Bronchial Asthma Information Online
 Bronchial Asthma Symptoms, Medications and Treatments For Cure

What is Bronchial Asthma

When the term "asthma" is used, it usually refers to bronchial asthma, an inflammatory condition of the bronchial tubes in the lungs causing an obstruction to the flow of air in and out of the lungs. This obstruction produces the characteristic "wheezing" sound associated with the bronchial asthma.

Bronchial Asthma Signs and Symptoms

The lung involvement peculiar to bronchial asthma can range anywhere from a mildly inconvenient discomfort to a life-threatening bronchial asthma attack or seizure. The person having a bronchial asthma attack usually has itchy eyes, the nose begins to run, and there is a feeling of tightness in the chest, which can soon progress to coughing and difficulty breathing. The expirations characterizing bronchial asthma are long and noisy, while the inspirations are accomplished with great difficulty. Bronchial asthma attacks sometimes ceases on their own within a few minutes, or medical treatment may be required.

Signs and Symptoms of Bronchial Asthma Attacks Requiring Emergency Treatment

Bronchial asthma can be fatal, so watch very closely for a change in a person's condition indicating they are having breathing difficulty. Any sign of breathing distress  is cause for alarm and requires immediate emergency treatment.  Some of the bronchial asthma symptoms that should receive treatment right away include:

• acute difficulty in breathing, fast pulse, nasal flaring 
• bluish color to lips and face
• severe apprehension, sweating 
• decreased level of consciousness during the asthma attack
• chest pain 
• coughing up blood

What Causes Bronchial Asthma

Bronchial asthma is caused by either extrinsic or intrinsic factors. Extrinsic factors are those external elements that cause bronchial asthma such as sensitivity to allergenic substances in the environment which can be inhaled, ingested or injected. By far the most common causes of  bronchial asthma fall within  the inhaled category. The intrinsic causes of bronchial asthma are more than likely found in later years. Doctors usually look for some kind of infection, glandular imbalance and nutritional and other deficiencies as causes of asthma in older patients.

Some other extrinsic factors that can trigger an attack of bronchial asthma  include dust, pollen, pet hairs, smoke, exercise, cold air, perfume, hair spray, make-up, household cleaners, and allergic asthma reactions of any kind -- the list goes on and on. Triggers are different for each person, and the effort should be made to discover the cause. The frequency of bronchial asthma attacks varies considerably among asthma sufferers. Some people have daily asthmatic attacks, while others can go months or even years without having an attack. 

Preventing Bronchial Asthma Attacks

Bronchial asthma attacks  can be prevented and/or controlled by limiting  exposure to environmental triggers. Some measures to consider include:

• clean carpets, beddings regularly
• wear a mask around any known offending irritants
• bathe pets regularly
• avoid being outside during peak pollen periods
• wrap up when outside in cold weather, make sure the nose and mouth are covered with a warm scarf
• know what you can and can't eat
• clean furnace filters regularly

Treatments for Bronchial Asthma

• Medicines for quick relief of bronchial asthma attacks should always be available for asthmatics so they can  be taken immediately when symptoms of an asthma attack first appears and before they have time to worsen. These medicines are called bronchodilators. Bronchodilators relax the muscles that tighten around the airways, allowing the  air to flow freely which makes breathing easier.
• Medications for long term relief  of bronchial asthma are usually prescription drugs that have to be taken every day for a long period of time. These include anti-inflammatory medicines, such as corticosteroids.

Bronchial Asthma Equipment

• Peak flow meter - a monitoring device used by people with bronchial asthma to measure the flow of air coming out of the lungs.
• Metered dose inhalers - these are small hand-held devices used for bronchial asthma which deliver asthma medication directly into the lungs of the asthmatic patient. Anyone who has bronchial asthma should be very well informed about using this device to be sure the medicine reaches the lungs and not just the throat. Asthmatics should spend time practicing this procedure so it will come naturally to them when an emergency situation arises.

 For more asthma information, see:

Asthma Exercise - Healthy Taking Certain Precautions
Childhood Asthma - Controlling With Antioxidants
Chronic Asthma - Food Allergy Involvement
Natural Asthma Remedy -Simple Sugar Treatment
Asthma Facts - Common Disease in Western Hemisphere
Allergy Asthma - Tests and Treatment Relief
Asthma Facts and Treatment - Symptom Relief Through Foods
Asthma Treatments - Resource Information Site
Information About All Aspects of Asthma - Resource
Asthma Information and Supplies