Asthma refers to the allergic reaction of respiratory tract due to chronic inflammation of the respiratory tract, swelling or narrowing bronchial mucosa that causes bronchial spasm and difficulty in breathing.

Clinical symptoms of asthma include: difficulty in breathing, wheezing sound when exhaling, coughing (particularly at night or after exercise), chest tightness, sputum mostly in white sticky state, while the symptoms can repeatedly occur and relieve with diurnal variation. The symptoms prior to onset are mostly down in spirits, headache, fatigue, sneezing, sore throat, nasal obstruction, coughing, itchy eyes, and anxiety.

Cause of asthma

• Persons with genetically atopic syndromes.
• Allergen inhalation: dust mite, pollen, cigarette, cotton, perfume, animal dander, and hair.
• Upper respiratory tract infection or other inducing factor such as virus, climate and temperature change, and air pollution.

Principles of Medication Treatment

• Type of drugs: bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Medicine application: Oral, inhaling, spray, injection syringe.
• Apply desensitization if allergen becomes unavoidable.

Handling Asthma

• When experiencing difficulty in breathing, lean the body forward slightly to improve.
• Pursed-Lip Breathing: Inhale from the nose and exhale through the mouth as if whistling. The exhaling time is double that of inhaling.
• Use the bronchodilator immediately when experiencing breathing discomfort.
• Patients carrying portable medicine spray shall 2-4 units of dosage immediately and repeat in every 20 minutes. If the symptoms are not relieved in 1~2 hours, seek for medical help from the nearest hospital soon possible.

How to prevent asthma?

• Proper rest and maintain cheerful mentality.
• Avoid irritation from the contact with allergen.
• Maintain balanced nutrition and avoid food with high content of protein, calorie and fat.
• Avoid second-hand smoke.
• Take medicine with you at all times for emergency use.
• Exercise in 30 minutes after taking or inhaling the bronchodilator.
• Regular and mild exercise (swimming and bicycling).
• Keep warm and pay attention to temperature difference. Use the scarf to cover the mouth, nose and neck at low temperature.

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