There are different types of shortness of breath drugs for asthma. The drug is available in the form of tablets, capsules, or syrup taken. However, there are also those used by inhalation. Each type of shortness of breath medication for this asthma has its own function,
When an asthma attack comes, the respiratory tract will swell, narrow, and produce a lot of mucus. This condition can make the sufferer experience shortness of breath and cough.
Best asthma treatment options with a doctor
Besides breathing apparatus, you can also see a doctor if the type of asthma experienced is no longer effective. Treatment of asthma in doctors is generally divided into two categories, namely long-term and short-term treatment.
Here are The Best Asthma Treatment with a doctor:
Long-term asthma treatment
Most people with asthma, especially chronic ones such as mild to severe asthma or persistent cough, are recommended to follow long-term drug therapy.
It is important to control the severity of asthma symptoms, prevent them from relapse sustainable, as well as reduce the risk of developing asthma complications.
Certain types of long-term asthma control medications include:
Inhalation corticosteroids
Corticosteroids are medications to inhibit or reduce inflammation in the airway that can trigger asthma symptoms, such as coughing and shortness of breath. With these drugs, the frequency of recurrence of asthma can be reduced and you can breathe more relieved every day.
Inhalation corticosteroids are more recommended as a long-term asthma treatment due to less risk of side effects rather than taking drugs (oral corticosteroids).
Corticosteroid drugs commonly used in the treatment of long-term asthma include:
- Fluticasone
- Budesonide
- Flunisolide
- Ciclesonide
- Beclomethasone
- Mometasone
- Fluticasone furoate
You may need to continue using this asthma medication within a few days to several weeks to get optimal benefits.
Although it is generally very rare to cause side effects, sometimes inhaled corticosteroids can cause irritation of the mouth, throat, and fungal infections of the mouth.
In children, the use of long-term inhalation corticosteroids may slightly affect the growth of children.
Leukotriene modifiers
Leukotriene modifiers are a type of oral asthma treatment that works against leukotrienes. Leukotrienes are substances that are released by white blood cells in the lungs that cause the airflow to be obstructed.
This taking drug is intended for asthma due to the side effects of certain medications, severe physical activity, or severe persistent asthma.
Drugs that belong to the synthesis group of modifiers are:
- Montelukast
- Zafirlukast
- Zileuton
All these medications help relieve asthma symptoms, including cough and breathing difficulties, up to 24 hours.
In certain cases, this type of medication can be at risk of raising psychological side effects such as hallucinations, depressive symptoms, and excessive anxiety. Consult a doctor immediately if you feel unusual reactions.
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Long-acting beta agonists
Treatment of asthma that belongs to the category of long-acting beta agonist is a bronchodilator. Bronchodilator is a therapeutic use of drugs to increase lung capacity in absorbing oxygen. That way you can breathe more smoothly and relieved.
Drugs commonly used in Bronchodilator therapy include Salmeterol and Formoterol. Bronchodilators should be combined with an inhaled corticosteroid, and newly administered if symptoms do not improve after administering corticosteroid inhaled.
Some kind of combination of Long-acting beta agonists with inhalation corticosteroids are as follows:
- Fluticasone and salmeterol
- Budesonide and formoterol
- Mometasone and formoterol
- Fluticasone and vilanterol
This treatment is used to control asthma symptoms triggered by exercise or heavy physical activity.
Theophylline
Theophylline helps relax the inflamed muscles around the airways (bronchus) so that you can breathe more relief.
For some people, this asthma medication may cause side effects such as headaches, and vomiting, as well as stomach disorders.
However, these side effects can be prevented by dose adjustment.
Short-term asthma treatment
In addition to long-term treatment, people with asthma also require short-term therapy. Additionally, if you have intermittent asthma, your doctor will recommend short-term treatment.
Short-term asthma medication therapy aims to relieve sudden asthma attacks immediately. The drug can cope with the symptoms of acute asthma when its attack is relapse.
The drug works faster, i.e. In just a few minutes and lasts 4-6 hours. However, the drug is not recommended for routine or daily use. Short-term asthma medication is only a first aid.
The following types of short-term asthma medications are the most commonly prescribed by doctors
Short acting beta 2 agonist inhalers
This the inhaler drug includes a type of bronchodilator that works quickly to stop asthma symptoms when relapse attacks.
Albuterol, Pirbuterol, and Levalbuterol or Bitolterol are the first choices for the treatment of short term asthma. A short-acting Beta agonist can be used using a handheld the inhaler (portable) or a nebulizer.
Ipratopium
Ipratropium is more widely used to treat emphysema and chronic bronchitis. However, this drug can also be used as a quick-working sympathomimetic therapy.
Its function is to loosen the muscles of the airway that strain when asthma attacks relapse. So, you can use this drug when new asthma symptoms begin to emerge.
Oral and intravenous corticosteroids
If the doctor assesses the symptoms of asthma you cannot be controlled by an inhalation drug, it will probably prescribe a taking steroid medication like prednisone and methylprednisolone.
Oral steroid medications should only be used in the short term, and only to treat severe types of asthma attacks. Usually doctors will prescribe oral steroid medication for only 1-2 weeks.
This is because oral steroid medications can cause serious side effects if used in the long term. The risk of side effects can include gaining weight, hypertension, weakened muscles, easy bruising, and so on.
If you feel the need to take short-term medication more than 2 days a week, talk to your doctor immediately. Your doctor can change the plan of asthma action tailored to your current condition.
Medication for allergic asthma
This treatment is specifically for overcoming allergies that become triggers or causes of asthma. So, these medications are usually only administered at any time or when the body reacts with certain triggers (allergens).
The types of drugs administered to overcome asthma trigger allergies are:
Allergic injectable drugs (immunotherapy)
Immunotherapy is an asthma medication that serves to increase or suppress the immune system to reduce the body’s sensitivity to allergens.
For the first few months, injections will be administered usually once a week. Sometimes, it can also only be given once a month. This can last several years until the immune system becomes more immune to allergens.
If you cannot avoid asthma triggers, consult a doctor regarding the possibility of immunotherapy as a remedy to control the symptoms of your asthma pain.
Other allergic drugs
In addition to injectable drugs, asthma triggers allergies can also be solved with spray medications and oral medications. These drugs include antihistamines, decongestants, corticosteroids, as well as Cromolyn.
In addition to effective to relieve allergic reactions such as itching, antihistamine drugs can also be used as a way of treating cough due to asthma. This drug works by blocking the effect of releasing histamine.
Histamine is a chemical substance that produces inflammatory responses in the body, including the airway.
Cetirizine, diphenhydramine, and Loratadine are some of the most common types of antihistamine drugs. However, it is important to note that most antihistamines have side effects that make you sleepy after you take it.
Therefore, make sure you do not operate the machine or drive after taking this asthma cough medicine.
This allergy medication can be purchased without a doctor’s prescription. However, this drug is not advised to be used as a substitute for asthma prescription medications.
Biological treatment
Biologic medications are usually administered along with long-term treatment therapies. The function of biological drugs is to cope with diseases or other health conditions that cause inflammation of the lungs.
By using biological medicine, asthma that is severe and it is caused by other health conditions can be addressed.
One type of biological medicinal of asthma is omalizumab. The drug is used to treat allergy-induced asthma from the air. Omalizumab is usually administered through injections every 2-4 week. This drug is not recommended for children under 12 years of age.
The best asthma treatment from natural ingredients
This asthma symptom relievers can be found from the ingredients in the kitchen. However, it is important to understand that you should consult with a doctor first before attempting a natural asthma medication. Because not all types of traditional medicines are guaranteed safety and effectiveness in all people.
That way, your doctor can help ensure that you can actually use traditional medicines and have no negative reaction to your asthma condition.
Here are some options of The Best Asthma Treatment from natural ingredients that you can use to relieve asthma symptoms.
Garlic
Garlic is one of the natural asthma medications that serves as a natural remedy to relieve asthma symptoms. The anti-inflammatory content in it is believed to reduce inflammation of the respiratory tract due to asthma.
Nevertheless, it takes further research to ensure garlic as a traditional asthma medication. Because, until now there has been no research that can prove that garlic can be a long-term natural asthma treatment.
Ginger
Other traditional asthma medications that you can find in the kitchen are ginger.
Ginger has an anti-inflammatory content that can help alleviate asthma symptoms. In fact, a study mentions that taking supplements derived from ginger can help relieve asthma symptoms.
However, in the study there was no mention of how ginger works by reducing inflammation of the respiratory tract due to asthma. Therefore, further research is still needed to ensure the effectiveness of ginger in overcoming asthma symptoms.
Turmeric
Turmeric is one of the other types of natural asthma medications you can use. This orange-colored natural spice has an anti allergic content that can fight the cause of inflammation.
Mustard Oil
A mustard oil is proven to relieve the respiratory tract and restore breathing to a normal rhythm. Therefore, mustard oil can greatly help recovery when asthma attacks occur.
You should make this mustard oil mixture to keep it and take care of it until an asthma attack comes. Heat 2 tablespoons of mustard oil with 2-3 tablespoons of lime / chalk.
If you can’t find lime, you can replace it with ointment to relieve cough and cold symptoms. Move the mixture into a bowl and wait until it becomes warm.
When it’s not too hot, you can apply this oil mixture to the chest and upper back.
Eucalyptus oil
Eucalyptus oil is known to effectively relieve asthma symptoms such as shortness of breath because there is a decongestant content in it. The eucalyptus substance in pure eucalyptus oil can shed phlegm, making it easier to secrete.
There are two ways you can make eucalyptus oil treatment of asthma disease.
First, drop the eucalyptus Oil on the tissue paper and place it near the head while sleeping. So while sleeping, you inhale the aroma.
Second, heat the water in a pan until boiling. When the water reaches a boiling point, slash 2 – 3 drops of eucalyptus oil into it and breathe it.
When conducting this therapy, try to inhale the deep breath for maximum results.
Fig fruit
Research proves that figs have nutrients that can improve the health of the respiratory tract. Figs can withstand the production of phlegm and relieve breathing difficulties.
This treatment uses dried figs. How to make a traditional treatment of asthma disease of figs is as follows.
Wash 3 figs and put them in a bowl filled with warm water, then soak overnight. The next morning you can eat the soaked figs and drink the water.
Preferably, this mixture you eat when the stomach is empty. If afterwards you have to have breakfast, give it a break of about 10 – 15 minutes.
With regular consumption of figs soaked, digestive health will be well maintained.
Caffeine
Caffeine has anti-inflammatory properties that are able to help cure asthma symptoms. In addition, caffeine is also capable of relaxing breathing muscles. The effects gained from caffeine are almost similar to the effects gained when taking the asthma drug theophylline.
Caffeine can be found in a coffee or black tea. Because of the content that is found in coffee or tea, consume it is not like taking medicine to treat asthma.
However, although it has a good impact for asthma sufferers, you should still limit the amount of coffee and tea you drink per day.
Cardamom
Do you know cardamom? Yes, cardamom is a spice that is commonly used as a spice flavoring. Aside from being a seasoning kitchen, cardamom is well-known to improve lung health.
Based on the results of research from the Nitte University in Mangalore, India, the source of essential oils in cardamom is very effective in improving blood circulation in the body.
Cardamom is already widely used in a variety of traditional therapies such as aromatherapy for the treatment of asthma and bronchitis by increasing blood circulation to the lungs.
Mint leaves
Asthma or other respiratory disorders are often one of the most disturbing problems. But not to worry, you can benefit mint leaves to overcome respiratory disorders like asthma.
Mint leaves have a menthol scent that can help open the respiratory tract because it contains anti-inflammatory.
It also has antibacterial properties that contribute to treating infections caused by bacterial attack on the airways. That content that makes mint leaves useful for asthma because it is able to loosen the respiratory tract. You can breathe the scent of mint leaves or drink it as a tea.
Wheat
Asthma is one of the diseases that interfere with the respiratory system. However, the disease can be prevented by consuming wheat regularly.
A study in 3,781 children proved to consume wheat can lower the risk of asthma. You can consume foods based on wheat, such as oatmeal, cereals, breads, biscuits, and pasta.
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Thank you very much for reading Best Asthma Treatment: Medications and Natural Remedies, hopefully useful
