Nocturnal asthma management
“The sleeping patient is still very much a patient.” His disease does not stop just because his body is asleep. In fact, its progress can be seen in an entirely different fashion from it’s progression during the waking state.
Asthma has the potential to change greatly during sleep. Asthma is a disease of hyperactive or very sensitive airways that can sometimes become narrowed. This will then make breathing much more difficult. This disease is a very complex problem that has challenged medical science for many years now. It is considered a chronic condition because if it is not properly treated, the attacks will continue. There are different types of asthma and many different factors that will trigger and attack. The fundamental causes have yet to be discovered.
Suddenly you feel your chest tighten up. You cough — a dry cough, and it’s difficult to breathe. You begin to wheeze. These are the symptoms of an asthma attack, a frightening occurrence at any time, but it’s even more scary when such an attack awakens you in the dead of night and you lie there gasping for breath, feeling helpless. This is Nocturnal Asthma. It’s frightening, it disrupts your sleep and leaves you feeling dragged out and tired all the next day.
Causes of nocturnal asthma?
Nocturnal asthma can be caused by a combination of the following factors:
~Allergic factors: Exposure to certain allergens during the day can cause an asthma episode several hours later, during sleep. Studies have shown that the chances of an attack are even greater if the exposure occurs in the evening hours.
~Inflammation: For some patients with asthma, swelling of the airways increases at night. This swelling is related to circadian changes in body chemicals.
Actions you can take to deal with nocturnal asthma:
It is common to experience a worsening of asthma symptoms at night. Treatment of any underlying causes is important. Controlling allergen exposure in the bedroom, treating sinusitis and/or post-nasal drip and gastroesophageal reflux are important for managing nighttime symptoms. Your doctor may need to adjust the type and timing of medications to give extra protection during the night. Remember, you should be able to sleep through the night without asthma symptoms.
