When trying to control your asthma you need to consider the possible side effects of the treatment. Sometimes the particular side effects of your asthma medication can make daily living quite uncomfortable and unpleasant to endure. It is known that you may have an increased risk of side effects if you are using inhalers or oral medications on a daily basis.
The intensity of the side effects differs according to the medication used. Let us now look at some of the more common asthma medications and the possible side effects that may occur when you use them.
First type: The Bronchodilators
A bronchodilator is commonly referred to as a rescue inhaler. What they do is relax the muscles surrounding the airways and this has the effect of enabling you to breathe more easily. However you will still be left with the initial problem which is inflammation in the tubes.
Bronchodilators are by far and above the most frequently used product for relieving your asthma symptions. the most common types in use are albuterol and pirbuterol. Fortunately side effects are minimised when you use bronchodilators but you may experience side effects if you tend to overuse them and find that your heart rate is increased and other irregularities.
Second type: The Oral Corticosteroids. If your asthma condition is more acute then your symptoms may be more severe. This is when Oral Corticosteroids may be prescribed for you. They have the benefit of reducing inflammation in the bronchioles which are located in the lungs. However using this type of medication brings with it the risk of a number of side effects, so they are commonly only used in helping reduce severe inflammation over a short period of time. Sometimes though, if symptoms cannot be treated effectively with other types of medication, then a steroid like prednisone may be used for longer term treatment.
Some of the side effects which may occur with oral steroids are insomnia, a thinning of the skin, mood changes and even a noticable increase in your hair growth. Others are constant itching, development of hives, a tingling sensation in your facial area, difficulty with breathing, pain in the eyes, drinking more liquid, urinating more often, pains in the stomach area, problems with vision, retaining fluid and even putting on weight.
Third type: The Inhaled Steroids
If you are prescribed a type of steroid medication for inhaling then the side effects are usually milder than those taken by mouth. This type of medication is usually the best treatment initially for people with asthma, because they have fewer side effects and they are effective in treating inflammation. They can be used on a daily basis over a long period of time, and may be used in conjunction with other types of treatment.
However, it should be noted that oral yeast infections may occur when using this type of treatment, and it is wise to visit your doctor for frequent checkups to help prevent any problems from developing.
Fourth type: Leukotrine modifiers.
These types of medication are relatively new in the fight against asthma. They are effective in reducing and even preventing inflammation, but not so good when the condition is at a more advanced stage. However you may find them to be beneficial in keeping inflammation at bay.
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