Though asthma can be limiting, with some effective management and control techniques, it is possible to live a near normal life for asthmatics as well.

• Get together with the consulting doctor to devise an asthma management plan that will help make environmental changes and lifestyle adjustments that help to reduce asthma triggers.
• Also consult with the doctor and decide what the best asthma medication for the severity of the given condition is, so the symptoms are most effectively managed.What to do in an asthma emergency is something else that should be discussed and decided upon with the doctor.
• Correct use of inhalers is crucial. Though it is rather like stating the obvious, one must learn to use their inhaler correctly to get the most and instant benefit, particularly a metered dose inhaler. Also use a spacer; many asthmatics recommend its use.
• While a doctor will be able to help you a bit with this, it has to be done mostly by the asthmatics themselves and the people around them – identifying triggers.
  If required keep a journal to note down the circumstances of an asthma attack including possible psychological triggers so that you actually know your asthma better.
  Once asthma triggers are identified, develop effective strategies to avoid them.
• Have an asthma action plan to help indentify if the condition of the asthma is getting worse or is becoming difficult to manage. Take note of peak flow meter readings and also pay attention to symptoms to indentify this.
• Don’t ignore signs such as more severe or more frequent attacks, or missed days of work or school. Don’t ignore the fact that response to medication isn’t as good as it used to be or that the inhaler is being used more often than before.
  These are signs of a condition worsening or inadequately managed asthma and one should do all that is required to keep the condition from getting out of hand.
• If allergies are a problem along with the asthma, use tools such as a humidifier. Keep doors and windows closed to keep pollen out. Nasal sprays, or nasal/sinus washes can also be very useful at managing this combination of conditions.

But there are some silver linings even to this cloud – there are asthma scholarships available for those students who have asthma, and this can be used to one’s advantage in a way that makes things easier to an extent, a fact that a majority of people don’t even know about. Listed below are some of the asthma scholarships available-

1. It was under the aegis of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAI) that it became possible for students passing out of high school to receive scholarship funding if they have asthma.

A onetime award of $1,000 as well as merit awards of $100 can be used to pay tuition fees, to buy books and so on, at certain universities.

Certain factors such as the student’s extracurricular activities, the extent of his or her involvement with their community and so on are also taken into account.

More information about this is available at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAI) website.

2. There is also an asthma scholarship instituted by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, or AAFA offered to high school graduates who demonstrate the ability to mentor others who have asthma.

A written essay and other credentials are required to obtain the $500 award; so those students who have a flair for writing may be able to use this to particular advantage.

The way that this award works is different in different places, and in New England, the sponsors organize a competition to find the most deserving candidate who is able to offer encouragement to others with asthma and allergies. More information about this asthma scholarship can be found at the website of the Allergy and Asthma foundation.

3. Another scholarship available for asthmatics is the one instituted by the Schering-Plough Corporation. The Will to Win asthma scholarships has been benefiting students with asthma for more than the past couple of decades. This is the most substantial asthma scholarship that there is, and is offered in various different fields such as the visual arts, performing arts, athletics, science and community service. It totals up to about $50,000 in all.

Two students are given scholarships in each of these fields, to the extent of $5000 each. The motive behind this scholarship is to encourage young people and to reward them for not letting asthma hold them back from achieving their full potential by pursing higher education. More details are available at the Schering Plough Will to Win website.

4. The asthma athlete of the year also can receive a scholarship of up to $10,00

There are also available other scholarships that are also not very well known – for instance, scholarship offered to students who have food allergies, which is provided by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.

• If there is a buffet it is wise to skip that – they could mean common cooking or serving utensils, there is proximity of different foods and there is a high risk of cross contamination
• Take allergy medication 48 hours in advance if you plan to visit people with pets, a real tree or any other allergy trigger you suspect they may have
• All meds, the EpiPen, inhaler, etc. should be brought along, for if and when you need them
• If you have a severe allergy of some sort, then make sure you pass on the information to your host ahead of time to avoid exposure if possible
• If yours is going to be an overnight visit consider the need to bring your own bedding
• Even if you are going to be at home, avoid aerosol cans and other scented products. Use an artificial tree and greens; make sure to dust decorations well
• And keep unscented tissues handy.

• Outdoor triggers such as mold, grass, weed, pollen, or even trees
• Indoor triggers such as mold, dust mite, pests, and pet dander
• Particulate matter in air or air pollution
• Cold air, particularly cold air exercise
• Certain foods
• Certain food additives or preservatives
• Cigarette smoke
• Chemical irritants
• Stoves, fireplaces and heaters

The air quality impacts asthma triggers, which can be exacerbated in summer because of the increase in ground level ozone. This level of ozone can increase sensitivity to dust and other airborne particles.

• Look for the air quality index when the local weather report is being issued, or check this website to check the kind of air quality you have locally available.
• When the color coded Air Quality Index or AQI indicates that the air quality is of unhealthy levels, one must limit the amount of strenuous activity that takes place outside of the home and limit activities to indoor ones when possible.
• Don’t smoke inside the home, since cigarette smoke is among the most common asthma triggers. Smoking inside the home or the car is a no-no, and you can get help implementing this by taking the Smoke Free Pledge.
• Take care to reduce the amount of mold that accumulates in the home. Controlling moisture is the key to controlling mold, so it is important to wash and dry hard surfaces to remove mold. Moldy ceilings and carpets ought to be replaced if possible.

• If visiting someone for a while, find out if they have a pet so that you can prepare before hand for an encounter or you can ask the person you are visiting to offer you a room in their house that the pet does not have access to.
• Make sure that your stress levels are under control; particularly if you have attacks that have emotional triggers.
• Make sure to carry all requisite medication including a couple of self-injectable epinephrine dosages in case you eat something or trigger a reaction to something else.
• It may be a good idea to carry your own pillow, since resting on and breathing on a strange pillow could have unforeseen reactions.
• Any allergy or asthma attack triggers are best explained to the people at the hotel or your hosts, so that complications can be avoided.
• Take the advice of your doctor or caregiver for any practical suggestions or express avoidances that you should know about.

Even one person in the family having asthma can impact the lifestyle, even quality of life for the entire family and owing to this a solid strategy for living with asthma has to be devised. This can include:

• Changes in one’s lifestyle and controlling one’s environment to the extent possible so that asthma triggers are able to be minimized. Knowing what one’s triggers are and making sure that they are kept to a minimum is key to asthma control.
• Medications and aids for controlling an asthma attacks should be kept instantly accessible and everyone in the family should be educated about their use and accessibility and also in how to help the sufferer and make them feel more comfortable. Using the medication correctly is very important as well.
• There should be a family plan chalked out for if there is an asthma related emergency.
• Regular medical follow ups and getting advice from a doctor for better asthma management is a must as well.

Asthma treatment has come a long way in the recent past and there is no reason not a live an active and healthy life even when living with asthma.

Pollen is a trigger that can make your eyes run and your chest to tighten. Your pleasant walk may cause your asthma to start acting up.

It is hard sometimes for a person with asthma to go out in the spring because of this very thing.

Spring pollen is not the only thing that can bring about an asthma attack though. There are times when an asthma attacks, triggers are stress, anxiety, anger, and depression.

These triggers are psychological and treated differently from regular triggers. A new treatment for these asthma triggers is available in the form of hypnotherapy.

Your Mind and Asthma

Your mind is what tells your body what to do. The psyche of your mind interacts with your physical body. If you get upset or angry, your body will respond physically to it.

Sometimes this response will cause your asthma attack. There is a purpose of going to a hypnotherapist for your asthma. Hypnosis therapy will help you control what is bothering you and it will help you to keep your asthma under control.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis has to do with controlling your thoughts and emotions. A hypnotherapist will give suggestions to you while you are in a trance like state. It will depend on what instructions they give as to how your mind will react.

For instance if they suggest that you should not let your body get really upset due to anger, then your body will obey this suggestion. When your body obeys this suggestion, your anger will not be able to bring on your asthma attack. If you have severe asthma then this could be a lifesaver for you.

Technique of Hypnosis

Your hypnotherapist will tell you to relax. Your muscles will start to loosen up. They will tell you to concentrate on sending this relaxation throughout your body.

You are feeling sleepy, very sleepy, is often a suggestion. Finally, you will spiral down into a state of total hypnosis and relaxation. After achieving this state of mind, suggestions given to you will help with your asthma.

Feelings during Hypnosis

While you are in a state of hypnosis, your body will feel several different things. It could affect the range of motion of your body. You may feel a sense of moving very slowly.

A feeling of relaxation can come over you. This relaxation can be mild or you may feel a sense of total peacefulness. Your mind will be in a trance like state.

Duration of time may seem to change for you during hypnosis. You will not always have to go to a hypnotherapist to feel this way. Self-hypnosis can be self-taught and you will be able to bring yourself to this state of mind when your emotions are getting the best of you.

As you can see, hypnotherapy whether induced by a hypnotherapist, or self induced, will be a big help in your fight against asthma.

Having insurance and a medical provider is not enough for improving asthma control among elementary and middle school students, according to the new research at National Jewish Health.

Stanley Szefler, MD, National Jewish Professor, and his colleagues report that control of asthma was poor 155 asthma students, regardless of whether they had medical insurance or medical provider.

Dr. Szefler said that having access to better medical care does not assure optimal care. Asthma requires consistent and responsive management as it is a chronic disease. Parents and patients should recognize when their asthma control is not proper and seek help for better asthma control.

In a year long study of 200 asthma patients, researchers found that web based consultations to routine asthma care helped patients to have better control on their asthma symptoms.

When compared with those who follow standard asthma care alone, those who received online help showed greater improvements in controlling asthma symptoms and were more likely to report symptom-free days in recent weeks.  The Internet program did not, however, show any effect on the frequency of asthma attacks.

Still, the findings highlight the potential for using the Web to improve asthma care, the researchers report in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Read more at Reuters