Justines Asthma pages

Here are some common myths about asthma and the reasons they should not be believed. Years ago people were stupid enough to think and beleive some on the things listed below. It's as well Doctors and scientists discovered the true ways of asthma or many of us would be dead and buried by now. 

Asthma sufferers often have attacks when facing emotional stress. This has caused many people to think that asthma is a psychosomatic condition. Well it is NOT. Asthma is real. Very real. It starts in the airways, not in the mind. Emotions can how ever act as asthma triggers, causing flair ups or becoming worse. This is a far cry from saying asthma is all in the mind.

Asthma is a serious condition (yes thats a fact). It is essential to recognise the signs and symptoms, and respond to them right away. Asthma attacks may last for severial minites or go on for hours or even days (true). The longer the attack persists, the more dangerous it is for the patient. When airway obstruction becomes severe, the sufferer may experience respiratory failure or they could pass out / or die. (YES). Asthma is a very serious condition and should be taken very seriously indeed. People need to be reminded of this as I have seen and heard people reactions to the disease and it is not always very good. Please take asthma more seriously and remember that it kills. Thank you.

Asthma is a chronic condition.If you are diagnosed with asthma, chances are that you will have it for the rest of your life. A study recently published by the American lung Association found that 350 children first treated for asthma between the ages of eight and twelve years  78% of males and 85% of females had continuing asthma symptoms fifteen years later. When I was younger thats all every one would of said to me "you will grow out of it". I wish I had of, but now we know the facts that you do not really grow out of asthma as it is a lung disease and can be hard to control at times.

Asthma is a life threatening condition. In the united states asthma causes 5,000 deaths a year. Deaths from asthma are continuing to rise steadily. Nobody knows why more people with asthma are dying from the disease, but studies show that people are not getting the proper care they need. Another study shows people are using too much of their inhalers and this contributes to the deaths. Well who's to know for sure but I think asthmatics do not get the proper care they need or not listen too often enough. A Doctor should ask the asthmatic them selves instead of talking over them and not listening to them. (This is my experience anyway).

         

Physical activity is not only possible for asthmatics, it is essential too good health. The keys to a sucessful program are choosing the right exercises (even if very mild try your best) and the best times and places to do them. (exercise even if its getting up and down out of a chair). 

Asthma can be cured. (If this was the case someone would be very famous). There is nothing as bad as reading all the advertisements on (cure your asthma now) or buy this cure, buy that cure. What a load of rubbish these things are. Unfortunately there is no cure yet for asthma just medication to help releive symptoms but not cure it. If any one has a cure please contact your local news station urgently as you will become a superstar and make sure you let me no also.              

There is another common myth that falls into the complete rubbish caterogory that asthma medication does more harm than asthma it's self. Well some asthma medications, like oral steroids do have very nasty sise effects. However, if you have very severe asthma that requires steroids, the medication is much better than the alternative, death.(Yip). Most asthma medications have little or no side effects and side effects usually go away within a few weeks after starting these drugs. Asthmatics medication is essential to every asthmatic and without it the alternitave is very grim indeed.

You can catch asthma? Well no! Asthma is not contagious. You can not give asthma to other people. An asthmatic parent can possibly pass on asthma through their genes to their children. Also some people say that moving to a warmer climite can cure asthma well no. When you arrive there yes your asthma symptoms may improve but eventually your lungs become sensitised to the new inviroment and a change can also make your asthma worse.

Many people think asthmatics only have trouble breathing when they show symptoms of breathlessness, wheeze etc. They think that asthma comes and goes day by day, week by week. Well the truth is people with asthma have it all the time. It is a chronic condition and airway immflamation is usually always there even when you do not show symptoms. Furthermore, there is increasing evidence that if asthma is left uncontrolled or untreated, immflamation may cause long term, permanent loss of lung function. Also many people think asthmatics should not play sports. There is world class athletes with asthma (though they must be well controlled or milder asthmatics as I have severe asthma and could not walk up stairs) so most asthmatics can exercise if under good control.

Seven is the magic number (Sure is not). People have beleived for years that asthma goes in seven year cycles. Well no. Another one of the more stupid myths is that it goes in cycles from mild to severe and back again roughly every seven years. When I was growing up every one used to tell me this and I used to think I must of had another disease or something as my asthma was continuous for 35 yrs. While people with asthma usually go through peroids when their asthma gets better or worse, there is sure no evidence that this follows a regular pattern and especially a seven year one. People with asthma have it every day but its controlled in many people but it is always there.

 Most parents are worried that when their asthmatic children are given steroids. Most beleive that steroids stunt childrens growth. Well they do not stop children from growing to their normal height, but they may slow the growth of a child down. It has also been thought that asthma itself could make the growth rate of a child slower. Children with severe asthma tend to go through puberty later than normal (I DID NOT) but they do go on to reach full adult height. Children with asthma do reach their full height eventually, just some get their quicker than others. Compared to my parents I myself am smaller than them. Its really hard to say in my opinion.