Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD is a group of progressive lung diseases. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the most common lung diseases. Emphysema gradually ruins the air sacs in your lungs, which are interfered with exhalation. The inflammation and swelling of airways in the lungs is called bronchitis, which further allows production of mucus, which leads to increased difficulty in breathing.

COPD is a case which makes it harder to breathe. The symptoms like coughing and shortness of breath are light at first. With passage of time, these symptoms worsen and make it increasingly difficult for the patient to breathe.

The patient may experience wheezing and feel heavy on the chest. Some patients suffering from COPD experience flare-ups of severe symptoms or exacerbations.
The main cause of COPD is cigarette smoking and therefore, people who are used to smoking for a longer time may suffer from this diesease. It is a disease that takes time to build up inside one s body. COPD can further cause heart problems and worsen respiratory diseases.

Severe symptoms of COPD include:

Occasional shortness of breath
Mild and reoccurring cough with mucus
Constant need to clear your throat
Noisy breathing
Frequent cold and cough
Loss of energy or feeling fatigued
Swelling of ankles, legs or feet
Sudden weight loss
Treatment of COPD
The treatment of COPD can ease its symptoms and avoid further complications. To treat COPD, one needs a skillful and experienced pulmonologist and respiratory therapist.

The medications which are preferred by the doctor are bronchodilators, which soothe the muscles of bronchial tubes, making it easier for the patient to breathe. This medicine is basically taken from inhalers. To reduce the inflammation, Glucocortico steroids are added.
Oxygen therapy is undertaken to provide oxygen to the patient through an oxygen mask or nasal prongs to ease the breathing process of the patient. A portable unit is advised, if the patient is cured at home.
Surgery is an option for severe COPD patients, which is undertaken if and only all other medications have already failed to control COPD, which can be the case in emphysema. Bullectomy is a kind of surgery in which the doctors eliminate the large bullae (air sacs) from the lungs. Volume reduction surgery is the last option for the doctor to cure a COPD patient. In this process, the damaged lung tissue is removed. The doctors go for a lung transplant in some rare cases of COPD.
The treatment for many diseases is a healthy and disciplined lifestyle. One should quit smoking and get the nutrition that their body needs. People should consult a dietician and get a healthy diet plan, and ask a doctor about the extent of exercise they should perform daily.

COPD - Can Oxygen Therapy Help Treat It?

The lungs are made of tubes through, which air passes in and out for exchange of gases, taking in alveoli. It is a disease of alveoli to which finer air conducting tubes are attached. Over a period of time, with age and exposure to various agents, these tubules get obstructed. The amount of air that can pass through these is reduced, leading to reduced oxygen supply to the lungs and thereby the various body organs.

Symptoms
The symptoms of copd can be easily understood if we realize how copd is caused. The progressive blockage of the air tubes causes less oxygen to reach the tissues, which is the most essential agent for all tissues and organs to function. Reduced supply produces a generalized limitation in physical activity. There are two main components to copd - chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The symptoms indicative of copd are as follows:
1. Chronic cough - also referred to as smoker's cough, the cough is relentless and does not subside with regular cough treatment. This is one of the first indications of copd.
2. Mucus buildup - there is constant buildup of mucus which gets expelled during coughing. The person never feels completely clear of mucus, and the regular cough expectorants do not help relieve the symptoms.
3. Fatigue associated with limited activity - as noted earlier, the reduced capacity of the organs limits their activities. Therefore, regular activities like walking short distances or climbing stairs can induce fatigue.
4. Shortness of breath - the above fatigue is associated with shortness of breath, even with small physical exertion. A person with copd will see marked tiredness and reduced ability to perform routine chores and feel a tightness in the chest.
5. Wheezing - passage of air through the obstructed air tubes produces a whistling sound or wheezing. It is more pronounced when there is mucus accumulation in the airways.
Rarely, frequent respiratory infections, more frequent flu attacks, swelling of the feet and ankles, cardiovascular disease, weight loss, and morning headaches.

Treatment
While there is no cure for copd, once it sets, the following are some ways to slow its progression and reduce severity of the symptoms:
1. Bronchodilators - dilate the air tubes and ease flow of air
2. Corticosteroids - help reduce inflammation and thereby improve airflow through the tubes
3. Flu vaccination - helps curb the frequent flu attacks
4. Antibiotics - to contain infections
5. Pulmonary rehabilitation - a combination of breathing exercise and patient education to improve lung function.
6. Oxygen therapy - in very severe cases, oxygen may be required.
7. Lifestyle changes - eating healthy foods, preventing exposure to dust and smoke, quitting smoking, breathing exercises, bi-annual medical check-ups to monitor lung functions are essential.

Knowing that you have copd is the first step towards managing copd, which can be managed effectively.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - Symptoms and Treatment

Seasonal changes can be very exciting for most people. Each season brings with it a new set of colours and nature takes a new turn. However, for people with seasonal allergies, a seasonal change also comes with a set of allergies. From skin rashes to wheezing to breathing difficulties, the list of symptoms can be quite long. Asthma is the most common problem, and the attacks can be quite bothersome with wheezing attacks and breathing troubles.

With advancements in the field of medicine, there is a lot of relief for asthma patients. A little understanding on how asthma attacks happen will help in understanding how to control it. Asthma is an allergic reaction caused by narrowing of the airway with thick mucus, which makes breathing difficult. During an attack, the person can have a dry cough, face shortness of breath and wheezing.

Asthma is often triggered or worsened by some factors, and being aware of these can help prevent or manage an attack:

Common allergens like pollen, mites, ticks, furs of animals, bird feathers, specific foods (peanuts, milk products, eggs, etc.) and mold spores appear during change of season.
Environmental chemicals like cigarette smoke, car fumes, dust, etc., can also trigger an attack.
Attacks of cold or flu can lead to an asthma attack.
Workout during cold weather can be problematic, but exercise can also help control asthma attacks. Lung function improves sufficiently, but an exercise regime should be drawn up for the patient based on his condition.
Stressful emotions like anger and anxiety can also lead to an attack or make it worse.
Some medications like aspirin, beta blockers, glaucoma drops can aggravate attacks of asthma.
Once you know the triggers, here are some common measures that can help prevent and relieve the wheezing.

The preventers reduce the inflammation in the airway tube and the swelling. While they do not provide immediate relief during an attack, using these in the long term helps avoid attacks. These are low-dose inhaled corticosteroids such as beclomethasone, fluticasone, and budesonide. Doctors would advise their usage even when there are no symptoms, as asthma attacks can be triggered when they are not taking these medications for a while. Newer drugs include leukotriene antagonists like montelukast and zafirlukast. Relievers are used for symptom relief and include Salbutamol (short acting) and Salmeterol/Formoterol (long acting). Peak flow meter may be useful in acute attacks, wherein the peak flow rates can be reduced.
A good strategy is to use preventers regularly and rely on relievers during an attack. The first one helps build resistance and so reduces the incidence of attacks. Reach out to a doctor if a severe attack ensues (lasts more than 3 hours).


Tips to Control Allergy Driven Wheezing this Season

The tonsils are soft tissue masses which are located at the back of your throat, usually at the pharynx. The tonsils are masses which are part of the lymphatic system that helps fight infections. However, tonsils can themselves become inflamed and cause a lot of pain. Tonsillectomy is a procedure to remove the tonsils and relieve pain.

Why is tonsillectomy performed?
A few decades back, tonsillectomy was a routine surgery performed to relieve any pain within the tonsils. This method of treatment however has changed over the past few decades as pain medications for inflammation have improved vastly. However, tonsillitis is still performed in many cases wherein it tends to cause acute problems. Some of the cases it is applicable in are:

Chronic bad breath problems caused by recurrent inflammation of the tonsils
Recurrent sore throats caused by tonsillitis
It is also done along with dental surgery for correcting teeth with imperfect positioning
Abscess formation in the mouth
Upper airway being obstructed due to inflammation, thus causing difficulty with sleeping, snoring, or causing sleep apnea (irregular breathing during sleep)
Ear infections being regularly caused by inflammation of the tonsils
Other reasons why it may be recommended
Tonsillectomy may be also be recommended when there are no indications of problems but tonsillitis and other infections keep cropping up too regularly. This affects children and can make them sick or keep them in pain regularly. Some of these other indications are mentioned below:

Tonsil infections and inflammations happening too frequently within a year
Tonsillitis is caused by bacterial infection wherein the antibiotics aren t effective
Formation of pus in the form of an abscess within or around the tonsils which keep forming even after repeated drainage or administering antibiotics
Possible complications and risks
Like any other form of surgery, tonsillectomy has certain risks associated with it as well. However, these are very rare. Some of these risks and complications are mentioned as follows  

Swelling of the mouth: The tongue and the soft palate or the roof of the mouth may swell, resulting in breathing difficulties an few hours after the surgery.
Infection: As is the case with any surgery, infections may occur in rare cases, which may require further treatment.
Adverse reactions to anesthetics: Many patients exhibit an adverse reaction to anesthetics and may develop symptoms such as a headache, nausea, muscle soreness and frequent vomiting.
Bleeding during surgery or healing: Although it is rare, bleeding during and after surgery has been reported after all sorts of procedures and it may occur with tonsillectomy as well. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an ENT specialist.

Tonsillectomy - When Should You Go For It?

Tonsillitis is an affliction that plagues a fair share of people. Located at the back of your throat, tonsils are essentially two small glands, which contain white blood cells to defend your body against infection. However, on account of germ attacks, sometimes the tonsils get infected and this results in the swelling of the tonsil glands, which in turn causes sore throat and aligned maladies. 

Tonsillitis may be cured through surgical procedures. However, an isolated case of the inflammation of the tonsils need not warrant a surgery. Tonsillectomy or the surgical method of curing tonsillitis is only recommended for extreme cases of tonsillitis. Only the frequent sufferers of tonsillitis take recourse to tonsillectomy for a durable and effective solution. Surgeries are only done on those who have had at least seven bouts of strep throats within a span of a year. 

Tonsillectomies essentially involve surgical removal of the tonsils either using a scalpel or burning the tissues in the tonsils with the use of ultrasound vibrations. Usually performed under anesthesia, it is a fairly painless and a non-hazardous procedure. Tonsillectomies generally last for about an hour. However, the recovery period sometimes entail a few physical discomforts. Sore throat, difficulty in swallowing, pain in the jaws and ears are common symptoms of post tonsillectomy conditions. While there are palliative medicines available in the markets, adequate rest and proper diet speeds up the recovery. 

Tonsillectomy generally leaves no side effects and the success rate of this surgery is quite heartening. Tonsillectomy has also known to cure several other associated health problems in the likes of breathing troubles, sleep apnea, bleeding of the tonsil glands or cancerous developments in the tonsil glands. That aside, tonsillectomy is only performed on acute cases of tonsillitis and often regarded as the lender of last resort when medicines stop according any relief to the patient.

When to go for a Tonsil Surgery?

Asthma is a severe respiratory disease, which occurs due to the inflammation of the airways of lungs. The airways of the lungs get swollen due to the inflammation, which cause production of mucus. Due to the effect of excessive mucus and swelling, the air path gets hindered. In such a condition, breathing becomes difficult and a wheezing sound appears at the time of breathing. Usually, the patient coughs very often.

These are the common symptoms of asthma:

Breathlessness
Whistling sound while breathing
Wheezing in chest
Mucus-producing cough
Tightness and heaviness in breathing
Heaviness in chest while running, walking or performing any activity
Recommended homeopathic medicines
Homeopathy is the holistic way of treating asthma. It not only cuts down the inflammation, but also cures the cause of the inflammation. So, treating asthma with homeopathy is safe because the remedies are all natural. Homeopathic medicines do not produce any side effects. There are several homeopathic medicines which are used to treat mild or severe asthma. Here are the five best homeopathic remedies for asthma:

Arsenic album: Arsenic Album is one of the effective homeopathic medicines for the patients who have asthma with anxiety. The patient might encounter symptoms such as intense feeling of restlessness, intense wheezing and coughing, feeling of suffocation while lying down, sudden increase of thirst etc. Usually, patients get relief after consuming warm drinks.
Ipecac: This is one of the wonderful homeopathic medicines for treating asthma with intense vomiting and nausea. The patient might encounter symptoms such as vomiting along with asthma attacks, persistent nausea, intense feeling of mucus in the chest, persistent cough, persistent salivation etc. This medicine is generally prescribed to patients who are a little heavy in weight.
Antim tart: This is the best homeopathic remedy for asthma patients who have a rattling cough. The symptoms also include a feeling of mucus in the chest, sleepiness, tiredness etc. Also, there is usually a burning sensation in the chest and throat, intense cough after eating anything, breathlessness, and hoarseness of the voice. This is more common in older people.
Nux vomica: This is one of the best homeopathic remedies for patients who have asthma with the gastronomic disorder. Symptoms include feeling of fullness around the stomach with asthma attacks, dry cough, sensation in the throat, mood swings etc.
Carbo veg: This is one of the best homeopathic remedies for treating asthma patients with blueness on face. Symptoms include numbness in hands and feet, stomach problem, breathlessness while lying down etc.

Asthma - 5 Homeopathic Remedies That Can Really Do Wonders!

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