Asthma is a chronic lung disease caused by irritants in the environment that make your bronchial tubes constrict where they connect to the lungs. When the tubes constrict, a high-pitched sound like a whistle called wheezing can occur. This is a symptom of difficult air intake. Shortness of breath is a common complaint of people with asthma. Medication is continually adjusted to decrease the amount of asthmatic effects, which will continue throughout your lifetime. The severity of your asthmatic condition, which is determined by your medical history, including your health risks, determines the type of care you needs to combat this disabling health problem.
Preventive Medication
The first line of defense for people who have chronic severe asthma is a preventive medication, such as Advair, that is inhaled on a daily basis. Advair is a combination of salmeterol and fluticasone. Salmeterol is classified as a long-acting bronchodilator that lessens the airway constriction. Fluticasone is a corticosteroid that helps prevent the lungs from creating asthmatic symptoms. Rinsing your mouth after inhalations can help to prevent thrush, which is a rash-causing fungus that can grow on your tongue or the inside top part of your mouth.
Rescue Inhaler
Another way to combat severe asthma is with a rescue inhaler. For people with severe asthma, this device always should be on hand. A rescue inhaler such as albuterol can be used immediately during an attack. You cannot always know when an irritant may crop up in your environment. Irritants are everywhere, including where you work, shop and go to school. Coming into contact with any kind of irritant can trigger your asthma and cause an asthmatic attack. The irritants may be different for different people, but they include air pollution, animal dander, chemicals, pollen and many other things. A rescue inhaler is intended to help relieve symptoms of an acute severe asthmatic attack while it is happening. It tends to treat these symptoms without treating the asthma itself, so rescue inhalers generally are prescribed for use along with preventive medications.
Nebulizers
A nebulizer is a machine that turns a solution or liquid medicine into an inhaled vapor. A nebulizer generally is used with a solution of albuterol, but for more severe asthma, it may be used with a prescribed combination of albuterol and ipratropium. This combination helps to ease the severe symptoms of wheezing associated with severe asthma. This medication is sometimes taken up to every two hours as needed.
