From the second your baby enters this world you have an intense commitment to keeping your kids happy, healthy and safe. But what happens when they aren’t healthy? What happens when you and your child are faced with an all-too-common illness? If you or someone in your family suffers from asthma, you are not alone. The National Institute of Health (NIH) reports: “In the United States, more than 25 million people are known to have asthma. About 7 million of these people are children.”
That bad news is that asthma is a serious illness, and currently there isn’t a cure. But the good news is that there are a number of treatments both medical and preventative to make it manageable. Even famous athletes have battled and overcome asthma. As Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee puts it: “Once I stopped living in denial, I got my asthma under control, and I realized that it is a disease that can be controlled.” PS: She went on to win several Olympic medals, three of them gold.
So what do you do next if you’ve been diagnosed with asthma? The first step is in asthma treatment is to get educated and to consult with a doctor to find out what is best for you or your child. Information, advice and treatments are out there, you just need to know where to look. Here are 12 facts about asthma to get you started.
1. Asthma is a serious health problem.
Let’s not beat around the bush: asthma is a serious condition that needs serious treatment. What exactly is asthma? According to NIH: “Asthma (AZ-ma) is a chronic (long-term) lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. Asthma causes recurring periods of wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing.”
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2. Asthma affects large numbers of people.
The Environmental Protection Agency reports that an estimated 25.9 million people have asthma, and more than 14 million people reported having asthma attacks in 2013.
Kuanzia wakati mtoto wako anapozaliwa, una wajibu mkubwa wa kuwafanya wawe na furaha, afya na usalama. Lakini ni nini hutokea wakati wao si afya? Lakini nini kinatokea wakati wewe na mtoto wako mnakabiliwa na ugonjwa wa kawaida? Ikiwa wewe au mtu mwingine katika familia yako ana ugonjwa wa pumu, si wewe pekee. Taasisi ya Kitaifa ya Afya (NIH) inaripoti hivi: <unk> Katika Marekani, zaidi ya watu milioni 25 wanajulikana kuwa na pumu. "Watu milioni saba kati ya hao ni watoto, na habari mbaya ni kwamba ugonjwa wa pumu ni mbaya sana na kwa sasa hakuna tiba.""" Lakini habari njema ni kwamba kuna matibabu kadhaa ya matibabu na ya kuzuia ili kuifanya iweze kudhibitiwa. Hata wanariadha mashuhuri wamepambana na ugonjwa wa pumu. "Mshindi wa medali ya dhahabu ya Olimpiki Jackie Joyner-Kersee alisema: ""Nilipoacha kuishi katika kukataa, nilipata ugonjwa wangu wa pumu chini ya udhibiti, na nilitambua kuwa ni ugonjwa ambao unaweza kudhibitiwa. """ Kwa hiyo unafanya nini baadaye ikiwa umegunduliwa kuwa na pumu? Hatua ya kwanza katika matibabu ya pumu ni kupata elimu na kushauriana na daktari ili kujua ni nini bora kwa wewe au mtoto wako. Habari, ushauri na matibabu zipo, unahitaji tu kujua wapi kuangalia. Hapa kuna mambo 12 ya kujua kuhusu ugonjwa wa pumu ili uanze. 1. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Kifafa ni tatizo kubwa la afya. Hebu tusipuuze: Pumu ni ugonjwa mbaya ambao unahitaji kutibiwa kwa uzito. Kiasi halisi cha pumu ni nini? Kulingana na NIH: <unk> Asthma (AZ-ma) ni ugonjwa wa mapafu wa muda mrefu ambao huchochea na kupunguza njia za kupumua. Asthma husababisha vipindi vya kurudia-rudia vya kupiga kelele (sauti ya kupiga kelele unapopumua), kufungwa kwa kifua, kukosa pumzi, na kikohozi. Asma huathiri idadi kubwa ya watu. Shirika la Ulinzi wa Mazingira (EPA) limesema kuwa takriban watu milioni 25.9 wana ugonjwa wa pumu na zaidi ya watu milioni 14 waliripoti kuwa na mashambulizi ya pumu mwaka 2013.