Yes. The most common over-the-counter asthma drugs are Primatene Mist and
Bronkaid. They both work like a bronchodilator, relaxing the muscles around the
airways. They provide short-term relief (20-30 minutes), but do not control
asthma symptoms or prevent asthma attacks. People with high blood pressure,
diabetes, thyroid disease, or heart disease should not take Primatene Mist or
Bronkaid.
Unfortunately, many people misuse or overuse these asthma treatments. The
over-the-counter drugs are not meant for long-term use, yet some people use
them every day to relieve asthma symptoms. Because they do not control asthma,
people who take them may not be receiving proper treatment of their asthma.
If you are using an over-the-counter asthma drugs and are still experiencing
frequent asthma symptoms, talk to your doctor. And if you are taking prescribed
asthma drugs but are using over-the-counter medications occasionally, tell your
doctor this as well. You do not want to be taking more medicine than you
need.
Can Allergy Shots Be Used to Treat Asthma?
Some recent studies have shown that when you give allergy shots
(immunotherapy) to children with allergies, not only do their allergy symptoms
improve, but they are also less likely to develop asthma. Also, since many
cases of asthma are triggered by allergies, it makes sense that if you control
the allergies, you will have fewer asthma attacks.
Ask your doctor if you are a candidate for allergy shots.
Asthma is a common disorder in which
chronic inflammation of the bronchial tubes (bronchi) makes them swell, narrowing the airways. Signs and symptoms include shortness of breath, chest tightness,
cough and wheezing.
An allergy refers to a misguided reaction by our immune system in response to bodily contact with certain foreign substances. When these allergens come in contact with the body, it causes the immune system to develop an allergic reaction in people who are allergic to it. It is estimated that 50 million North Americans are affected by allergic conditions. The parts of the body that are prone to react to allergies include the eyes, nose, lungs, skin, and stomach. Common allergic disorders include hay fever, asthma, allergic eyes, allergic eczema, hives, and allergic shock.
Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also harm family members, coworkers, and others around smokers. There are a number of techniques available to assist people who want to quit smoking.
Patients who have infrequent, mild bouts of asthma attacks may use over-the-counter (OTC) medications to treat their asthma symptoms. OTC asthma medicines are limited to epinephrine and ephedrine. These OTC drugs are best used with the guidance of a physician, as there may be side effects and the drugs may not be very effective.
Asthma, the main cause of chronic illness in children, has signs and symptoms in children that include frequent coughing spells, low energy while playing, complaints of chest "hurting," wheezing while breathing, shortness of breath, and feelings of tiredness. Treatment will involve a doctor creating an asthma action plan which will describe the use of asthma medications and when to seek emergency care for the child.
There are many unusual symptoms of asthma, including sighing, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, chronic cough, recurrent walking pneumonia, and rapid breathing. These symptoms may vary from individual to individual. These asthma complexities make it difficult to accurately diagnose and treat asthma.
Exercise-induced asthma is asthma triggered by vigorous exercise. Symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing, and fatigue while exercising. Preventing exercise-induced asthma attacks involves using inhaled medicines before exercising, performing warm-up exercises and cooling down afterward, avoiding exercising outdoors when pollen counts are high, restricting exercise when you have a viral infection, and wearing a mask over your nose and mouth when exercising in cold weather.
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