Asthma
Information
Asthma is
characterized by coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and wheezing.
Asthma symptoms can be triggered by several factors, including: allergens or
irritants; viral or sinus infections; exercise; reflux disease (stomach acid
flowing back up the esophagus); medications or foods; and emotional anxiety.
Caffeine
and Asthma
If you feel an asthma attack coming on and don't have your
inhaler handy, try a couple cups of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or chocolate bars.
The caffeine will help open your airways.
Controlling
Your Asthma
If you find yourself using your quick-relief inhaler to stop an
asthma attack more than twice a week, it may be time for a different medication.
In fact, if you have to refill your inhaler more than two times a year or are
awakened by asthma symptoms two nights or more per week, you also probably need a
change.
Correct
Inhaler Use
If you use an inhaler to treat your asthma, remember that it's
not a breath freshener. You must deeply inhale the medication into your lungs and
hold it for three to five seconds before exhaling slowly.
NSAIDs,
Aspirin and Asthma
Asthma sufferers should use the non-aspirin pain
reliever acetaminophen (Tylenol) because the use of aspirin and NSAIDs
(Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs), such as Advil/Motrin (ibuprofen) and
Aleve (naproxen sodium), have the tendency to worsen asthma.
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