

There are three types of bronchial adenoma:

Adenoid cystic carcinoma: This type of cancer starts in the salivary glands of the mouth; it may also affect the sweat glands, trachea (windpipe) and the woman's breasts.
Carcinoid tumors: These tumors impair the functioning of the nerve cells and cells that produce hormones. They usually develop in the stomach and the lungs.
Mucoepidermoid carcinoma: This type develops in the salivary glands. The parotid glands near the ears are usually affected.
Causes: The exact cause of this disorder is not known. It is believed that some genes in the body are responsible for mutation of the cells. Multiple endocrine neoplasia (a combination of diseases which affects the endocrine system of the body) increases the risks of being affected by bronchial adenoma.

Symptoms: Since these tumors progress very slowly, initially the symptoms might not be apparent. In the latter stages, the symptoms that show up depend on the location of the cancer.

For carcinoid tumors, the symptoms are:

You may experience wheezing and cough
Presence of blood in the cough
Chest pain and breathing difficulties
Becoming increasingly susceptible to infections such as pneumonia
For mucoepidermoid carcinoma, the symptoms are:

The glands near the ears may swell
You may experience pain in your face
For Adenoid cystic carcinoma, the symptoms are:

Trouble while swallowing food
Hoarse voice
Swelling on the roof of your mouth
Numbness in the jaw
Bumps below the jaw

Causes and Symptoms of Bronchial Adenoma

What is Bronchits?

A cold or the flu runs its course in a couple weeks, if you re lucky. After that, you re back to normal. But sometimes you may get bronchitis, too.

That s when your bronchial tubes, which carry air to your lungs, get infected and swollen. You end up with a nagging cough and a lot more mucus.

Types:

-Acute bronchitis: This is the more common one. Symptoms last for a few weeks, but it doesn t usually cause any problems past that.
-Chronic bronchitis: This one is more serious, in that it keeps coming back or doesn t go away at all. It s one of the conditions that makes up what's called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Causes:

Most often, the same viruses that give you a cold or the flu also cause bronchitis. Sometimes, though, bacteria are to blame.
In both cases, as your body fights off the germs, your bronchial tubes swell and make more mucus. That means you have smaller openings for air to flow, which can make it harder to breathe.
If any of these things describe your situation, you have a bigger chance of getting bronchitis:
You have a weaker immune system. This is sometimes the case for older adults and people with ongoing diseases, as well as for babies and young children. Even a cold can make it more likely since your body s already busy fighting off those germs.
You smoke or live with a smoker.
You work around substances that bother your lungs, such as chemical fumes or dust. (Examples: coal mining, working around farm animals).
You live in or travel to a place with poor air quality or lots of pollution.
Symptoms:

-Cough and production of mucous or sputum are the two most common symptoms of bronchitis.
-Due to excess production of mucous within the bronchial tubes, the cough reflex is induced in a bid to get rid of the mucous. The mucous is usually whitish in colour.
-Often patients feel shortness of breath. This shortness of breath is aggravated on any physical activity like walking, running or climbing stairs.
-There may be wheezing in the chest while breathing. A sensation of tightness or heaviness in the chest may be felt.
-Exercising or running or climbing stairs is often difficult as the compromised lungs are unable to meet the increased requirements of oxygen.

Diagnosis:

Your doctor usually can tell whether you have bronchitis based on a physical exam and your symptoms.She ll ask questions about your cough, such as how long you ve had it and what kind of mucus comes up with it. She ll also listen to your lungs to see whether anything sounds wrong, like wheezing.

That s usually it, but in some cases, your doctor may:

-Check the oxygen levels in your blood. This is done with a sensor that goes on your toe or finger.
-Do a lung function test. You ll breathe into a device called a spirometer to test for emphysema (a type of COPD in which air sacs in your lungs thin out and are destroyed) and asthma.
-Give you a chest X-ray. This is to check for pneumonia or another illness that could cause your cough
-Order blood tests.
-Test your mucus to rule out diseases caused by bacteria. One of these is whooping cough, which is also called pertussis. It causes violent coughing that makes it hard to breathe. If your doctor suspects this or suspects the flu she'll also take a nasal swab.

Role of Homeopathy In Bronchits:

When it comes to treating bronchitis, Homeopathy is very effective. In fact it is the most promising system of medicine for the treatment of bronchitis. Here one must mention that the preventable or avoidable causes of bronchitis should be and must be removed. It is very important that one should stop smoking if the patient is suffering from bronchitis. Any sort of pollution should also be avoided. In homeopathy, I have seen pretty severe cases of bronchitis getting cured.

Diet and Non Diet Food:

Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. You can also eat meats low in fat, chicken, fish, and low-fat or nonfat dairy.

Bronchits - All You Should Know!

Pulmonary hypertension is a medical condition that arises when the blood pressure remains consistently high in the vessels of the lungs. This condition can develop from a completely unrelated medical condition and is more prevalent among women. 

Pulmonary Hypertension can be a hard disease to diagnose. While it has no permanent cure, the medication depends on how far the disease has advanced. From group 1 PAH to group 5 PAH, pulmonary hypertension has 5 stages of advancement. 

Here is a list of 10 ways by which this disease can be kept under control along with the prescribed medication:

Quit smoking: Smoking aggravates pulmonary hypertension. It has adverse effects on both the heart and the lung. It is therefore of utmost importance to quit smoking. If you fail to control your urge of smoking, contact your doctor who can suggest a quitting plan.
Avoid high altitude: Patients suffering from pulmonary hypertension should avoid flying and living at high altitude. An altitude of 8000 feet and above can worsen the symptoms. It is therefore suggested that you do not take flights for travelling or come down below the altitude of 2428 meters if you are living in hilly areas.
A healthy diet: A healthy diet consisting of fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meat and whole grains should be consumed on a daily basis. A nutritious diet goes a long way in keeping pulmonary hypertension in check.
Adequate rest: A minimum of 8 hours of sleep is recommended for patients suffering from pulmonary hypertension. A good night s sleep and frequent naps keeps fatigue at bay. 
Pregnancy and birth control pills: Avoiding pregnancy is a must for patients suffering from this disease. Pregnancy can be life threatening for the both the baby and the mother. Birth control pills should be avoided as well. It greatly increases the chance of blood clots. 
Maintain a steady blood pressure: Any activities that lower the blood pressure should be avoided by all means. Spending too much time in a bathtub or prolonged stress increases the chances fainting.
Become more active: Patients of pulmonary hypertension often run out of breath with little to no activity. While activities such as weight lifting should be strictly avoided, some exercise or daily jogging can fetch good result in keeping a patient healthy.
Get vaccine on time: Doctors often suggest vaccines if the patient suffers from pneumonia or influenza. It should be ensured that such vaccines are taken on time. For patients suffering from pulmonary hypertension, prolonged exposure to diseases such as pneumonia can wreak havoc.
Regular checkup: Regular follow up with the doctor is of prime importance. Any possible side effects or deterioration can be arrested with constant supervision.
On time medication: Patients of pulmonary hypertension should ensure that all the medicines suggested by the doctor are taken at regular intervals as per prescribed dosage.

Pulmonary Hypertension - 10 Ways to Treat it 

Bradycardia is a condition which in basic terms means slow beating of the heart. In most cases, the typical rate is 60 to 100 beats in a minute when the person is at rest. In case your heart beats less than 60 times in a minute, then it is slower than normal. But a slow heart rate is not always a health concern even though sometimes it could indicate issues with of the heart.

What could bradycardia mean?
Some people with slow heart rate or bradycardia tend to be very fit, and they have no underlying health issues. Athletes and healthy young adults often have a heart rate lower than 60. But in others, bradycardia indicates that the natural pacemaker of the heart is not working well, or the electrical pathways have been disrupted. In severe forms of the problem, the heart may beat so slowly that it fails to pump adequate blood for meeting the needs of the body. This may show some symptoms and could be fatally dangerous.

What are the causes of bradycardia?
There are various causes of bradycardia, and some of them include:

Alterations in the heart which results from aging
Health conditions that slow down the electrical impulse through the heart. This may include electrolyte imbalance, low thyroid levels, and others.
Diseases which may disrupt the electrical system of the heart including heart attack, coronary artery disease, and myocarditis.
Certain medications that are used for treating heart problems like high blood pressure or hypertension, arrhythmia, and beta-blockers, and digoxin.
What are the symptoms of bradycardia?
When a person has very slow heart rate, he or she may experience lightheadedness or dizziness, feeling short of breath, having difficulties in doing normal activities or exercising, having chest pain, feeling tired and fatigued. In some cases, it is seen that the person may have palpitations, feeling confused, trouble in concentrating and fainting.

What s worse, some people don t have any symptoms at all, or their symptoms are so negligible that they think they are caused just because of aging. The best way to understand whether you have this problem is to take the pulse, and in case, it is slow or uneven, you must talk to a doctor.

How is bradycardia diagnosed and treated?
Bradycardia tends to come and go from time to time, and therefore, a standard EKG is not always able to detect it. A standard ambulatory electrocardiogram is used for detecting the condition, and sometimes, blood tests are also necessary.

The treatment of bradycardia is entirely dependent on the cause of the problem and its symptoms. It is worthy of mention here that in case the problem is not causing any symptoms, then they would not be treated under usual circumstances.

An Effective Guide To Bradycardia!

Has your child been coughing frequently? Is the cough chronic in nature, making your child breathe rapidly and does he/she complain about a tightened chest? These symptoms signify that your child is having asthma. Asthma is a medical condition characterized by paroxysmal wheezing respiration dyspnoea. It is common in children and an affected child experiences difficulty in breathing, and a whizzing sound is produced, especially during expiration. Asthma may lead to severe health complications and needs immediate diagnosis and treatment.

Diagnosis: The diagnosis of asthma is based on the symptoms, medical history and a physical examination of the child.

The different modes of asthma diagnosis are as follows:

    Medical history and symptoms: You must tell the doctor about any history of breathing trouble with your child or whether there are chances of other inherited health conditions. You must explain your child's symptoms properly, which may include coughing, wheezing, chest pain or tightness and others if observed.
    Physical examination: A physical exam will be carried out in your child where the doctor will listen to his heart and lungs, and look for eye or nose allergies.
    Medical tests: A chest X-ray of the child has to be carried out, along with a simple lung function test known as spirometry. This test measures the amount of air present in the lungs and determines how fast it can be exhaled. Spirometry enables a doctor to determine the severity of the asthma. Some other tests are also carried out for the identification of asthma triggers. They include allergy skin testing, blood tests and X-rays to know if sinus infections are affecting the asthma. An asthma test determines the amount of nitric oxide in your child's breath.

Treatment: Based on your child's severity of asthma symptoms and his medical history, the doctor will provide you with an action plan to treat the same. This action plan explains all the medications your child requires, the dosage and schedule of the medicines. The plan also includes points on what to do when the asthma worsens and when an emergency treatment is required. Anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to children who require bronchodilator medication. All asthma medicines used by adults can be used in case of children but in lower dosages.

You should give the asthma medications to your child using a home nebulizer or a breathing machine. A nebulizer delivers asthma drugs by transforming them from liquid to a mist. The child gets the drug by breathing it via a face mask.

In order to control and manage asthma in children, they must avoid the triggers and should keep away from any source of smoke. A doctor must be consulted to know about the best diagnosis and treatment methods.

Asthma in Children: Diagnosis and Treatment

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