Home Remedies For Asthma Sufferers

                    

>>  INSTANTLY PREVENT YOUR ASTHMA CLICK HERE <<

 

There are a number of home remedies for asthma - some more effective than others. There are many "old wives tales" that have been handed down over the years, and many of these are really not effective at all. The best home remedy for asthma is one that everyone with asthma should practice - environmental control.

By environmental control, we are talking about controlling things in your home that will help to avoid asthma attacks. Historically, asthma treatments have dealt with the symptoms of an attack, after the attack has already started. The only preventative measure that was offered for many years was "avoid exercising and getting short of breath".

Over the last several years, much more has been learned about the causes and effects of asthma and it's now realized that asthma doesn't just sit dormant waiting for a flare-up. It is more like diabetes - a chronic condition that can be affected by your lifestyle and environment.

Because certain things in your home can trigger as asthma attack, one of the primary keys to avoiding it is to control your home's environment. So forget about inhaling crushed garlic or drinking onion tea - try some of these home remedies that actually work:

1. Avoid smoking or letting anyone else smoke in your home. Cigarette smoke is one of the most common irritants that causes asthma attacks.

2. Don't burn fires in wood fireplaces or stoves - the smoke from the fire can also irritate.

3. Watch what you spray in the air. Things like air fresheners, perfumes and cleaning products can get into the lungs and trigger asthma attacks.

4. Keep your home as dust-free as possible. Dust mites are one of the most common irritants for asthma sufferers. And this doesn't just mean dusting regularly, it also means avoiding things that can cause dust to accumulate:

- Use polyester filled comforters and pillows
- Wash all bedding in HOT water (130 degrees plus) weekly
- Cover your mattresses and pillows with covers that are mite-proof
- Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter which traps dust mites and other allergens. Many vacuum cleaners simply blow them back out after picking them up.

5. Avoid mold build-up, again one of the most common asthma triggers:

- Wipe down the bathroom and laundry room with bleach weekly
- Avoid humidifiers as they can encourage mold growth
- Use a fan or improve the ventilation in bathrooms to decrease moisture

Jackson Sperry writes about asthma symptoms and other related topics on the Asthma Explained website. Read more at http://www.asthmaexplained.net

The Spiraling Effect Of Your Child's Stress And Pediatric Asthma

                    

>>  INSTANTLY PREVENT YOUR ASTHMA CLICK HERE <<

 

Childhood should be joyous and free, with long days that never seem to end. That's the way most of us remember our childhoods. Unfortunately, we forget that childhood can be just as stressful for a child as adulthood is for an adult.

For a child with asthma, that stress is often multiplied many times over. Imagine never knowing when you might suddenly be unable to breathe?

Researchers have found there's a clear link between pediatric asthma and stress. But it might surprise you to know that the link may be spiral in nature, with asthma feeding the stress, then the stress worsening the asthma, which causes more stress, and on and on. In addition, when a child has asthma, additional stress is placed on the entire household. This stress is added to the burden the child is already bearing simply by having asthma.

The most important first step to reducing the impact of pediatric asthma and stress on your child is to stick to your child's asthma treatment plan. Research among families of children with asthma has shown time and again that families misunderstand the disease and have a tendency to treat it only after symptoms have appeared. This not only puts undue stress on the child and the family, it puts the child's life at risk. By sticking with the treatment plan on a daily basis, whether there are symptoms or not, you can actually prevent the symptoms from showing up. When you drift away from the treatment regiment because your child hasn't experienced any recent attacks, you allow the symptoms to return, which then contributes new stress to the situation.

No matter how well things are going, there will always be a nagging fear in the back of your asthmatic child's mind that it can only last so long. That sooner or later something will trigger another asthma attack. Unfortunately, the more your child worries about triggering an attack, the more likely the stress from that worry will actually lead to an acute episode. Which, in turn, leads to still more stress.

Caregivers can easily be caught up in the relationship between pediatric asthma and stress as well. Caring for a child with asthma can be stressful for parents and for siblings. There's the worry that his symptoms might flare up at any time. There's the fear that an acute attack might actually take your child from you. Then there's the concern about being able to afford the treatments and required medications.

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, many families with asthmatic children operate in a constant crisis mode. They coast along, pretending everything is fine, until an acute asthmatic episode strikes in the middle of the night and necessitates another trip to the emergency room. Then once the episode is brought under control, things settle down again for awhile, until the next one hits.

The best way to deal with pediatric asthma and the stress it causes is to get a working asthma treatment plan, says the AAAAI. A plan should include management of the asthma and the environment, medication, and clearly defined steps to take in case of an emergency. A solid action plan gives you and your child the confidence to handle whatever situations arise, and the confidence to know you're controlling the asthma rather than the asthma controlling you.

David Silva is the webmaster of Asthma Insights (http://asthmainsights.com), a website dedicated to disseminating useful information about asthma, its symptoms, triggers, and treatments.

Asthma Medication

                    

>>  INSTANTLY PREVENT YOUR ASTHMA CLICK HERE <<

 

There are several types of asthma medication that can be used to help a patient that is struggling with asthma. Usually, a doctor will prescribe medications from the start of the episodes that seem to be that of asthma. If the medication helps to relive symptoms, the patient is considered to have asthma. In other cases, medications can be given after the diagnosis has been made that the patient has asthma.

The most common medications for the treatment of asthma are called bronchodilators. These medications are well known as simply inhalers. They are small sized inhaler units that offer a measured dose of the correct medication to the patient, allowing him to receive almost instant help from asthma symptoms. The medications within the asthma inhalers can range. Short acting medications such as salbutamol, terbutaline and bitolterol are some options here. There are older medications that some asthma suffers take. These are adrenergic agonists such as ephedrine tablets and epinephrine in an inhaled form. Ipratropium bromide is another medication that is provided to asthma suffers. This medication, unlike others, does not have as many potentially drastic health risks.

All of these medications have some type of side effect or can cause potentially life threatening conditions if the medications are used in the wrong way or over used for asthma treatment. Some will cause heart reactions such as high blood pressure and should be monitored closely.

To help a child or an adult to get relief from the asthma that they suffer from, a wide range of medications are available. Usually, these medications will be administered through an inhaler that will allow the medications to instantly enter the airways, opening them up and allowing the asthma symptoms of restriction to vanish. The right medication is something that can take a bit of working out to find the right one for the specific asthma reaction the individual has.
Roger Thompson writes health related articles and jobs for The No.1 Healthcare Job site . He also advises consumers on online products.

Asthma: A Respirotory Tract Infection

                    

>>  INSTANTLY PREVENT YOUR ASTHMA CLICK HERE <<

 

Asthma is a disease which affects the respiratory system of the human organism. Asthma makes the airways more constrained and makes it more narrowed down through certain symptoms like wheezing, lack of proper breath, tightness of the chest and coughing, prolonged termination of breath, fast heart beat, chest inflation etc. Asthma is generally caused due to environmental pollution. Asthma reduces and constricts the airways as a result of which the patient suffers from normal way of breathing. The term ?Asthma?? is usually a Greek word which means ?sharp breath.?

The symptoms of asthma can sometimes range from mild to severe life threatening. Moreover, it is to be estimated here that the symptoms of asthma can be solely controlled through the use of certain drugs and through changes in the life style. Asthma is generally caused by inflammation of breathing or the bronchial tubes which is present in the lungs. The most common cause of asthma is environmental pollution. Exposure to the environment of cotton and flour dust, smoke, smoke and to a wide range of chemicals further increases the risk of asthma. Generally, the most common symptom which is associated with asthma can be felt with the tightness sensation in the chest.

Asthma can be of two types. One is extrinsic and the other is intrinsic. Extrinsic is considered as the most common form of asthma which is usually caused due to allergies and also due to the use of certain allergens to diagnose the allergies. This form of asthma is very much prone during the early stage of one?s development which gradually gets reduced with the advancement of the age. The other form of asthma which is known as the intrinsic asthma can be traced out through certain infections in the respiratory tract.

Asthma as it is a chronic disease can be to a certain extent overcome through proper means of exercises. Sports like swimming can to a great extent help in overcoming asthma. This sport helps in exfoliating the humidity in the atmosphere and helps in overall toning of the body. Besides swimming, activities like long walks in the morning as well in the evening helps in reducing the effects of asthma. Along with these activities biking, cycling, skiing helps effectively in the process of inhaling the air. Along with them, football, basketball, golfing, wrestling, gymnastics etc all works quite effective in overcoming asthma.

All asthma patients need proper treatment and medical attention so that the intensity of the disease gets mild and also if possible are diagnosed forever and thus enable the patient to lead a healthy life.

Farzina Naznin is glad to write an article on asthma as one of her cousin is suffering from it and while writing this article she found certain informative sources which will help in overcoming the disease. Her articles are also found in certain sites like http://www.healthcenterassociation.com/ http://www.betterhealthworld.org/

When Having Sex Triggers An Asthma Attack

                    

>>  INSTANTLY PREVENT YOUR ASTHMA CLICK HERE <<

 

 You Don't Have to Live Like a Monk If You Suffer From Asthma

Sex can be a wonderful expression of love between two people, sadly, however for some asthma sufferers all that heavy breathing can actually trigger an asthma attack by drying out the airways.

Exercise induced asthma is quite common and the general consensus is to avoid those activities that trigger it, but avoiding love-making can certainly put a strain on any relationship. Fortunately, there is a solution that will make you and your partner happy.

There are several things that you can do ensure an active love life:

Since the bedroom is often where love-making actives take place, you will need to ensure that dust mites (a major asthma trigger, which live in your bedding and rugs) are reduced as much as possible.

Moist, warm air prevents the airways from becoming dry, so using a good humidifier in the bedroom/home will help those who live in a dry climate.

Next, if you are out of shape, you will need to increase your fitness level gradually by activities such as yoga, walking, cycling and swimming. Those allergic to chlorine should find a warm lake or sea to swim in. Continuous running can trigger asthma, so team sports that require short bursts of running are far better. Avoiding temperature changes is also important: cold air entering the lungs at a rapid rate will dry out the airways and cause an asthma attack. Working out in gym is a good alternative to exercising outdoors in cold weather.

When you have strengthened your lungs through exercise and applied the simple preventative measures in the bedroom, you are much more likely to enjoy lovemaking without threat of an asthma attack.

? Susan Millar - http://www.dramatic-asthma-relief.com

ASTHMA AND YOU.

                    

>>  INSTANTLY PREVENT YOUR ASTHMA CLICK HERE <<

 

History

Many people that have Asthma, may have an individual and/or family history of allergies. To diagnose asthma, a doctor relies solely on taking a medical history and combines it with a physical examination.

Allergies.

Allergy testing may be may be helpful in identifying allergens, but in sensitive individuals, asthma symptoms can be triggered by inhaled allergens (allergy triggers), such as pet hair, dust mites, moulds or pollens. Patients with delayed pattern food allergy have the most persistent inflammatory form of chronic asthma. Those who have a nasal allergy often have asthma that may be triggered by it.

Developing Asthma.

Half of the people who have asthma develop it before they are 10 years old, and most develop it before 30. There are people who develop allergic asthma in their 70s and there are young children whose asthma is not allergic. Children with asthma often complain of an itchy upper chest or develop a dry cough, which may be the only sign of asthma.

Asthma Attacks.

During an attack, the smooth muscles of the lungs go into spasm, with the surrounding tissue enflamed and secreting mucus into the airways. The causes of an attack are, however, well understood by both doctors and patients. Child care providers need to recognise when a child is suffering an attack in order to prevent severe and prolonged effects. Nonetheless, an acute attack usually occurs during a cold or cough caused by a viral infection. Pay attention to worsening asthma as it may prevent a serious attack.

Smoking and Asthma.

Cigarette smoke is a powerful trigger of symptoms. Children born prematurely or those exposed to tobacco smoke are more likely to develop the disease. Prenatal and post postnatal exposure to second-hand smoke is indicated in the development of asthma. Non-smoking messages should be advertised in schools to reduce the likelihood of children smoking and thus be prone to asthma.

Stress and Asthma.

Stress could aggravate the disease in children according to a London University's research. It is well known that fighting stress helps fight asthma. People think that there is a connection between genetic makeup and the disease. There isn't - it only makes one more susceptible. If asthma is triggered by emotional stress, then a stress reduction programme could be considered. Sport during the summer causes less stress than during the winter. Exercise induced asthma occurs most often during intense activity in cold dry air.

Can it be Contolled?

Yes, it can! With good control almost all people can lead normal, active lives. Control medication on a regular basis helps prevent symptoms from occurring. When asthma is not under control, the airways become restricted and inflamed, with increased mucus production that further obstructs the airways. To keep it under control, it is important to be well educated about your asthma and how to manage it.

Known Allergens.

Allergies are triggers for asthma. If you are allergic to pets, certain foods, dust mites etc, remove them from your environment wherever possible. Be asthma aware. Every asthmatic responds differently to triggers. As a parent, try not to be overly protective of an asthmatic child. The key to living with the disease is to be very aware. If you need to carry medication make sure you always have it with you, and NEVER run our of it. Make sure you always have a backup, in the car, at home or in the office. Encourage children to emulate what you preach.

Finally, approximately one quarter of asthmatic children have their symptoms disappear as they grow older - yes it is possible to grow out of the disease!

Tony Bryan

Tony runs many health related web sites, the main one at http://www.healthwyse-one.com. This article may be reprinted providing the 'About the Author' box is also printed, otherwise, Copyright will be pursued

What Is Asthma

                    

>>  INSTANTLY PREVENT YOUR ASTHMA CLICK HERE <<

 

what is the cause of asthma asthma and menopause asthma and prevention compound asthma meds chicken house asthma the causes of asthma prevention for asthma natural herb for cough mucus wheezing asthma in children asthma action plans over the counter asthma medicine asthma and symptoms essential fatty acids and asthma asthma table enlarged chest lung asthma mountain rotc waiver asthma asthma in cavalier king charles spaniels eczema and asthma tell teacher asthma asthma prevalence worldwide renal functions in bronchial asthma asthma smoking diagnosing asthma controlling asthma asthma tincture asthma the doctors who deal with that condition diagnosing asthma in primary care+pdf research paper on blacks and whites living with asthma guidelines in asthma girl with asthma

what is asthma and its causes case study about asthma allergies asthma physiological effects of asthma healthline the cause of asthma guidelines for the management of asthma asthma acid reflux asthma chantix asthma hwp prescription drugs that cause asthma asthma med for horses diet pill acute asthma exacerbation diary asthma nursing care plan for asthma symptoms of asthma in beagle dogs testing for asthma asthma testosterone asthma home remedy asthma relief medication excercise induced asthma how to be a advocate for asthma how to get rid of asthma cough variant asthma in children video about asthma ephedra for asthma asthma pathology buteyko living with asthma asthma symptoms disease state apple cider vinegar for asthma luteolin and asthma asthma and lungs cough induced asthma cough variant asthma exertion running with asthma

Uncovering The Relationship Between Asthma And Allergies

                    

>>  INSTANTLY PREVENT YOUR ASTHMA CLICK HERE <<

 

You often hear the terms "asthma" and "allergies" lumped together. But do you know why?

Asthma is a chronic lung condition, characterized by difficulty in breathing due to extra sensitive or hyper-responsive airways. During an asthma attack, the airways become irritated and react by narrowing and constructing, causing increased resistance to airflow, and obstructing the flow of air to and from the lungs. Common early warning signs of asthma include fatigue, coughing (especially at night), wheezing, difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, runny nose, and itchy throat.

Allergies, on the other hand, are immune system reactions to things that most people would experience as harmless. Certain foods, dust, pollen ... these are allergens that can trigger an allergy attack. When they're encountered, the body's immune system produces IgE antibodies to fight the allergen. These antibodies create the release of chemicals into the bloodstream, one of which (histamine) affects the eyes, nose, throat, lungs, and skin, causing the allergy's symptoms.

So now that we have a better picture of how these two health conditions function, the question becomes ... is there a relationship between allergies and asthma?

It's true that those with certain allergies (usually allergies that affect the nose and eyes, such as dust mites, animal dander, mold or pollen) are more likely to develop asthma than say ... those without allergies or those with allergies in other classifications, such as food allergies. But it's also true that many of those with allergies never develop asthma at all.

In addition, there are other factors that can contribute to a person's asthma. Unmonitored exercise, for example. Or other illnesses, such as colds or the flu.

Scientists aren't sure what lies at the root cause of asthma. Various studies are looking at a variety of factors, including air pollution, obesity, and as strange as it might sound, even the lack of exposure to viruses and bacteria in childhood (which may prevent the immune system from growing stronger).

What we do know is that exposure to indoor allergens, pollen, animal dander, grass ... in other words, allergy-related factors, are often found in asthmatics. Often, but not always. And it also appears that asthma tends to run in families. If both parents have asthma, there's actually a 40% probability their children will develop the disease as well.

Current research efforts have been exploring the influence of environmental factors, genetics (as mentioned above), and even stress on asthma. This creates the potential to dramatically reduce a person's asthma severity levels by altering his or her exposure to the aggravating factors. This can be particularly successful when the culprit is something that's relatively easy to control. Dust, for instance. Or something only encountered in a work environment. Or, though it's certainly much more difficult because of the emotional component, a family pet.

Unfortunately, the most common allergy that appears to have a direct influence on asthma is an allergy to dust mites. Eliminating these mites to the extent that it might make a difference in the severity of your asthma requires a major change in lifestyle and can often be quite expensive. That doesn't mean it can't be done, only that it's not as easy as simply staying indoors during the pollen season or switching to a less stressful job.

Of course, new treatments are coming along all the time, and considerable research is currently dedicated to finding ways to modify, abolish or diminish the affect allergies have on the body. It's believed that with the successful control of allergies can come the successful control of asthma, particularly in younger sufferers.

In the meantime, here's what we know ... asthma can be triggered by allergic reactions, but it can also be triggered by nonallergic reactions. Most asthma attacks result from exposure to allergens such as pollen, household dust, and mold. These attacks can be influenced by indoor or outdoor environments. Because a majority of asthma sufferers are affected by some form of allergies, it's worth the effor to work closely with your doctor to try to identify and control all potential allergens within your influence.

David Silva is the webmaster of Asthma Insights, a website dedicated to the comprehensive exploration of asthma, its triggers, its symptoms and asthma management.http://asthmainsights.com

ting Asthma - Part 1

                    

>>  INSTANTLY PREVENT YOUR ASTHMA CLICK HERE <<

 

ting Asthma - Part 1

My wife has asthma. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for anyone else to understand what that means and implies. If you have not had to care for someone with asthma, you cannot even begin to comprehend what it is like to deal with this condition. When I mention it to someone and they start telling me what they think, I have to control my feelings ... they do not and cannot understand. I restrain myself because they think they are being helpful. It's the same kind of thing when a single person gives a married couple advice on their union, or someone without kids thinks he knows how to raise them.

So what does it mean when I say my wife has asthma? It means her life is in constant danger. Every single day that she's breathing is a good day - because she survived the night. A week without gasping is a luxury, and a full month without an asthma attack is almost unheard of. What today really means is another day of breathing - it may be a difficult day or a good day, but there is always the knowledge that breathing is the most important thing.

You see, breathing is something that most of us take for granted. We never think about it, never need to be concerned about taking that next breath. Personally, the worst trouble I have had with my own breathing is a bad cold - my nose was stuffed and I had to use my mouth.

My wife, on the other hand, has to think about breathing all of the time. Some days she breaths fine, others are difficult. Breathing problems are in a special class all of their own - it's not like, say, having problems going to the bathroom, a cold or throwing up. These things all are minor compared to not breathing. You see, with breathing problems there is no time to think. You've got just minutes or even seconds to make a decision and get into action.

I discovered my wife had asthma soon after we were married. It was news to her also - she had never had asthma before, although her child had attacks when he was younger. So one day, out of the blue, Claudia came home because she had difficulty breathing ... and I didn't have a clue what to do.

This is a very unusual circumstance for me ... not knowing what to do. I am very intelligent by any measure and I make a strong point at knowing how to handle just about anything in my life. Before this time, no matter what the emergency was, I could and did handle it. Yet here I was with my wife having difficulty breathing. Over the next few days I learned a little bit. One thing I learned real fast is not al doctors are created equal. You see, even though our doctor visits were covered under insurance, our doctor would not accept any insurance. She ran a strictly cash operation. So on top of having a medical crisis we had a financial one - we had to pay the doctor then wait for the insurance company to pay us back. This severely limited our options at a time when we really needed options.

So when Claudia had breathing troubles we rushed over to the doctors office and asked for help. The doctor gave her a shot of adrenalin to correct her breathing. I watched in awe as my wife trembled from an injection of the same stuff they use to start a person's heart if it has stopped. I wondered for a moment if the "cure" was worse than the disease. The wonder soon stopped as Claudia's breathing settled down and she could take a breath without gasping. Her color returned to her normal pink - she had been slightly purple in hue., and the doctor prescribed something called Prednisone.

The next few weeks were not good weeks. You see, I didn't know it at the time, but Prednisone has some side effects. The most important one being that large doses tend to make a person a little bit psychotic. What I'm saying is my normally calm and collected wife became the "She Devil From Hell" ... but not so much to me or my son. No, her frustration was taken out on the cat (Baby).

That poor cat went through hell for those weeks. I had to protect him several times from the wrath of my wife for some new offense ... it appeared to her that the cat was trying to annoy her and make her miserable. I do believe that Baby used up at least two lives during those weeks ... and he only survived because my son and I protected him.

There were several trips to our local doctor during this first year with asthma. We noticed that the disease was not getting better, and our doctors did not really appear to know what they were doing. Their answer was more Prednisone and more adrenaline ... so we decided to see a specialist.

Richard Lowe Jr. is the webmaster of Internet Tips And Secrets. This website includes over 1,000 free articles to improve your internet profits, enjoyment and knowledge.

Web Site Address: http://www.internet-tips.net

Weekly newsletter: http://www.internet-tips.net/joinlist.htm

Claudia Arevalo-Lowe is the webmistress of Internet Tips And Secrets and Surviving Asthma. Visit her site at http://survivingasthma.com

Steroid For Asthma

                    

>>  INSTANTLY PREVENT YOUR ASTHMA CLICK HERE <<

 

adult onset asthma cat asthma asthma food allergy asthma and allergy clinic steroid for asthma arthritis asthma bronchitis chronic condition diabetes disease emphysema healthy heart life living management others self aspirin and asthma asthma and acid reflux asthma cough asthma attack symptom asthma fact asthma therapy asthma article coughing asthma asthma diet infant asthma allergy arthritis asthma complete diabetes disease heart inflammation nutritional prevent program reverse syndrome inheritance of asthma cardiac asthma

singular asthma medication asthma nebulizer asthma action america asthma prevention asthma drug history of asthma new asthma medication asthma product asthma test asthma statistics treating asthma pathophysiology of bronchial asthma asthma in infant herbs for asthma definition of asthma diagnosis of asthma gerd and asthma asthma and smoking 1 000 arthritis asthma astounding blood bottom heal healing high line more over pressure remedy varicose vein wart ways chihuahua and asthma allergic asthma allergy and asthma center asthma help singular asthma medicine asthma and allergy specialist ann allergy asthma immunol herbal remedy for asthma intrinsic asthma

How to survive seasonal allergies and ensure continued asthma relief

                    

>>  INSTANTLY PREVENT YOUR ASTHMA CLICK HERE <<

 

Spring is in the air and so are the allergens. Over the next few months grasses, trees and weeds will release huge quantities of pollen into the air as part of their reproductive cycle. For those suffering from allergic asthma or seasonal allergies it is a time when symptoms worsen, eyes water and noses run.

The most common advice given to those allergic to pollen is to remain indoors when pollen release occurs. However this happens at different times for different plants. On warm and sunny days most grasses release pollen from early morning onwards. On damp mornings the release will be delayed until the ground moisture evaporates. Some species of grass release their pollen in the afternoon, so if you are allergic to several types you may not get a window of avoidance at any time of day.

Even with an allergy to only one type of pollen, it can affect you despite your efforts to avoid the time and area where pollen release occurs. As the day draws to a close cooling pollen-carrying air falls towards the ground. This can lead to sufferers experiencing problems during the night. Wind-blown pollen can travel great distances. Ragweed can spread so far that it has even been detected 400 miles out to sea.

If you can identify the pollen that triggers your symptoms you can try to plan your day accordingly. You can get a clue from the time of year that you experience problems. Tree pollen is usually released in the spring, grass pollen in late spring and early summer, and weed pollens in late summer into autumn. A doctor can organise tests to further narrow down the culprit. Having identified the offending pollen try to remain indoors when it is being released.

Try to keep track of the pollen count in your area. Remember the pollen count is usually taken the day before it is broadcast. Rain or cool weather can reduce the count. Hot weather or short thunderstorms can increase it. Plants tend to retain their pollen on cloudy days, so expect a higher than average release on the next sunny day.

The National Allergy Bureau pollen report gives information on conditions in the US and Canada at
www.aaaai.org/nab/index.cfm?p=pollen

Polleninfo gives pollen forecasts for across Europe at www.polleninfo.org

You can use over the counter (OTC) medication to relieve symptoms if it does not interfere with other medications. Consult your doctor to make sure there will be no adverse affects.

Although pollen is probably the most difficult allergen to avoid there are steps you can take to minimize your exposure.

1. If possible only work outside at times when the pollen count is low. The mornings of cooler, less sunny days are best.

2. Introduce more insect-pollinated plants (usually the more attractive, colorful ones) into your garden, as their heavier pollen is less likely to become airborne. If you can identify the plant that affects you, exclude that plant from your garden. If grass pollen affects you but do not want to lose your lawn, get someone else to keep the grass short.

3. Keep windows shut tight at times of pollen release, during high pollen counts, and in the early hours of the night when airborne pollen returns to ground level.

4. Dry all washing indoors to prevent pollen gathering on clothes and bedding. Ideally dry clothes in a tumble-dryer.

5. If you spend a prolonged period outside when the pollen count is high, you should ideally take a shower and wash your hair when you get in, especially if it is thick or long. At least try to rinse your hair to get rid of any pollen.

6. Keep a set of clothes that you only wear indoors. Clothes worn outside could be full of pollen. Avoid taking your outdoor clothes into the bedroom.

Perhaps the most effective solution is to leave the area. If circumstances permit, move nearer the equator for a while. The plants that affect you will have finished pollinating. Alternatively move to a high mountainous area or a windy seacoast.

David Kane is the author of 101 Top Tips for Asthma Relief. He has produced a number of resources to help asthma sufferers monitor and control their condition.Find these at his web site http://www.asthma-relieftips.com