Has Asthma Got You Choked Up? Control Attacks Using Self-Hypnosis

Allergic reactions are one of the most frequent medical problems affecting Americans at present. An allergic reaction is an immune system reaction to a stimulus from the environment. The body mistakenly identifies the stimulus as injurious, and tries to fight it, causing the symptoms of an allergic reaction. The usual symptoms are an itching or runny nose, coughing, wheezing and irritated eyes.

One very widespread type of allergy is asthma. It is a chronic allergy that directly affects the lungs and air passages in the body. The air passages are easily irritated by allergens and a thick lining of mucus builds up. Allergens and other stimuli can induce an asthma attack, including temperature changes, humidity changes, smoke and pollen. Commonly, an asthma attack has several respiratory symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and difficulty breathing. Another symptom of an attack is shortness of breath.

Symptoms of asthma are caused by the airways reacting to the allergen or trigger. When exposed to a trigger, the airways become irritated and contract, causing the respiratory symptoms. These symptoms may range from mild to ominous, depending on the severity of the allergy. Any asthma symptom can be intimidating, and should be taken seriously.

Asthma is generally diagnosed in childhood, because symptoms tend to manifest by the age of 5. Currently, it affects around 10% - 12% of all children, and has been steadily growing. There is no explicit known reason for the rise, but risk factors include exposure to cigarette smoke, other allergies and a history of other respiratory infections. Also, the odds of being diagnosed are amplified in males and African Americans.

At present, there are scores of different types of asthma drugs and methods of treatment that may effectively diminish symptoms. Two core types of asthma medication are fast-acting medicine to treat symptoms during an asthma attack, and preventing medicine, which is taken on a regular basis to shrink the chance of having an attack. Short-acting Beta-2 Antagonists (SABAs) are bronchodilators, which is a type of fast acting medication that aids in opening airways and relieving the symptoms of an asthma attack, and are usually given through asthma inhalators. This type of medicine does not treat the inflammation that causes an attack, but is beneficial when taken during an asthma attack, and will last for 3 - 6 hours after it is administered.

Controlling asthma medication is taken on a regular basis and treats the underlying causes of the attacks. The most familiar types of this medicine are asthma inhalers containing a steroid that reduces inflammation in the airways and lungs and Long-Acting Beta-2 Antagonists (LABAs). The results of long-acting asthma inhalers usually last for twelve hours, and may reduce the number of attacks that take place while the asthmatic is asleep. Many of the drugs have very serious side effects for some people.

Several types of asthma treatment alternative therapies are presently becoming more popular. A few alternative approaches focus solely on preventative care, like not smoking during pregnancy or around kids, incorporating a selenium-rich diet or eliminating sources of allergens in the home. Other modalities include taking off weight, increasing Omega-3 intake, decreasing Omega-6 intake, acupuncture, relaxation techniques and hypnotherapy. It is significant to note that any type of alternative therapy is supposed to be used in conjunction with medical advice, while fast-acting medications are frequently required for a severe asthma attack.

One treatment program that is getting more popular is hypnosis or hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy for asthma has the aim of triggering the relaxation response, which can help to prevent or reduce your symptoms when having an attack. Other alternative types of asthma treatment also employ relaxation methods as a way to eliminate symptoms, such as with meditation programs.

Using hypnotherapy, one can treat the emotional aspects of an asthma attack, which have the ability to make an asthma attack much more intense. It is only human nature to become frightened or feel threatened when we sense our air supply being cut off. This instinctual reaction in reality may intensify the severity of an asthma attack. Similar feelings of fearfulness and dread about having an asthma attack can actually bring on an attack. These emotional causes and reactions are managed with the asthma treatment method of hypnosis .

Self-Hypnosis has been established to be an extremely powerfulasthma treatment. With a trained hypnotist, or using one of the several recorded programs available, one can easily glide into a relaxed hypnotic state, and begin to take charge over breathing and bodily functions. One of the best techniques is to learn how to utilize hypnosis to actually abort an oncoming asthma attack. The self-hypnosis method of asthma treatment is enormously successful, and may work well for those who cannot take or do not want to take prescription medicines on a regular basis. The choice of asthma treatment depends both on the severity of your symptoms and what method of treatment that works well for your symptoms.