Note from the Editor (ColdAvenger Pro): My dad, John B. Sullivan Jr., M.D., invented the ColdAvenger. So he knows a ton about recreational health and performance™, especially as it pertains to healthy breathing. From time to time you’ll see blog posts from him, writing as “Dr. RHP™” (Dr. Recreational Health and Performance™) We’re thrilled to have him bring his expertise to the blog. JBSIII
From Dr. RHP™: Asthma 101
Did you know that according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), 12 percent to 15 percent of the U.S. population is considered asthmatic and suffers recurrent attacks of breathlessness?
Over here at Talus, we are constantly learning more and more about this medical condition, as many of our followers use the Talus ColdAvenger mask to decrease asthmatic attacks.
If you’ve recently been diagnosed with asthma, the good news is that it’s a condition that can be treated and the most important thing is learning how to cope with it and manage your condition. Check out this list from www.everydayhealth.com on the best ways to prevent an asthma attack. Asthma is caused by swelling (edema) and inflammation of the airways. This causes the wheezing sound, cough, and shortness of breath you may experience. Asthma can be induced by allergens such as pollen, mold, or animal dander, or it can be induced by irritants to the airways such as cold weather or exposure to chemicals in the environment. Either way, it is asthma. Here are some common sense ways to help manage your asthma:
- -Eliminate triggers. Once you know what triggers your asthma, do your best to avoid those things. You might have to be more rigorous about keeping a clean house or avoiding smokers, for instance. Your strategies will depend on your specific triggers.
- -Take your asthma medications as your physician directs. These drugs may prevent an asthma attack, even if you can’t avoid triggers. Asthma medications are used to treat both the airway narrowing caused by the swelling and the inflammation at the heart of the problem. Many asthmatics receive prescriptions for both rescue inhalers, called bronchodilators, and inhaled steroids, which reduce the airway inflammation. There are new inhaled steroids on the market that penetrate deeper into the lungs and work far better than the older inhaled steroids. Check with your doctor about these. If you are using your rescue inhaler on a daily basis or more than your asthma is out of control. See your doctor.
- -Treat asthma symptoms early. If you do start to feel symptoms such as cough, irritancy in your lungs, or minor wheezing, you may be able to prevent or lessen an asthma attack by getting away from any triggers in your environment and using your prescribed rescue medications, such as an albuterol inhaler.
- -Get additional help. If your asthma symptoms get worse or increase in number and you have been unable to prevent a full asthma attack, call your doctor’s office or go to the nearest emergency room for medical help. “You should not take extra puffs of a rescue inhaler,” says Richard Castriotta, MD, professor of medicine and associate director of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at the University of Texas Houston Medical School. “If that isn’t working, go to the ER.”
Again, to read this entire article, The Anatomy of an Asthma Attack, click here.
Also, check out our Talus ColdAvenger face mask, as we’ve had asthmatics who have used the ColdAvenger report that it does wonders for their lungs and decreases cold-weather induced asthma attacks ( Kristina’s diary on our website). By warming the air you breathe and humidifying inhaled air, the ColdAvenger helps prevent cold-induced adverse health effects such as asthma.
Stay Out and Breathe!
John B. Sullivan Jr., M.D.
"Dr. RHP™"
