Doctor’s Notes On Occupational Asthma
Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the breathing passages of the lungs that irritates the airways, causing breathing problems. The inflammatory reaction in asthma is triggered by external factors or specific situations and exposure to a trigger worsens inflammation and results in asthma symptoms. Occupational asthma is caused by exposure to a trigger in the workplace. Common triggers include:
- contaminants in the air, such as smoke, chemicals, vapors , fumes, dust, or other particles
- respiratory infections, such as colds and flu
- allergens in the air, such as molds, animal dander, and pollen
- temperature or humidity extremes and
- emotional excitement or stress.
Symptoms for people with occupational asthma occur a short time after beginning work and subside after leaving work. For some people, symptoms worsen gradually during the workweek, go away over the weekend, and return when the new work week starts. Symptoms of occupational asthma include:
- extreme fatigue.
Allergy symptoms that occur at work but improve away from work may be a sign there are irritants in the air that could provoke asthma symptoms. Allergic symptoms include:
- itchy, burning, or watery eyes
- itchy or stuffy nose, sneezing or
- itchy, red, or irritated skin.
What Is the Treatment for Occupational Asthma?
Otherwise, occupational asthma is treated the same as regular asthma, with inhaled bronchodilator medications that open the airways as well as inhaled anti-inflammatory medicines .
Rheumatoid Arthritis And Fatigue
Symptoms: Fatigue, morning stiffness, joint pain, inflamed joints
Rheumatoid arthritis , a type of inflammatory arthritis, is another cause of excessive fatigue. Because joint damage can result in disability, early and aggressive treatment is the best approach for rheumatoid arthritis.
Medications that may be used early in mild RA include:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs
Other drugs used in more serious forms of RA include the anti-cytokine therapies , as well as shots and other forms of treatment.
Other autoimmune disorders, such as lupus and Sjogren’s disease, may also cause fatigue.
Is Depression A Side Effect Of Xolair
No, Xolair should not cause depression. This was not a side effect reported by people receiving Xolair in studies. But its possible that living with a chronic condition, such as asthma or hives, can raise your risk of depression.
If youre feeling depressed during treatment with Xolair, be sure to talk with your doctor right away. They can determine the best way to treat your symptoms of depression.
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Does Xolair Cause Any Long
Yes, its possible that Xolair may cause long-term side effects. For example, this medication may raise your risk of heart attack, stroke, or cancer, which can all have long-term complications. But these side effects are rare.
Short-term, mild side effects are much more common with Xolair than long-term side effects. But if youre concerned about long-term side effects with this drug, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
How Can Adult Onset Asthma Be Managed
If you manage your asthma, you can expect to lead a normal lifestyle. Basically, there are four key steps to managing asthma successfully:
1. Learn about asthma and stay up-to-date on new developments.
2. Take prescribed medications. Dont make any changes until you check with your physician. Dont use over- the-counter medications unless prescribed by your physician!
3. Check your lungs daily at home by using a peak flow meter. Asthma patients often can detect lung changes with a peak flow meter before they actually experience any changes. Visit your physician regularly for further in-office tests. Lung testing is painless and provides valuable data that helps your physician make adjustments in your medication.
4. Make an asthma management plan with your physician. A plan establishes guidelines that tell you what to do if your asthma symptoms get worse.
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Whats An Asthma Attack
When you breathe normally, muscles around your airways are relaxed, letting air move easily. During an asthma attack, three things can happen:
- Bronchospasm: The muscles around the airways constrict . When they tighten, it makes the airways narrow. Air cannot flow freely through constricted airways.
- Inflammation: The airway linings become swollen. Swollen airways dont let as much air in or out of the lungs.
- Mucus production: During the attack, your body creates more mucus. This thick mucus clogs airways.
Symptoms Of An Asthma Attack
Symptoms of an asthma attack include:
- Difficulty breathing
- A feeling of pressure or tightness in your chest
- Difficulty talking
- Getting no relief from using your normal blue reliever inhaler
- Going pale in colour, sometimes with blue lips or fingernails.
Asthma attack symptoms dont always occur suddenly. Sometimes they can come on slowly and steadily, over a number of hours or days. Thats one reason why its important to be aware of what the symptoms are, as it could help you prevent a full-blown asthma attack occurring.
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How Do You Monitor Asthma Symptoms
Monitoring your asthma symptoms is an essential piece of managing the disease. Your healthcare provider may have you use a peak flow meter. This device measures how fast you can blow air out of your lungs. It can help your provider make adjustments to your medication. It also tells you if your symptoms are getting worse.
Allergies And Chronic Fatigue
It is not uncommon for a person who suffers from allergies to also suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome . Symptoms of CFS include extreme exhaustion that does not have any known cause. The first step is to talk to your doctor so they can assess for potential illnesses. If they cannot find the cause, then your next step should be to take to an allergist.
Why? Because it is often the case that a person with CFS has an over-sensitive immune system. When you consider that allergies can be caused by over-sensitive immune systems, it is easy to see that why the conditions often exist together. It is often the case that by treating allergies, fatigue can be reduced. Other things can affect both fatigue and allergies, such as mold spores and other environmental irritants.
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What Is Asthma And What Causes It
Asthma can start during early childhood or develop later in life the cause is most often unknown or identified as an allergic response of the upper airways to any environmental triggers. An asthma attack cannot only be induced by allergens, but also by sudden changes of air humidity or temperature, as well as inhalation of fumes generated by evaporation of chemicals, or from cooking or heating. Besides inhaled triggers, asthma attacks can be resulted from psychological stress, sports or food allergens. The question which mechanism links all these diverse triggers to develop asthma remains open.
Symptoms After An Asthma Attack
How you feel after an asthma attack will depend on how severe the attack was and what triggered it.
If the attack was triggered by an irritant, such as cold weather, pollutants or allergens such as pollen, animal fur or dust, you should recover relatively quickly.
If your asthma attack was caused by an infection, such an upper airway infection, then it might take longer for you to recover. You may have symptoms such as fatigue and exhaustion after your asthma attack.
Do follow any recovery guidance given to you by a doctor or medical professional. Rest, drink plenty of fluids, take your medication and attend any necessary follow-up appointments.
If you havent seen your doctor or asthma nurse for a routine appointment recently, book one as soon as possible.
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What Asthma Treatment Options Are There
You have options to help manage your asthma. Your healthcare provider may prescribe medications to control symptoms. These include:
- Anti-inflammatory medicines: These medicines reduce swelling and mucus production in your airways. They make it easier for air to enter and exit your lungs. Your healthcare provider may prescribe them to take every day to control or prevent your symptoms.
- Bronchodilators: These medicines relax the muscles around your airways. The relaxed muscles let the airways move air. They also let mucus move more easily through the airways. These medicines relieve your symptoms when they happen.
- Biologic therapies for asthma when symptoms persist despite being on proper inhaler therapy.
You can take asthma medicines in several different ways. You may breathe in the medicines using a metered-dose inhaler, nebulizer or other inhaler. Your healthcare provider may prescribe oral medications that you swallow.
Asthma Related To Sensitising Or Irritant Exposure In The Workplace
Occupational asthma has become the most common type of adult-onset asthma in many industrialised countries, having been implicated in 915% of adult-onset asthma . Two types of occupational asthma have been defined: sensitiser induced and irritant induced .
Sensitiser-induced asthma is a subtype of occupational asthma typically presenting with a latent period of exposure, followed by the onset of clinical disease. After sensitisation, airway reactions develop from levels of exposure to the sensitising agents that were tolerated before sensitisation. Although the mechanism causing occupational asthma from some sensitisers has been demonstrated to have an immunological basis , the mechanisms for some suspected sensitisers are yet to be defined. There are more than 250 agents that have been adequately documented to cause sensitiser-induced asthma . Some sensitising agents have differential effects on asthma onset depending on the dose. For example, in farmers, exposure to low-dose endotoxins and fungal spores appears to have a protective effect on the development of atopic asthma but may induce non-atopic adult-onset asthma at higher doses .
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Is Asthma To Blame For Your Post
A good workout should leave you out of breath. That’s just a fact. But there’s a difference between “oh, jeez, I’m going to die” panting and “no seriously, I’m going to pass out now” wheezing. And if you often feel like your chest is in a vice after a workout, you may be dealing with something more serious than post-workout huffing and puffing-like asthma.
Truth time: When we think about asthma, we think about kids. And, to be sure, the majority of asthma sufferers experience their first episode in childhood. But at least 5 percent don’t have a single symptom until they’re well out of their teens, research from the Netherlands shows. And women are especially at risk of developing asthma as an adult, probably as a result of the hormone fluctuations they experience throughout the month.
What’s more, asthma isn’t one of those conditions you either have or you don’t. It’s possible to only have symptoms when you exercise, or experience it for a finite time , says Purvi Parikh, M.D., an allergist and immunologist with Allergy & Asthma Network. “Up to 20 percent of non-asthmatic people have asthma when they exercise,” she notes.
Another complication: The condition can cause symptoms beyond the ones you traditionally associate with asthma, like wheezing and shortness of breath, Parikh says. If you experience one or more of the sneaky symptoms that follow, consider seeking out an asthma specialist for diagnosis and treatment.
Who’s More Likely To Require A Hospital Stay
Depending on your individual circumstances, it can take days to weeks to recover from a severe asthma attack.
At this time, your healthcare provider is likely to perform pulmonary function tests to see how well your lungs are responding. A lower reading of FEV1 is associated with a longer recovery time.
People who need higher levels of supplemental oxygen tend to be hospitalized for longer periods of time. You will likely need to be weaned off of oxygen before you are discharged home.
Other factors that may require a longer hospitalization include:
- Chronic health conditions, such as poor underlying lung function, COPD , obesity, sleep apnea, chronic smoking, or heart conditions
- Not adhering to your asthma medications
- If you have a viral infection that triggered the attack, such as RSV or the flu
- Older age
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Why Is Asthma Keeping Me Awake
Its common for asthma symptoms to come on at night, but you shouldnt have to put up with them. Night-time asthma symptoms are a sign that your asthma isnt well controlled, and you may be at risk of an asthma attack.
If your symptoms come on early in the morning, it could be a sign your asthma has been difficult through the night, even if you werent aware of it.
Here are some reasons why your symptoms may come on at night:
There is also evidence to suggest that a lack of sleep can make your asthma symptoms worse. If youre struggling with sleep and its affecting your asthma, speak to your GP or asthma nurse.
Can You Outgrow Asthma
If you or your child have asthma, youll be relieved to know that it is possible to outgrow the symptoms.
Of the approximately 7 million U.S. children with asthma, about half of them will outgrow it once they reach adolescence. Even if an individual outgrows asthma, its important to remember that the respiratory tract will remain sensitive to asthma triggers for life.
In fact, theres a chance that people whose symptoms disappear will see them reappear in varying degrees when they enter their late thirties or early forties. Researchers dont fully understand why some individuals see a resurgence of symptoms, but they have noted that both old and new triggers can cause them in people with a history of asthma.
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Asthma Causes And Triggers
Researchers havent yet found a clear-cut answer for what causes asthma, and it may vary from person to person. What we do know is that its often due to the immune system overreacting to a substance in the lungs, and right on cue, the asthma symptoms start.
Triggers can include allergens, such as:
- Pollen
- Dust mites
- Chemical fumes
- Strong odors, like perfume
Other possible triggers include extreme weather conditions, exercise, and respiratory illnesses. Even seemingly inconsequential actions like a display of emotion that affect normal breathingshouting and laughingcan trigger asthma symptoms.
Talk To Your Allergist Right Away If You Are Suffering From Body Aches And / Or Cfs
You do not have to live with chronic pain and you do not have to live with fatigue. At Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group we have helped many patients with allergies, joint pain, and much more. We highly suggest you call us right away at 805-658-9500 for an appointment. We can do through testing to get the most accurate diagnosis which will lead us to the right treatment plan.
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How Do Healthcare Providers Diagnose Asthma
Your healthcare provider will review your medical history, including information about your parents and siblings. Your provider will also ask you about your symptoms. Your provider will need to know any history of allergies, eczema and other lung diseases.
Your healthcare provider may order a chest X-ray, blood test or skin test. Your provider may order spirometry. This test measures airflow through your lungs.
Altered Perception Of Airway Obstruction
Some data have suggested that for people over 65 years, those with adult-onset asthma of a longer duration may have more severe airway obstruction than those with a more recent asthma diagnosis, yet they report fewer asthma symptoms. This might adversely influence the implementation of an asthma action plan, which relies on the accurate interpretation of asthma symptoms. Older individuals might attribute respiratory symptoms to bronchitis, respiratory tract infection, obesity, poor fitness, or even to the aging process and be more accepting of a progressive decline in mobility and activity.
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Will My Wheezing Or Coughing Be Worse
Not necessarily. You might be surprised to learn that you may not have more of these than usual during a severe asthma attack. So donât judge how bad your asthma attack is based on how much you wheeze or cough.
In fact, very severe asthma attacks may affect your airways so much that you donât get enough air in and out of your lungs to make a wheezing sound or cough.
Asthma Symptoms In Children
Children are not always able to express in words that their asthma symptoms are worsening. They may have noticeable coughing and wheezing, but these are not always the first indications of breathing distress. Different children show asthma trouble in different ways.
Some possible indications of the beginning of an asthma episode include:
- Unusual tiredness or restlessness
- Frequent symptoms at night
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How Long Does It Take To Recover From A Severe Asthma Attack
The amount of time required to recover from a severe asthma attack is highly variable among people. Studies show that people who have other underlying health conditions tend to take longer to recover. One study suggests an average recovery time of 1.7 weeks.
Some individuals require supplemental oxygen after a severe asthma attack. Blood oxygen levels can be measured using a saturation monitor, and if your levels are below 90% , you will need extra oxygen.
In addition to supplemental oxygen, a wide variety of medications may be used to decrease inflammation in the bronchioles and open the airways. These include inhaled or oral corticosteroids, such as Qvar , Flovent HFA , EntocortEC , and Asmanex .
Know Why Infections Trigger Asthma Symptoms
Sometimes a virus or bacterial infection is an asthma trigger. For instance, you might have a cold virus that triggers your asthma symptoms. Or your asthma can be triggered by a bacterial sinus infection. Sinusitis with asthma is common.
Itâs important to know the signs and symptoms of respiratory tract infections and to call your health care provider immediately for diagnosis and treatment. For instance, you might have symptoms of increased shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, or wheezing with a bronchial infection. In people who donât have asthma, the bronchial infection may not trigger the same debilitating symptoms. Know your body and understand warning signs that an infection might be starting. Then take the proper medications as prescribed to eliminate the infection and regain control of your asthma and health.
For more detail, see WebMDâs article Infections and Asthma.
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