Asthma, if not taken care of or controlled properly can prove to be fatal. Studies have shown that people who died of asthma, one third of them had mild disease. Thus, it is very important to keep your asthma in check and try and reduce your exposure to polluted air as much as possible.

Asthma can be caused by exposure to dust, pollens, cockroaches, house mites, air pollutants, perfumes, smoke and viral infections. It can be life threatening for some people and may require intervention. Few alarming symptoms are: Breathing in hard that the abdomen is sucked inside the ribs Gasping for air Difficulty in speaking

You can do the following to reduce asthma attacks: You need to find out what triggers your asthma attack and device an action plan to treat it accordingly Get yourself vaccinated for pneumonia and influenza Keeping a check on your breathing pattern Seek medical intervention quickly for any symptoms that can prompt the attack You need to take medicines as prescribed by your doctor In case you are using an inhaler and despite that not feeling relieved, it is a must for you to visit the doctor

When the air passage between the mouth, nose and lungs gets interrupted and there is inflammation or swelling of bronchial tubes, you might be suffering from serious bronchitis. A prolonged cough and cold can lead to acute bronchitis in children, while older adults can be also face problems in breathing if medical intervention is not taken on time. You need to visit the doctor if: You are having high fever- more than 101 degrees Difficulty in sleeping Coughing up blood Gasping for breath You are producing any discolored mucus

COPD has no cure, yet with treatment you feel better, stay more active and slow the progress of the disease. Quit Smoking Avoid lung irritants like chemical fumes, dust, heavy air pollution, second hand smoking. Medicines - Bronchodilators through inhalation route like puffs (inhalers), rotacaps, and nebulizers. They allow the medicine to go straight to your lungs and are more effective. Vaccination - Flu (Influenza) shots and Pneumococcal (Pneumonia) vaccine Oxygen therapy - Patients with severe advanced disease need home oxygen therapy. Surgery - Some patients need surgical treatment.

Sleep apnea is one of the most common disorders that often go undiagnosed. Sleep apnea should not be overlooked because its symptoms are so broad that it can interrupt your hard day at work and can lead to serious complications. The most common symptoms are: Waking up with sore or dry throat Loud snoring Occasionally waking up with a choking or gasping sensation Sleepiness or lack of energy during the day Sleepiness while driving Morning headaches Restless sleep Forgetfulness and mood changes In addition to this, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) can have a negative impact on your health and can cause: Heart attack and Blood Pressure Diabetes Lead to Weight Gain Depression Aging of Skin

PFT measures how much air you can breathe in and out and how fast you can do it and how well your lungs are working to deliver oxygen to your blood. PFT is a painless test and a technician will ask you to take a deep breath and then blow as hard as you can into a tube connected to PFT machine. PFT is the most important test for the diagnosis and management of COPD. PFT is similar to ECG of the lungs.