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Three million
people in Britain suffer from asthma. Half of these are woken
from their sleep by asthma attack at least once a week.
Allergic
reactions, which cause most cases of asthma, occur when the
body overreacts to certain substances, such as pollen or dust
mite droppings. Pollutants such as exhaust fumes, cigarette
smoke, and chemicals can also trigger attacks.
WHAT
IS ASTHMA?
Our lungs are made of hundreds of minuscule airways, which carry
the oxygen we breathe in. In asthma sufferers, these airways
become sore and inflamed and respond to irritants that can be
breathed in. This causes the airways to narrow, producing a
mucous, which can block the airways and make breathing difficult.
In severe cases, this can result in death if left untreated.
TREATMENT
AND MANAGEMENT.
Because asthma is often caused by an allergy, removing the cause
of the allergy will help stop attacks. Doctors can also prescribe
drugs to help prevent attacks, or to alleviate them after they
start. These are usually in the form of inhalers, which can
be difficult to use properly, especially, for children, nebulisers
or tablets.
Many attacks
are caused by the faeces of the house dust mites. As prevention
is usually better than cure, if asthma sufferers are able to
sleep in a clean environment, then this should prevent most
attacks.
Each year,
a person sheds about 1lb of skin flakes and hair, which is the
food that dust mites live on. Controlling dust in the home can
certainly help prevent asthma attacks. Many products, such as
ionisers, are unproved, but it IS known that many attacks are
started by an allergy to the excretion of the dust mite.
ASTHMA
AND WATERBEDS
These are two types of modern waterbed; the traditional hard-sider,
and the soft-side waterbed. Most waterbeds are purchased for
the relief of back problems, however, both types have one other
major advantage: Cleanliness.
Covering
the waterbed mattress is a mattress protector, which is usually
removable, and can then be washed, but in any case, is porous,
allowing dead skin to pass through onto the waterbed mattress
below. Unlike an ordinary mattress, a waterbed mattress is made
from high quality vinyl, in which the dust mite cannot breed.
In a waterbed, this can be vacuumed away leaving no food for
the mites to exist upon. The space between the mattress and
the waterbed liner should also be cleaned carefully. If pillows
without feathers are used, then the sleeping environment is
as clean as is presently possible.
Controlling
dust in the home can certainly help prevent asthma attacks.
Many products, such as ionisers, are unproved, but it IS known
that many attacks are started by an allergy to the excretion
of the dust mite.
COMPLEMENTARY
TREATMENTS.
Many people have found that complementary treatments have improved
their asthma, but because these treatments have not undergone
the amount of medical testing that the drugs to relieve asthma
have, most doctors will not recommend them with the same certainty
that they can with preventers and relievers.
Some trials
have been made, and there are some positive results. Acupuncture
can relax wheezing, although it does not seem to help in the
long term. Hypnosis and Yoga may relieve stress-induced attacks
The option
to use complementary treatments is yours Use It!!
For further
information contact the British Waterbed Association, or
National
Asthma Campaign
Providence House
Providence Place
London N1 0NT
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