Lesser Known Facts about Asthma

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways and causes severe obstructions while breathing. You, in most probability, have already heard about the disease. The visual, of an asthmatic suddenly struggling to breathe, followed by administration of medicine through an inhaler, is something with which almost everyone is familiar. However, there are some facts about Asthma which is not very commonly known. We have listed a few below.

Who is at Risk?

The Asthma high risk group includes people with respiratory infections, allergies, eczema and those whose parents are asthmatic. Symptoms of hampered breathing should be strongly monitored, especially in children, as they are the highest risk group. The 2 primary ways, through which Asthma infects, are genetic and environmental. The modern lifestyles have added one more type known as Occupational Asthma.

Cleaner Environments Increasing Allergies

This may come as a surprise for many. Exposure to mud and dust in early periods of childhood may actually help against allergies. With cleaner surroundings, children miss this opportunity and develop intolerance towards allergy causing agents. This is one of the reasons for the increase in the occurrence of Asthma in modern times.

Quitting Smoking Helps

Giving up on the tobacco smoke reduces the chances of developing Asthma. For somebody already infected with Asthma, smoking is an absolute no-no.

Consult a Good Asthma Specialist

Correct diagnosis of Asthma, like most Respiratory Diseases, is not an easy task. The symptoms are almost similar in most cases. Apart from being confused with common cough and cold, we have also seen cases where inexperienced or incompetent doctors have wrongly diagnosed Asthma as “reactive airway disease”. Ensure that the doctor you are consulting is experienced in the field of Pulmonology.

Even as Asthma causes around 250,000 deaths every year, there are also people who have lived a normal life with Asthma. Dr. Himanshu Garg, a Top Asthma Specialist in Delhi & Gurgaon maintains that along with the prescribed medicines, it is also important for the asthmatic to lead a healthy lifestyle.

What Makes Pneumonia A Vital Threat?

Pneumonia, which results in the inflammation of the lungs, has affected human beings from a very early period in history. Though it is true that Pneumonia can no longer kill at the rates that used to be associated with it, it still manages to take around 4 million deaths worldwide, every year. Antibiotics and vaccines, which came around in the 20^th century, played a vital role in curbing the menace of Pneumonia. But the developing countries still see very high rates of mortality among Pneumonia patients.

People with weak immune systems, especially small children and the aged, are most vulnerable if hit by Pneumonia. The reasons why Pneumonia takes a terminal swing in case of small children and the aged are their underdeveloped or weakened immune systems respectively. It is especially dangerous, as in these two cases, Pneumonia usually accompanies other illnesses like cough, cold, asthma, diabetes, etc., thereby complicating the situation further. Additionally, the treatment of Pneumonia depends on the type of infection responsible. On the lines of infection, Pneumonia can be classified into Bacterial Pneumonia, Viral Pneumonia, and Mycoplasma Pneumonia.

Although Pneumonia can be detected by Lung Tests, Chest X-rays, and blood tests, etc., it is very easy to confuse Pneumonia with common cough and cold. Thus, it is very important to ensure a visit to a reputed Respiratory Doctor if any difficulties are encountered while breathing. Make sure that the Chest Clinic you are visiting also has the requisite resources and facilities to ensure the prevention of Pneumonia along with the cure. Programs aiding the quitting of smoking and other such facilities will go a long way in keeping you and your family safe from the threat of Pneumonia.    

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.