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Diagnosis and Management of Asthma
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 Early diagnosis and early treatment will always provide excellent results. Asthma is no way exception. If any person happens to diagnose asthma in early stage and treat it at the early stage itself, then the person need not fear for recurrent sufferings or medical emergency condition like status asthmaticus. Any how, due to multifaceted symptoms of asthma, it is often misdiagnosed and maltreated in early stages.
Commonly, symptom presentations alone will not help to fix the diagnosis, but in case of asthma most often, one needs to depend on them only. Even though, there are lots of investigations to detect abnormalities in lungs, they all help to rule out other diseases. Also assessing functional ability of lungs helps to assess the improvement, but not the diagnosis by itself. So, every asthmatic sufferer needs to narrate all their symptoms / sufferings / feelings to the doctor to help him to fix the diagnosis.
- How it occurs?
- When it occurs?
- How often it occurs?
- What are all the alerts / warning signs?
- How long it usually lasts?
- Whether rest brings normalcy or not?
- What are the triggers? cold, allergens, exposure to cold wind, etc
- What are all the aggravating factors? exercise, strain, laugh, etc
- Related with day or night when it often goes worse?
- Is there any identified irritants / allergens?
- Whether it restricts any activities?
- How you get relief - with positions and management?
- Is there any family history of asthma / allergy / eczema?
- How about your stamina and immunity with infections?
- What are all your associated complaints?
- How about the betterment or response with tried out medications?
Differential diagnosis for asthma is usually wide, i.e. from simple bronchitis to carcinoma of lung. Heart failure, Pneumonia, Pulmonary embolism, etc are few others. With the advice of doctor, one needs to undergo series of tests to rule out complications, according to the symptom presentations.
Investigations
- Auscultation of lungs to assess the whistling sound with respect to character and its origin
- Percussion of lungs to analyse its resonance
- Pulmonary function test - (with spirometry / peak flow meter) to analyse the functional ability of the lungs especially for forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume.
- Radiological evaluation of chest & sinus
- X-ray - Para nasal sinuses - to rule out sinusitis
- X-ray - Chest - to rule out lung infections
- CT or MRI scan to rule out structural abnormalities of lungs / sinuses / adenoids
- Sputum for AFB with culture and sensitivity tests
- Nasal smear / Throat swab depending upon necessity
- Routine blood Tests and for serum IgE & Absolute eosinophils count
- Allergy Skin testing
SELF MANAGEMENT
- Don't be panic - be relaxed
- Move to warm and ventilated area
- Take some rest and opt for comfort position
- Have some Luke-warm water sip by sip
- Breathe slowly and in relaxed manner
PREVENTION - Controlling Asthma and preventing episode most often become a simple procedure, since most of times it can be well controlled with control over food and environment itself.
Avoid
- Allergens / allergic foods which can cause an episode, as much as possible�
- Working in areas of noxious fumes or polluted air.
- Cold things & cold winds
- Pets & pollens
- Drugs which can cause allergy
- Smokes and Smoking
- Congestive places where oxygen quotient is very less
- Strain or strenuous exercise while having lung infection or shortness of breath
Do's
- Take complete course of medicines as instructed by physician
- Taper the dosage of medicines with the advice of physician
- Keep your living area clean
- Care for good ventilation
- Improve lung functions with regular breathing / aerobic exercises
- Have nutritious foods to lead healthy life
- While cleaning house wear mask for protection
Clean
- Air filters (of air conditioners / windows) often
- Damp places to reduce molds & dust mites
- Bedspreads, pillows, blankets, mattress, rugs, every week
- Houses with vacuum cleaner rather than sweeping or dusting
- Carpets frequently with vacuum cleaner
With proper understanding, management, hygienic measure and proper medicines every one can root out or keep their asthma under control.
(To be continued)
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| Place |
Hospital |
Address |
Phone |
Visiting
Hours |
| Chennai |
Kumaran
Hospital (P) Ltd., |
869, E.V.R. Periyar Road,
(Poonthamalle High Road), Next to Sangam Theatre,
Kilpauk,
Chennai - 600 010. |
044 - 26411860
(5 Lines)
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Every Month
2nd Saturday &
Sunday |
| Place |
Hospital |
Address |
Phone |
Tele
Fax |
| Madurai |
Laxmi Homeo
Clinic |
24 E New Mahalipatti Road,
Madurai - 625 001. |
0452 -
2338833
Mobile 0-98431 - 91011 |
0452-2330196 |
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Flowers - Many Congratulations R
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