Do You Search The Internet For Health Info Before Discussing With Your Doctor?
Do you search the web for health info before talking with your doctor? Do you use the web to double check what you hear at your doctor's office? Take the poll and leave a comment or join the discussion in the forum.
More Asthma Info
- What is the Health Information Prescription?
- Can Your iPhone Improve Your Asthma?
- What Do You Think About Asthma iPhone Apps
4 Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Using OTC Asthma Medication
Any time you self treat symptoms, there are a number of questions you need to ask yourself. Consider these 4 questions before using an OTC asthma medication:
- Am I Sure This Is Asthma? When you have asthma you will likely experience classic asthma symptoms such as:
However, all of these symptoms can also be caused by other diseases, like COPD or heart disease, and some may improve with OTC treatment.
- Am I At Risk For A Fatal Asthma Attack? Asthma can be a really serious, even deadly disease. If you need to use an OTC asthma medication to improve your breathing, you probably need to see a doctor about your symptoms. If you need a rescue inhaler more than twice per week, you probably need an inhaled steroid. Inhaled steroids are not available as an OTC asthma medication.
- Is OTC Asthma Medication Safe? Concerns regarding the safety of selling OTC asthma medications have been raised by the medical community. Currently OTC medications are not sold for hypertension, heart disease or cholesterol problems. You could then reasonably ask why sell OTC asthma medication? As a result, researchers have studied whether or not this practice is safe.
- What Are the Side Effects of OTC Asthma Medication? You can experience asthma medication side effects with an OTC asthma medication just like prescription medication. Make sure you know the side effects of an OTC asthma medication and call your doctor if you experience them.
Many patients say cost is one of the main reasons for using OTC asthma medication. Prescription inhalers have gotten much more expensive as a result of a regulation that is requiring manufacturers to switch the propellant (what sprays the drug) in their products from chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to hydroflouroalkane (HFA). Several of the resources below may help you obtain less expensive prescription medication.
OTC Asthma Medication- Help For You
- Online Drugstores - Are They Safe?
- 10 Tips For Using An Online Pharmacy
- Counterfeit Drugs: Am I At Risk if I Buy Drugs Online?
- Financial Help for Asthma Medications
Has Asthma Affected Your Ability To Get Health Insurance
Has asthma affected your ability to get health insurance or cause you to pay higher rates? I have had a lot more patients complain about this or have issues when changing or losing jobs over the last year.
I did not realize that many health insurance agents actually only represent a single carrier rather than looking for the best rate among many carriers.
Sean L. Johnson recommends thinking of an agent as "as a referral service for a certain health carrier." He recommends looking around the internet and getting several quotes.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of American, you also need to consider if your insurance will limit coverage as a preexisting or chronic condition due to your asthma. Also consider looking at whether or not your preferred doctors or specialist are considered in network. This is important because your out of pocket costs will be higher if you go out of network.
What do you think? Does asthma affect your ability to get health insurance or make it more expensive? Leave a comment or go to the forum and join the discussion.
Learn More About Asthma & Health Insurance
Asthma Videos From About.com
If you can see a picture or a movie, you may be more likely to watch and remember some important health information. About.com has a wonderful collection of videos to help you understand more about your asthma and your lungs. Check them out and let me know what you think.
- What Is Bronchitis?
Bronchitis can complicate your asthma. Learn what bronchitis is and what you can do about it. - Can Thunderstorms Cause An Asthma Attack
Do you ever notice that your asthma is worse after a thunderstorm? Learn why this happens in this interesting video. - How to Use a Rescue Inhaler
Are you using your asthma inhaler correctly? Find out here.
What other videos would you like to see related to asthma?
Health Insurance & Your Asthma
Has asthma affected your ability to get health insurance or cause you to pay higher rates?
I did not realize that many health insurance agents actually only represent a single carrier rather than looking for the best rate among many carriers.
Sean L. Johnson recommends thinking of an agent as "as a referral service for a certain health carrier." He recommends looking around the internet and getting several quotes.
According to theAsthma and Allergy Foundation of American, you also need to consider if your insurance will limit coverage as a preexisting or chronic condition due to your asthma. Also consider looking at whether or not your preferred doctors or specialist are considered in network. This is important because your out of pocket costs will be higher if you go out of network.
What do you think? Does asthma affect your ability to get health insurance or make it more expensive? Leave a comment or go to the forum and join the discussion.
Learn More About Asthma & Health Insurance
Yoga To Improve Your Asthma
Yoga has been advocated to improve your health in general and may help improve your asthma. In general yoga may help you:
- Improve flexibility
- Increase strength
- Tone your muscles
- Decrease chronic pain
- Relieve stress
Pranayama, a type of yoga breathing exercise, may also help you gain control of your asthma. Learn more about these yoga exercises that might improve your breathing.
- Introduction to Pranayama Breathing Exercises
- Equal Breathing - Sama Vritti Pranayama
- Alternate Nostril Breathing - Nadi Sodhana
- Dirga Pranayama- Great For Beginners
Thanksgiving & Your Asthma Control
How was your asthma over the Thanksgiving holiday? Did too much eating and family have an effect on your asthma? Take the poll and leave a comment.
Learn More
- How Is Your Asthma Control?
- Do I Need the Flu Shot If I Have Asthma
- How To Treat Flu When You Have Asthma
- Three Key Steps To Prevent Flu
Huff, Puff, and Wheeze
Exercise is an important lifestyle choice, even for patients with asthma. Symptoms with activity can be a sign of poorly controlled asthma.
Alternatively, exercise could be a trigger for your asthma. It is not always easy to figure out whether your asthma symptoms are exercise induced or not.
Poorly controlled asthma or exercise can cause you to experience:
You should strive to be as active as possible and learn as much as you can about asthma.
Learn More
- What Are Exercise Induced Asthma Symptoms?
- Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention of Exercise Induced Asthma
- How Is Exercise Induced Asthma Diagnosed?
- What Are the Options for Exercise Induced Asthma Treatment?
What Are You Thankful For This Thanksgiving
While asthma can be difficult and discouraging at times, we all have a lot to be thankful for. Related to your asthma, what is it that you are thankful for?
Leave a comment or join the discussion in the Asthma Forum
Acetaminophen & Wheezing
According to an article published in CHEST, the journal of the American College of Chest Physicians, acetaminophen use in both children and adults may be associated with an increase in asthma and wheezing.
The authors reviewed 19 different studies that collected data on both asthma and wheezing as well as acetaminophen use. Patients using acetaminophen were significantly more likely to have asthma than those that did not use acetaminophen. Similarly in children, acetaminophen use was more common in children during the year preceding a diagnosis of asthma and more common during the first year of life.
Researchers have several possible, but unproven explanations related to acetaminophen's impact on the pathophysiology of asthma. First, acetaminophen lowers the levels of an antioxidant in the lung called glutathione. Antioxidants, as I have written about previously, in the diet have been associated with less development and symptoms of asthma. Likewise, acetaminophen may allow one of the key enzymes that causes inflammation in asthma, cyclooxygenase, to act unchecked. Finally, acetaminophen may cause increases in IgE levels.
As a parent, I was surprised there were enough children who had not received acetaminophen to even adequately study this. But I was also concerned given how commonly acetaminophen is used to treat fever and pain in kids. Importantly, many other common fever/ pain meds, like ibuprofen, have not been studied to see if similar relationships exist. A new report in the December issue of Pediatrics will review all of the available data may shed some more light on this subject. I doubt many physicians or parents will change how they treat children's fever or pain base on this one study, but it is an interesting topic to keep your eye on.
What do you think?