- Although for years, the quality of life has not been the best for asthma sufferers due to their caution of condition onsets, most claims have proven to be asthma myths
- A peak flow meter chart is like a diary for asthma patients
- Asthma affects over 20 million Americans. Nine million children in the United States are diagnosed with asthma each year. This is the reason for 25 million missed workdays and 15 million missed school days per year
- Asthma is genetic, especially if both parents are asthma sufferers
- Seventy to eighty percent of people with asthma also have allergies
Asthma can be a life or death situation, especially during an acute asthma attack. There is no cure for asthma. How it is caused is still unknown to this date. Although the cause is unknown, one can know the triggers of the asthma episode. An asthma tool known as a flow meter will help determine the severity of the asthma symptoms. A peak flow meter chart, or log, is where peak flow scores can be recorded to keep a physician well informed of asthma activity, including the experience of an acute asthma attack, or the severity of the attack, how often it strikes, what triggers the attack, and the medications taken and at what time.
Over the years, the truth about asthma and various asthma myths have been extensively debated. It seems that for almost every myth, there is a fact to rebuttal the beliefs which go far back in time.
One of the prominent asthma myths of all time is that physical activity or playing strenuous sports will make a child’s asthma worse. The fact is that such activity is healthy for any child, with or without asthma. The important thing to remember is to check with a doctor and take the appropriate medication before such activities.
Some folks believe that asthma is the same for anyone. This is a myth wrongly believed by many who do not realize that each asthma case is different. From one individual to another, treatment differs as well as the severity of the condition.
It is a myth that asthma is an emotional condition. Needless to say, the symptoms of an asthma attack are stressful. However, asthma is not a psychological condition. An emotional state may trigger an asthma episode.
The chance of outgrowing asthma is also a myth. Although approximately fifty percent of children with asthma may have relief by the teenage years, asthma may strike again in adulthood.
The types of steroids used to treat asthma are not dangerous as many have thought. These types of steroids cannot be compared with the illegal street drugs used by some athletes. Also, the steroids will not permanently stunt the growth of a growing child. However, an untreated asthma sufferer will have less lung capacity which will cause a deeper effect on growth functions.
If a myth is indicative of asthma being a curable condition, the fact of the matter is there is no cure for asthma. Asthma symptoms and flare-ups can be controlled. However, an asthma attack can come at any time and any age.
Tags: acute asthma attack, asthma myths, peak flow meter chart
