Does wheezing mean that you have asthma?
Good question.
Your doctor will diagnose you with asthma when you have wheezing that reoccurs over an extended period of time.
You just have “reactive airways” when you wheeze with a cold, and it goes away. When you return to your doctor complaining of ongoing wheezing, you are eventually considered “asthmatic”.
Asthma is considered to be a disease that “inflames and narrows the airways”.
It is commonly accepted that asthma is not curable, and it lies dormant waiting to flare up at anytime.
The treatment for asthma is a combination of oral and inhaled medication to make your airways less inflamed.
Recently advisers to the FDA recommended that the drugs, salmeterol (Serevent) and formoterol (Foradil), not be used for young children and there is concern for young adults.
They want the drugs used for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but not asthma.
These drugs are considered to carry too high a risk for asthma-related complications and death!
These drugs have been used routinely to TREAT asthma and COPD for years.
Now they are saying that they are just too dangerous when used without steroids!
Steroids are used to reduce inflammation
Does any of that make sense to you?
Heck, doesn’t make any sense to me, and I have been taking care of asthma patients for well over 20 years.
So if you wheeze, DO you have asthma?
Do you have a disease you will have to medicate the rest of your life?
Maybe you do, and maybe you don’t.
You certainly DO have the power to reduce inflammation, and you can do it without dangerous drugs!
Less inflammation is always a good thing.
However, there is a bigger issue here that we need to talk about.
Wheezing can also be caused by fluid in the lungs.
- There are a variety of reasons that you might have fluid in your lungs.
- Fluid in your lungs is a cause for major concern.
- The cause of your fluid imbalance should be identified as soon as possible!
Heart Failure is often MIS-diagnosed as asthma!
If you are actually dealing with heart failure, low oxygen levels are a huge concern!
Oxygen and other essential nutrients can not be transported where they need to go when you have excess fluid interfering with the process!
Tight wheezy lungs can compound a fluid retention situation quickly for a heart failure patient.
Shortness of breath can become a scarey trip to the hospital, QUICK!
Even if you don’t have heart failure, fluid retention robs your health.
The excess fluid you retain over works your heart.
Low oxygen level will cause quick distress to a failing heart.
If you are wheezing, you are definitely experiencing inflammation and narrowing of your airways.
Whether you actually have asthma or not, how do you reduce the inflammation in your breathing passages that causes your wheezing?
You just read that the FDA has issued warning about the safety of asthma drugs. They don’t do that often. In fact, there are many drugs available today that science is proving to be harmful without any warning being issued to the user.
Your doctor gets to decide if what you are drugging is worse than the side effects of the drug you are about to swallow?
Or do YOU want to decide if you are willing to take the risk of developing deadly side effects?
To Reduce Inflammation:
- Remember that only fresh fruits and vegetables and fresh fruit and vegetable juices become alkaline in your body. Everything else is acid forming.
- Sip water all day.
- Avoid prepared fruit juice and soda. (If you drink your fruit you are better off using a blender than a juicer.)
- Eat nuts raw, not roasted.
- Sit for a few minutes in quiet stillness daily.
- Keep your meat and dairy consumption to a minimum.
- Focus on slow exhale all day. (Lift your chin and explore your slow exhale followed by a short pause if you can.)
- Get plenty of sustained activity.
- Choose peace and happiness.
If you reduce inflammation, you will reduce the incidence and severity of your wheezing and shortness of breath.
Your joint pain will diminish.
You will sleep better.
Your mental irritability will decrease, and your attitude will improve.
If you wheeze, do you have asthma?
Reduce your inflammation and find out if your wheezing goes away.
Need Help?
Many blessings,
Carrie Tucker, RCP
The Life Breath Coach
Heart Failure Solutions
PS- If you have severe swelling at your ankles, and you have just been diagnosed with asthma, get a second opinion!
PPS– Remember everyday:
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Relax and Release tension
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Exhale Slowly
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Be active in a way that adds joy to your life
Plus pure water ~whole foods~sunshine~and laughter.