When to Visit an Asthma Specialist?

Asthma is one of the most dangerous Lung Diseases for which the world is yet to find a cure. To make matters worse, severe cases of Asthma can even result in death. It is responsible for millions of deaths worldwide. Thus, it is very important that you know when to consult your Asthma Specialist. Asthma is classified on the basis of the severity of the symptoms, which will be discussed in this blog. The earlier you go an Asthma Specialist, the better the chances of coming back to normal life.

Intermittent

This is the first phase of Asthma where mostly the disease goes undetected. The frequency of the symptom is less than or equal to 2 times per week. The attacks are mild and almost always occur during the night and early morning. If detected at this stage, the treatment is easiest and fast. However, since the attacks are mild and almost always occur during sleep, Asthma mostly goes undetected at this stage.

Mild Persistent

The next stage, when the attacks turn more frequent and are noticeable, has been given the term mild persistent. However, due to ignorance about the deadliness of the disease, even at this stage, patients do not make it a point to visit a good Asthma Treatment Center. This stage is still safer than the later stages and there are instances when an Asthmatic patient has been easily brought back to normal life from this stage.

Moderate Persistent

This is the stage when Asthma turns deadly and the attacks occur on a daily basis. It becomes difficult to maintain a normal lifestyle as the attack for the day can occur at any moment. Arrival of this stage signals the requirement of an immediate consultation with an Asthma Specialist.

Severe Persistent

This is stage when the attacks happen frequently every day making the continuation of normal life impossible. Hospitalization occurs in most cases of patients who have reached this stage.

It is very important to notice the symptoms of Asthma which include wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest, and shortness of breath. Asthma is a progressive disease and the stages follow one another in at a very fast rate. It is important to be faster than that in making a visit to the Asthma Specialist.

Which are the Best Foods for Your Lungs?

Taking proper care of your Lungs is an important requirement for leading a healthy life. Aside from the medications prescribed by your Pulmonologist, a few foods have shown to have helpful effects for the Lungs. We present a few of them, which aids the Lungs in performing the vital function of life called respiration, here in this blog. Keep these in your regular diet to reduce the risk of Lung Diseases.

Apples

A British study showed that the risk of Asthma reduced by 32% in people who consumed 2 to 5 apples every week. The flavonoids, present in the apples, help open the airways and provide a better supply of air to the Lungs.

Fruits & Vegetables with Vitamin C

Fruits and vegetables, which have high amounts of Vitamin C, should also be a part of your diet. Vitamin C is an important antioxidant which fights the free radicals to keep your Lungs safe. Some of the fruits which contain Vitamin C in abundance are orange, broccoli, sprouts, tomatoes, etc.

Carrots  

Beta-carotene, found in carrots, is another strong antioxidant. Carrots are also beneficial for the overall immune system of the body and have been known to be helpful in case of Lung Diseases, especially Asthma.

Flax Seeds

Magnesium, present in flax seeds, has a relaxing effect on the bronchi muscles and keeps them open. The bronchi are the airways which lead to the Lungs and keeping them open is vital for uninterrupted respiration.

Garlic

Garlic has special status in the traditional treatment of a lot of diseases. Its anti-inflammatory properties can prove to be helpful in the smooth functioning of the respiration system. Garlic also contains Allicin, which is a powerful antioxidant.

Use the above foods in your diet so that your Lungs can continue to faithfully carry on the life function of respiration. Also, make that visit to a Lung Specialist or Pulmonologist a regular affair, just to be sure.   

Why Is Tuberculosis Still Prevalent and Taking Lives?

Tuberculosis or TB is one of the oldest Lung Diseases known to human kind. It has been present, in its latent or active form, since ancient times. Although the terror, which this disease had stroked in the earlier times, has been reduced drastically, TB was still associated with 1.5 million deaths worldwide in 2013. So, what is it about TB that even the availability of treatment is not able to stop it from causing deaths?

One of the prominent reasons, for the above failure to prevent Tuberculosis from taking lives, is the low reporting rate of TB cases. Estimates, of the total number of people infected with TB, are much lower than the actual figures. The symptoms of TB, it its early stages, are very similar to common cough and cold. The fact, that the TB Bacterium can lie dormant for years before becoming active, is another major hindrance in its control. The untreated cases of Tuberculosis play a big role in the total number of TB deaths as 50% of them end up in the death of the patient.

Another major reason, for TB’s effective turn into the fatal category, is the multi-drug resistance developed by various strains of mycobactria, the bacteria responsible for causing Tuberculosis. It requires an expert Tuberculosis Doctor to diagnose and treat Tuberculosis effectively.

The associated symptoms of TB, like chronic cough, night sweats, fever, weight loss, infection, etc., should be immediately put under the doctor’s scanner. This is because Latent Tuberculosis responds to medicine far more easily than Active Tuberculosis in its later stages. One, of the top clinics with Tuberculosis Doctors in Gurgaon & Delhi, is Respiratory & Sleep Cure Solutions. If you notice any of the symptoms of Tuberculosis, it is in your best interests to fix an appointment as soon as possible.

Lung Care – How to Fight the Cravings for a Smoke?

Let us start with a well-known fact. 90% of the total cases of Lung Cancer result due to smoking. We all know that, along with the fact that 1 out of 7 people who smoke 2 or more packets of cigarettes will die due to Lung Cancer. There are also the countless images and videos, easily available, which present the horrifying state of a smoker’s lungs. In such a scenario, it almost always bemuses a non-smoker or a non-addict that most smokers still continue with the deadly habit. However, to be fair to those trying to quit, quitting is not half as easy as may be presumed by the non-addict. Here are a few things which you can do, while trying to quit, that can help you cross the bridge to the smoke-free zone.

Prepare Psychologically

The reason why most attempts to quit end up in relapses is that you are not prepared for the withdrawal symptoms. Though, once you have quit, it takes just about a fortnight for nicotine to completely leave your body, the urges to smoke again will continue much beyond that. The urges are driven by the withdrawal symptoms like nausea, headaches, cramps, anxiety, tension, loss of appetite, etc. They are the biggest hurdles which someone trying to quit has to overcome. The fact that these symptoms worsen by the hour, before they start to abate, also do not help the cause. Prepare yourself for these hardships from day one. This will help you stay strong and not give up the fight.

Medical Help

Heavy smokers are very likely to experience heavy withdrawal symptoms. If the cravings turn too severe or the physical symptoms make it difficult to go through the normal dealings of the day, there is a better alternative to going back to smoking. Consult a Lung Specialist and get medication for those crucial days when relapse is most likely to occur.

Consulting a Lung Specialist, while quitting cigarettes, is in fact, the best possible way of starting your journey to a healthier life. When expert help is available to aid you get off the road of Lung Diseases, it is always a smart idea to take it. One such Lung Specialist in Gurgaon & Delhi, who has been successfully aiding smokers kick the habit, is Dr. Himanshu Garg of Respiratory & Sleep Cure Solutions.

How to Prevent Lung Diseases?

Lung Diseases are very often fatal diseases. The lungs are important parts of our vital organ systems. They are responsible for the most primary need to sustain life – breathing. Lungs provide the surface area which is required for the exchange between oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood stream. Thus, it goes without saying that taking care of your lungs is important for a long and healthy life.

Unfortunately, modern lifestyle is not exactly sympathetic to the lungs. With vices like smoking, and an environment full of toxic fumes, most of what goes inside the lungs is not what’s meant for it. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is of utmost importance. Stay away from tobacco in any form and those, who are already habituated smokers, need to start their steps towards quitting. Though it is not a very easy task to free your lungs from tobacco smoke once you have tagged yourself a chain smoker, it is a necessary pain to go through when you consider the number of fatal diseases associated with tobacco. According to WebMD, the use of tobacco is responsible for 90% of the total cases of Lung Cancer. It is further estimated, that among every 7 smokers who consume 2 or more packets daily, 1 will die of Lung Cancer.

Carbon monoxide and other toxic gases released into the air by the vehicles and industries are the other major causes of Lung Diseases. Such areas should be avoided when possible and adequate protection should be taken otherwise. We can also contribute to a pollution free environment by using non-polluting vehicles, pooling cars and taking other environment friendly steps.

Regular checkups of the lungs and the respiratory system should feature in your tasks to do. Some of the Lung Diseases like COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) can go undetected before they take a severe form. Top clinics like Respiratory & Sleep Specialists, with a Top Lung Specialist like Dr. Himanshu Garg, provide easy access to such Lung Tests and the necessary treatment if diagnosed with a Lung Disease. Take care of your lungs – Yes you get 2, but you mostly get them only once!