The recent unexpected heavy rainfall and the onset of winters are observed as sudden change in climatic condition which can trigger asthma and other respiratory issues.
As stated by experts, asthma is caused by the increased reaction of the airways to various stimuli which is a common perception of asthma, a reversible obstructive lung disease. The cold environment it not suitable for the asthma patients and it is at the risk of the high virus. The lungs and the airway passages of the asthmatic patient are quite sensitive.
Dr Manoranjan Patnaik, HOD, Professor, PG Department of Pulmonary Medicine, SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, says, “To larger extent asthma symptoms related to winters can be in controlled and managed by the precise treatment and medications”. Due to swelling in the lining of the airways which leads to narrowing of the airways and sticky mucus or phlegm build-up that blocks the airways, breathing is difficult and forced for asthmatic patients. During winters, the cold air causes airways to tighten further, making it even more difficult to breathe.
Many patients and their family members are misinformed about asthma and its treatment options. Some of the misconceptions related towards disease are that, asthma is a hereditary and communicable disease. It can be treated by fish therapy, yoga and other alternative medicines. But the fact remains asthma is neither a contagious (infectious) nor a communicable disease. It is simply a disorder of the respiratory air-passage. Yoga can be seen as an added option to help improve breathing pattern but it cannot be cured by it. In fact, asthma is not curable but controllable. Patient should be aware of the triggers and avoid them in all possibilities. Inhalers are the best resort and should opt for it.
“On oral medication asthma is badly controlled by the patients with severe exacerbations. This further limits their daily activity. Inhalation therapy is considered best medication as it directly goes into the lungs helping in fast action towards exacerbation,” explains Dr Anil Chandra Mohanty, Head of the Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar.
“In the inhalation therapy the inflammation of the airway requires a very small quantity of corticosteroids around 25 to 100 micrograms, but when it is consumed through the oral/intestinal route the amount administered is very large about 10,000 micrograms since only a fraction of the drug administered drug reaches the lungs. This means that every time an asthma patient pops a pill or a tablet, he/she is actually taking almost 200 times the amount of medication required, leading to ill effects on health," says Dr Patnaik from SCB.