RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS

THIS CAN BE AS MINOR  AS  A COLD, OR AS LIFE THRENTENING AS  A HEART ATTACK.

ASTHMA;   ASTHMA IS THE GREEK WORD FOR PANTING. A PERSON HAVING AN  ASTHMA  ATTACK  IS LITERALLY PANTING FOR  BREATHING. ASTHMA IS A CONDITION THAT CAUSES INFLAMMATION AND OBSTRUCTION OF THE AIRWAYS. THE MUSCLES SURROUNDING THE AIR TUBES OF THE LUNGS GO INTO  SPASM, THE MUCOUS LINING SWELLS AND SECRETIONS BUILD UP, MAKING BREATHING DIFFICULT.

ASTHMA USUALLY OCCURS IN ATTACKS OR EPISODES. DURING AN ATTACK, THE PERSON MAY MAKE A WHEEZING OR WHISTLING SOUND WHILE BREATHING, COUGH A GREAT DEAL,  OR SPIT UP MUCUS. A CHRONIC DRY COUGH MAY BE THE ONLY SYMPTOM OF MILD ASTHMA.

MANY THINGS CAN TRIGGER ASTHMA INCLUDING DUST.  IN  GENERAL, INFECTIONS  ARE THE MOST  COMMON TRIGGERS OF ASTHMA. OTHER TRIGGERS  INCLUDE  EXERCISE, COLD AIR, CHANGES IN WHEATHER ETC.  ASTHMA USUALLY DEVELOPS IN CHILDHOOD BUT MAY ALSO BEGIN LATER IN LIFE. THE FIRST EPISODE  OFTEN FOLLOWS A COLD OR A FLU. IT IS MORE COMMON IN CHILDREN WHO ARE EXPOSED TO CIGARRETE SMOKE AT HOME. MANY CHILDREN OUTGROW  ASTHMA AS THEY GET OLDER BUT WILL BE AT RISK  FOR IT IN ADULTHOOD. ASTHMA CAN BE CONTROLLED BY AVOIDING TRIGGERS THAT CAUSE ATTACKS AND USING MEDICATIONS TO MANAGE SYMPTOMS. SEVERE ATTACKS CAN USUALLY BE TREATED WITH INHALED OR INJECTED MEDICATIONS. ATTACKS ARE  RARELY FATAL IF THEY ARE TREATED PROMPTLY AND APPROPRIATELY.

PREVENTION

*AVOID SMOKE OF ALL KINDS. STOP SMOKING AND AVOID SECOND HAND SMOKE. EAT, WORK, TRAVEL AND RELAX IN SMOKE FREE AREAS.

*AVOID AIR POLLUTION. STAY INDOORS WHEN THE AIR POLLUTION IS HIGH.

* AVOID BREATHING COLD AIR.

* STRONG  SMELLS LIKE  FUMES AND PERFUMES SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

* AVOID INDOOR PETS WITH FUR OR FEATHERS.

*WASH YOUR HANDS  OFTEN TO REDUCE THE RISK OF CATCHING A COLD AND FLU.

* GET REGULAR EXERCISE. SWIMMING OR WATER AEROBICS MAY BE GOOD CHOICES BECAUSE THE MOIST AIR IS LESS LIKELY TO TRIGGER AN ATTACK.

BRONCHITIS

THIS IS AN INFLAMMATION AND IRRITATION OF THE BRONCHIAL TUBES IN THE LUNGS. IT IS CAUSED MOST OFTEN BY VIRUSES OR BACTERIA BUT MAY ALSO BE CAUSED BY CIGARETTE OR AIR POLLUTION. IT OFTEN OCCURS AFTER A COLD OR AN UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION THAT DOES NOT HEAL COMPLETELY.

THE INFLAMMED BRONCHIAL TUBES  SECRETE A STICKY MUCUS WHICH IS DIFFICULT FOR THE  HAIRS ON THE BRONCHI TO CLEAR OUT OF THE LUNGS. THE COUGHING THAT COMES  WITH BRONCHITIS IS THE BODY’S ATTEMPT TO GET RIDE OF THE MUCUS. OTHER SYMPTOMS  INCLUDE  DISCOMFORT OR TIGHTNESS IN THE CHEST, FATIGUE, LOW FEVER, SORE THROAT, RUNNY NOSE AND SOMETIMES WHEEZING. SEVERE CASES MAY LEAD TO PNEUMONIA.

PREVENTION

·         GET  PROPER  TREATMENT  FOR MINOR RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS SUCH AS COLDS.

·         STOP SMOKING

·         AVOID POLLUTED AIR.

·         INCREASE YOUR FLUID INTAKE. LIQUIDS HELP  THIN THE MUCUS IN THE LUNGS.

·         GET EXTRA REST.

·         MASSAGE YOUR CHEST AND  BACK MUSCLES. THIS HELPS RELAX SORE CHEST MUSCLES.

CHEST PAIN

CHEST PAIN IS A KEY WARNING SIGN OF A HEART ATTACK, BUT IT MAY ALSO BE CAUSED BY OTHER PROBLEMS. A HEART ATTACK IS CAUSED BY BLOCKED BLOOD FLOW TO THE HEART MUSCLE. A HEART  ATTACK OCCURS WITH OTHER SYMPTOMS SUCH AS SWEATING, NAUSEA OR  SHORTNESS OF BREATH.

FACTORS THAT MAY INCREASE YOUR RISK OF A HEART ATTACK

*SMOKING

*HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

*HIGH CHOLESTROL

*INACTIVE LIFESTYLE

* HIGH STRESS LEVEL