Asthma - How Can We Treat It?

Asthma is a painful pulmonary disease that is usually caused due to inflammation of the air passages. The tubes that help us breathe in and out can get contaminated with pollutants and allergens like dust, smoke, pet hair, pollen and nettle, amongst various other substances. This can lead to coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain due to breathing difficulties and wheezing as the lungs try to get more oxygen which cannot pass through the swollen airways. This is usually characterised as asthma. In recent times, there has been a worrying increase in child asthma. Read on to find ways in which this can be treated.

Symptoms: Treating breathing difficulties is the first and foremost way of treating asthma in children. This is especially important because of the oxygen requirement for normal and proper development of the brain and rest of the body.

Long Term Medication: Inhaled Corticosteroids which act to combat inflammation and reduce the same, can be used by children. Also, leukotriene modifiers can be used along with these inhalers. But one must be careful of psychological reactions like aggression during the use of this medicine. Combination inhalers can also help in tackling agonists that can trigger severe and potentially fatal asthmatic attacks. Theophylline is another drug that can be taken on a daily basis to keep the bronchial tubes or air passages open.

Quick Relief Medication: Albuterol, pirbuterol, and levalbuterol are some of the medicines that can be used in the short term for quick and instant relief. Yet, there is no guarantee that the symptoms will not return and there is still a need for a child to undergo focussed and long term medication to alleviate the risk of severe attacks.

Immunotherapy: Asthmatic attacks that are caused due to the allergens like pollen, dust, smoke, nettle, pet hair, and other similar substances, will need a series of injections that contain a small measure of the allergens so that the immune system is strengthened. This will ensure that the child's allergic reactions and subsequent asthma attacks will gradually decrease.

Devices: Medication delivery devices like inhalers that will give you a measured dose, dry powder inhalers as well as nebulizers, will take the medication straight to the lungs for asthma relief and control.

Long terms diseases like asthma can greatly affect the growth and immunity of a child, which is why it is important to prevent and treat such attacks. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a General Physician.