How to Control Asthma

Asthma (Az-muh) comes under the chronic ailment which affects the airways in the lungs that are the tubes for carrying air in and out of the lungs. The person who has is suffering from asthma, the inner walls of the airways are inflamed and it tends to be very sensitive, and react strongly to things that the body’s immunity system is allergic to or find irritating. When the airways react, they get narrower, and reduce the air flows to the lung tissue. This causes symptoms like wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), coughing, chest tightness, and trouble breathing, especially at night and in the early morning.

When the symptoms of this ailment become worse than usual, it is also called an asthma attack. During this, muscles around the airways get stiffened, reducing the airways and less air flows through to the lung tissues. Cells in the airways also make more mucus than usual and which results further narrowing of the airways, which makes breathing more difficult.

Asthma attacks are quite different and not all are the same. A severe asthma attack, the airways can become so narrow that not enough oxygen is supplied to vital organs. This condition is a medical emergency can be also fatal.

Some simple ways of Asthma Control

We need to identify which are allergic to the system and try to avoid it completely to ensure that the airways even though are not wide enough are not provided with the reason for the inflammation and further reduction in the airways. Also it is better to consult a doctor for identification of this which will help in leading a normal life.

Exercise focusing towards the expansion of the chest to increase the vital capacity of the lungs, so that even though the airways are not wide enough it can provide enough of oxygen to the lung tissues in the conditions. By increasing the vital capacity of the lungs we are in fact making it easier in the difficult to breathe conditions.

a) It is advised that do some warming up exercise including stretching. Then we can hold the hands straight in front of us parallel to the ground and breath-in and move the hands outwards till you can stretch and hold on 5-10 seconds initially and later can be extended to 20 seconds for the holding the breathe which will increase the vital capacity of the lungs.

b) Keep your hands pressing the ribs from the side of the chest and start to breathe in and expand the chest against your hands which will give strength to the lungs and airways.

c) The next exercise would be towards to the reduction of the stomach or in other words as the tightening of the abdominal muscles. There are few exercises towards to the tightening – firstly lie flat on the stomach and lift you head and also try to lift your legs without bending your knees as much as possible and hold the breathe again. Secondly lie flat on your back stretch the body and try to the lift the legs without bending the knees perpendicular to the body. Thirdly bend your knees and sit over and make a knot with the toes behind, hold your hands behind and try to bend down and touch your nose to the ground. Fourthly sit down with the legs outstretched and hold the hands upwards touching your ears and come down without bending the knees to touch the toes and also try touch the knees with the nose.

Asthma being the chronic ailment that it is though not curable, but with good control can lead active lives.