Asthma Treatment – 2020 Therapy Tips

It is critically necessary to limit, to exclude the patient’s contact with the allergen, which triggers the onset of bronchospasm to reduce the number of asthma attacks. You need to do the following:

• use air cleaners and conditioners to ventilate the room and remove dust particles from its atmosphere;
• use humidifiers to combat excessive dryness;
• set climate control to keep a stable room temperature comfortable for the patient;
• get rid of dust mites and cockroaches;
• use hypoallergenic bed linen covers;
• not use fleecy carpets;
• avoid contact with pets;
• choose a hypoallergenic diet.

Allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) is an effective method of treating bronchial asthma. The objective of this therapy is to reduce the sensitivity of the patient’s immune system to a specific allergen. In fact, ASIT is a special type of long and slow vaccination, since the duration of one course can be up to 5 years.

Indications for using ASIT

• The proven role of a certain allergen (household chemicals, pollen, wool) in the occurrence of exacerbations of bronchial asthma;
• The inability for the patient to avoid contact with the trigger;
• Age up to 50.

Contraindications

• Exacerbation of the disease;
• Severe form of asthma;
• Pregnancy;
• Oncopathology, autoimmune disorders, infectious lesions in the acute phase;
• Blood diseases.

Only an allergist should choose an allergen for ASIT and determine the treatment duration. The essence of the procedure lies in microdoses of the allergen or their mixtures that are administered to the patient according to previously developed schemes. In adults, subcutaneous injections are used, in children – drops under the tongue. Over time, the dosage and concentration of the allergen increase. Thanks to this, the immune system gradually gets used to its presence in the body and the severity of the allergic reaction to it, including the reaction of the bronchi, slowly decreases until it disappears completely.

With the help of ASIT, it is possible to reduce the number of attacks and the amount of medications taken, prevent the transition of the disease to a more severe stage and even cause its stable remission. The following will help to achieve optimal results with ASIT:

• early initiation of therapy, best of all – when the first signs of asthma are recorded;
• elimination of all foci of infection in the body;
• antihelminthic treatment;
• correction of the immune status.

Medication asthma therapy

Medication therapy for bronchial asthma is divided into:

• basic, which is used constantly to control the disease (cromones, oral and inhaled glucocorticosteroids, antileukotriene drugs and monoclonal antibodies);
• symptomatic, designed to fight seizures (drugs that relieve spasm of smooth muscles of the bronchi – β2-adrenomimetics and xanthines).

In addition to pharmaceuticals, ASIT and other methods of treatment for bronchial asthma, the behavior of the patient himself is extremely important. The success of therapy and the likelihood of achieving a stable disease remission greatly depend on it. The patient must strictly follow several rules to get the most positive result:

• Educate yourself about bronchial asthma. Use only reliable sources of information: get information from your doctor, credible popular scientific medical literature.
• Sign up for classes at an asthma school in your city or in the same e-community. Take advantage of the advice you receive there and change your lifestyle, environment and decor in accordance with them.
• Under no circumstances you should not change the treatment regimens prescribed by your doctor on your own. Strictly follow his recommendations.
• Visit a doctor not only as a routine examination, but also in the case of asthma exacerbations.
• Monitor your body condition on a daily basis, both subjectively and using objective parameters such as peak flow measurements.