- Asthma was first noticed in the 1940's and 1950's by parents who became aware of wheezing in their children. In the beginning, it was diagnosed as a side effect from stress or emotions, and was treated with different "miracle cures" and beverages. Over time, it was realized that asthma is caused by a combination of environmental factors (such as pollution, smoke, pollen, cold weather and stress) and genetics, which also influence how serious a person's condition is and how they will respond to different medications. To this day, researchers still don't fully understand what can trigger asthma, but ongoing research will hopefully tell in the future.
- Asthma medications are mainly used to reopen the air passages. They function purely to relieve the symptoms of asthma (difficulty breathing, wheezing, panic, lung pain, etc.) and to get rid of attacks. Successful asthma treatments should let you continue your daily activities comfortably such as working, exercising and spending time outside, while at the same time reducing what medications you take and stabilizing your lung and breathing function.
- Treatments for asthma vary greatly and can be medical, non-medical and pharmaceutical. Quick relief treatments have been around for a long time and improve every year as science uncovers better medications. These treatments include short-acting beta-2 agonists, oral or intravenous corticosteroids and ipratropium. Long-term treatment medications operate under the same theory as quick relief treatments, as they improve every year and bring about fewer side affects. These treatments include inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting bet-2 agonists, thophylline and cromolyn. They are usually taken daily and help control asthma symptoms or attacks. Medications that have emerged in the past year or two include a treatment named the Alair System. This is a probe attached to a radio-wave generator that treats asthma with a procedure called bronchial thermoplasty. Over the course of three procedures, the probe is inserted down the patient's oral airway in order to get rid of the smooth muscles inside. This results in airways remaining calm during spasms, so they do not end up closing and swelling. Another new treatment is called Symbicort for serious asthma, and it works like Alair. A radical new treatment that has been seen as controversial is paradoxical pharmacology, which involves a doctor giving the patient beta blockers that worsen asthma symptoms for about 28 days. The end results are better breathing and fewer symptoms as the body adapts to the chronic presence of the beta blockers causing airways to relax and dilate.
- Even with a mild case of asthma, it is still very beneficial to have medication as symptoms can disrupt one's daily lifestyle. Keeping an inhaler on hand is not a bad idea, especially if the asthma is triggered by environmental factors. New asthma medications help to ensure that future asthma symptoms or attacks are thwarted. By using asthma treatments, especially the new ones, inhaler use is lessened and one's overall concern about the condition is reduced.
- It is important to understand that excessive use of asthma medications can lead to problems. As an asthma patient, you may need to experiment with four or five different new medications before you find done that is right for you. Your asthma is prone to changing over time, so regular checkups are needed to see if your condition has worsened. If so, you may need to switch your asthma medication.
