Find Out How the Red and White Inhaler Can Help Control Your Asthma Symptoms

Symptoms of asthma happen when the airways swell, clog or narrow. This causes wheezing and a feeling of tightness in the chest. Mild symptoms can only last a few minutes, but severe asthma can be life-threatening and needs immediate treatment.

Inhalers have medication inside them that goes directly into the lungs when you inhale. The medicine is called bronchodilators, which help widen the airways.

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a long-term disease that affects the lungs and airways. This condition is not curable, but it can be controlled by taking asthma specialitymedz brand medications and avoiding Common Asthma Triggers. Symptoms of the disorder include coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing. These symptoms can vary from hour-to-hour, day-to-day and over months and can range in severity from mild to life-threatening.

People with asthma have sensitive airways (the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs). The lining of these airways becomes swollen or inflamed and produces extra mucus. This makes the airways narrow and restricts the flow of oxygen into the lungs. These irritants or triggers may be inhaled by the person with asthma, such as fumes or smoke from factories or wildfires, pet dander or pollen from plants or trees, or even cold air or exercise. These triggers cause the lungs to react by tightening bands of muscles around the airways (bronchospasm), which results in an asthma attack.

During an asthma attack, the tightening of the airways can be so severe that it makes it impossible to breathe. This is called a severe asthma attack or an asthma exacerbation, and it can be life-threatening without emergency care. As the lungs tighten, the body takes in less and less oxygen, which is why wheezing is a key symptom of an asthma exacerbation. If a person does not receive immediate medical attention, they may become unconscious due to lack of oxygen and their lips will turn bluish (cyanosis).

Asthma can start in childhood or appear at any age. It appears to run in families, and it is more likely to affect children than adults. Some events in early life, such as premature birth, low birth weight and exposure to cigarette smoke, seem to increase the chances of getting the disease later in life. It is also more likely to occur in blacks and Puerto Ricans than in whites or other races or sexes. The cause of the disease is not known, but genetics and certain environmental factors may play a role. People with certain types of allergies are at greater risk, including eczema, hay fever and food allergies.

Symptoms of Asthma

The swelling, clogging and tightening of the muscles that surround your bronchial tubes — the passages that allow air to enter and leave the lungs — cause your asthma symptoms. These may include wheezing, shortness of breath and a tightening sensation in your chest (also known as a choking feeling). Some people with asthma can go for long periods without having any symptoms; others have symptoms every day. Mild attacks may last only a few minutes; more severe ones can last hours or days.

An asthma attack is a life-threatening event that requires immediate medical attention. If you or someone you know is having a severe attack, follow the “Red Zone” or emergency instructions in your action plan and call triple zero (000) for an ambulance. If you do not have a written asthma action plan, ask for one from your doctor.

If you have mild to moderate asthma, your symptoms can be controlled with medications that are taken regularly (known as preventer or controller medicines). These medicines reduce the inflammation in your airways and help control your symptoms over time.

The colour of your inhaler can also tell you what kind of medicine it contains. For example, Red and White Inhaler typically contain the rescue medication albuterol. Inhalers that are brown or green generally contain long-acting beta agonists, which provide relief for 12 hours after inhalation.

You can find out more about your asthma by keeping a diary of your symptoms, such as when they occur and how severe they are. Your doctor can also ask you to use a peak flow meter, which is a small handheld device that measures how quickly you can blow air out of your lungs.

Having asthma can be challenging, but with treatment you can live a normal, active life. Your symptoms can be prevented and managed by avoiding triggers, taking your medications as prescribed and monitoring your asthma with a peak flow meter.

Asthma Attacks

The symptoms of asthma are caused by inflammation and narrowing of the airways inside the lungs. When this happens, it restricts the flow of oxygen to the lungs, and can cause severe symptoms such as coughing, wheezing and tightness in the chest. These are called asthma attacks, and can be mild or severe, and can sometimes be life-threatening. The symptoms are triggered by breathing in certain things, known as triggers. These can include common irritants such as dust, smoke and chemical fumes; grass or tree pollen; animal fur and dander; and strong soaps and perfume.

During an attack, the muscles around the airways tighten (bronchoconstriction); the cells lining the airways become inflamed; and mucus is produced more than normal. All of these factors together cause the symptoms, which can be quite severe and can lead to a bluish color around the lips (cyanosis) due to a lack of oxygen reaching the lungs.

An asthma attack can happen quickly and suddenly, or can build up over hours, days or even weeks. It is important to learn to recognise the symptoms and how to treat them so that they can be controlled before they become severe.

If you do suffer from severe symptoms, it is important that you follow your GP’s advice and contact 999 immediately. They will assess you, and may give you a Beta agonist inhaler, such as VentolinTM or a nebuliser. These are medications that work instantly to open up the airways, and get oxygen into the lungs, so you can breathe normally again.

It is also a good idea to make sure that your family, friends and other people close to you are aware of the symptoms of asthma, and how to help you during an attack. It can be a good idea to show them your asthma action plan, and keep a copy on you at all times, in case they are needed. You might also consider getting a medical ID bracelet that lets people know that you have asthma, and can provide vital information to first responders. There are also a range of apps that can be used to monitor your symptoms, and alert you to any changes.

Treatment for Asthma

The good news is that asthma is treatable, and many people live full lives with the condition – including professional athletes. Working with your healthcare team to identify triggers, find ways to avoid them and take your medications as prescribed is essential. It is also important to be able to recognize when your symptoms are getting worse so that you can take your rescue inhaler or contact your doctor right away.

Asthma treatment is typically delivered with an inhaler device that turns the medicine into a mist and inhaled through the mouth or nose. Inhaler devices are designed with spacers (small plastic pieces that attach to the inhaler) and mouthpieces to help you properly use them. It is important to keep the spacer clean and ensure that it has the proper seal to prevent medication from escaping when not in use. For babies and young children who are not able to use an white asthma inhaler, or for those who have difficulty using the inhaler correctly, your doctor may prescribe a nebulizer machine that works much like an asthma inhaler but delivers the medication via face mask.

In general, the color of the inhaler can help you distinguish between quick-acting medicines to treat a flare and longer-term treatments that are taken regularly to control asthma symptoms over time. Rescue inhalers are generally blue, while preventer or controller inhalers are brown.

When it comes to long-term control medications, you and your doctor will create a written plan that outlines when to take your medicines based on your symptoms. You will also work together to create an action plan in case your symptoms become severe, and you need to use your emergency medication.

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms at every appointment and make changes to your treatment based on how well you are managing your symptoms. If your symptoms are improving, your doctor will reduce or decrease the amount of medicine you take and may recommend fewer visits. If your symptoms are worsening, he or she will increase the amount of medication you take and may suggest more frequent appointments.