In the article we will talk about the psychosomatics of bronchial asthma.
Such an ailment is a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory system. Its main symptoms are attacks of shortness of breath along with coughing, and sometimes suffocation. Attacks are often activated at night and in the morning. The most common causes of asthma are dust allergies, and in addition, activities in places with pungent chemical odors (for example, perfumes, household chemicals) and smoking. However, the influence of psychosomatics on bronchial asthma has long been proven.
External causes of the disease
The causes of bronchial asthma are very diverse. They are divided into two groups: internal and external factors. The external factors of pathology include the following factors:
- Household dust in its composition has a large number of different microorganisms, for example, it includes dead skin particles along with hair, chemicals, plant pollen, dust mites and their excrement. All these particles, especially dust mites, are known allergens that trigger asthma attacks.
- The impact of poor environmental conditions. Doctors note that residents of industrial cities where there is a large amount of exhaust gases, smoke and harmful fumes suffer from asthma much more often than residents of places with more favorable conditions.
- The impact of professional activity. An increased percentage of patients with asthma was recorded among employees working in the chemical industry, and also among workers working in poorly ventilated areas. This also includes the masters of beauty salons and the like.
- The systematic inhalation of tobacco products, and, at the same time, smoking mixtures, leads to the development of pathological changes in the mucous membrane of the respiratory organs, which is why smokers often notice such ailments as chronic bronchitis, asthma and cancer.
- Exposure to household chemicals and personal care products. Modern cleaning products contain chemicals that can develop coughing fits, and sometimes asthma and suffocation.
- Diseases of the respiratory system. Chronic bronchitis along with tracheitis and pneumonia contribute to the development of the inflammatory process in the mucous membranes, and, in addition, obstruction of the bronchi.
- The effects of drugs. Taking certain drugs can disrupt the activity of the bronchial column, which as a result will lead to asthma attacks. In particular, “Aspirin” and other medicines from a number of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are noted among such drugs.
- The effect of stress. Stressful situations along with the inability to overcome various problems and properly respond to them lead to stress. Stress helps to weaken the immune system, which makes it difficult for him to cope with allergens and other pathological factors that can lead to bronchial asthma.
- It is noted that with good nutrition, mainly food of plant origin, which is enriched with vitamins and minerals, the development of asthma is minimized. In addition, such food improves asthma. In turn, useless and, at the same time, unhealthy food, and, in addition, foods that are rich in fats and animal proteins, worsen the clinical course of this disease and increase the number of exacerbations of the pathology. Food additives, for example, sulfites, which are preservatives that are used by many manufacturers in beer or wine, can also cause an asthma attack.
Internal causes of pathology
Doctors attribute a hereditary predisposition to the internal causes of asthma disease. If future parents have bronchial asthma, there is a risk of this disease in the baby. Doctors note that the percentage of bronchial asthma diseases with hereditary factors is about thirty-five percent. In the event that a hereditary factor is established, then such asthma is also called atopic. Other internal causes are disorders of the nervous, immune and endocrine systems.
Next, we proceed to consider the clinical picture and symptoms of this pathology.
The first symptoms of the disease
Symptoms of bronchial asthma are often similar to signs of bronchitis, vascular dystonia and other diseases. The first signs of asthma are:
- The appearance of shortness of breath, especially after exercise.
- A feeling of stuffiness in the chest along with suffocation.
- The appearance of a cough, first dry, then with sputum.
- The appearance of sneezing and rapid surface breathing, with a sense of difficulty exhaling.
- The appearance of wheezing when breathing with a whistle.
- The occurrence of urticaria and orthopnea.
special instructions
If the first signs of bronchial asthma occur (according to ICD-10 code J45), it is better to seek medical help, since even if the symptoms of the disease appear, they disappear on their own, each time this can cause a complex chronic course of the pathology with exacerbations. In addition, timely assistance will provide an opportunity to warn against pathological changes in the respiratory tract, which at times is almost impossible to turn into an absolutely healthy state.
Main symptoms
The main symptoms include:
- The appearance of general weakness and malaise.
- Heart rhythm disturbance. In this case, the pulse will be in the range up to 90 beats per minute, and during seizures it can increase to 130.
- The presence of wheezing.
- The appearance of a feeling of stuffiness in the chest along with suffocation.
- Onset of headache and dizziness.
- The presence of pain in the lower chest. This symptom is most often observed in patients with prolonged seizures.
Manifestations in severe illness
In severe cases of the disease, the following manifestations of the disease will be noted in patients:
- The occurrence of acrocyanosis and diffuse blueness of the skin.
- An enlarged heart along with signs of pulmonary emphysema in the form of an enlargement of the chest and a weakening of breathing.
- The appearance of pathological changes in the structure of the nail plates (the nails begin to crack).
- The occurrence of drowsiness along with the development of minor diseases in the form of dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, runny nose and so on.
The psychosomatics of bronchial asthma disease will be described below.
Pathology diagnostics
Diagnosis of bronchial asthma involves the following examination methods:
- Collection of medical history and patient complaints along with a physical examination.
- Spirometry This type of study involves the study of the functions of external respiration.
- Conducting respiratory tests with bronchodilators.
- A study on the presence of eosinophils in the blood and sputum.
- Taking skin, conjunctival, inhalation and nasal samples along with the determination of a general and specific radio-allergy sorbent test.
- Radiography of the chest.
- Conducting computed tomography.
- Performing an electrocardiogram.
- Conducting daily pH-metry in cases of suspected reflux nature of bronchial asthma.
- Conducting an eight-minute run test.
All this allows you to identify the severity of bronchial asthma.
Pathology treatment
How to cure asthma? Therapy of bronchial asthma is painstaking and lengthy work, which includes the following treatment methods:
- Carrying out drug treatment includes basic therapy, which is aimed at supporting and anti-inflammatory effects. Symptomatic therapy is also carried out.
- The absolute exclusion from the life of patients of any factors in the development of the disease, i.e. allergens and the like.
- Compliance with diet along with general strengthening of the body.
For the relief of bronchial asthma, it is very important not to use only symptomatic drugs that briefly ease the course of the disease, for example, adrenomimetics in the form of “Ventolin” and “Salbutamol”. The fact is that the human body quickly gets used to them, therefore, over time, their effectiveness is significantly reduced, and sometimes completely absent, while the pathological process continues to develop, and further therapy, exactly like a positive prognosis for absolute recovery, only get complicated.
Psychosomatics of the disease
Choking is often caused not only by a pungent smell or a lot of dust in the air, but also by severe stress or even negative thoughts. That is why doctors associate the occurrence of this disease with psychosomatics. Bronchial asthma is associated with the inability to express your negative emotions in the usual natural way, for example, through tears.
Asthmatics are characterized by strong emotionality along with low stress resistance. They are constantly trying to suppress the internal negative, which comes out in the form of bronchial spasms.
The psychosomatics of bronchial asthma is observed in adults, as well as in children.
A characteristic feature of patients suffering from this disease is hypersensitivity to various odors, especially unpleasant ones. Such people are overly pedantic and accurate, highly dependent on the opinions of others and the opinions of outsiders. In addition, they are characterized by reduced self-esteem.
The psychosomatics of bronchial asthma is not fully understood.
Asthma in children: treatment
With psychosomatics of bronchial asthma in children, fast speech is observed, which is often colored by negative emotionality. They argue that the people around them cannot evaluate their condition. As a rule, asthmatics tolerate stressful situations quite difficult, which leads to an acute attack of the disease.
Therapy of bronchial asthma in children is a very complex process. Drug treatment should be selected only by a doctor. You can not conduct self-medication, since improper use of drugs can only aggravate the course of the disease, and, in addition, lead to more frequent and prolonged attacks of suffocation, as well as to the development of a deficiency of the respiratory system in the child.
Symptomatic therapy
Symptomatic therapy includes drugs that have a bronchodilator effect. At the same time, Ventolin is used along with Berotek and Salbutamol. In the presence of a severe course, corticosteroid preparations are used. Important is considered not only the choice of the drug, but also the method of its administration.
The most commonly used method is the inhalation route of administration when the drug enters the lungs in the form of an aerosol. But it is very difficult for young children to use inhalers. Many children simply do not understand the directions and inhale the drug incorrectly. Moreover, with this method of administration, most of the drug can remain on the back of the throat. Typically, a maximum of twenty percent of the medication reaches the bronchi.
In the book of Louise Hay about the psychosomatics of bronchial asthma, much is said.
Psychological factors in the development of bronchial asthma, according to Louise Hay
The American psychologist Louise Hay in her works mentions the following psychological causes of asthma:
- The psychologist sees the main reasons for the development of this disease of the respiratory system in that people cannot let go of their love, crush it in themselves and are not able to live primarily for themselves.
- According to the American psychologist, asthmatics very often suppress their feelings. A similar psychological picture soon flows into an acute physical manifestation in the form of shortness of breath, coughing and the like.
What else does Louise Hay say about the psychosomatics of bronchial asthma?
In order to get rid of this problem, the author recommends that his patients pronounce to themselves the words that the person himself is the master of his life. Thus, the psychologist is sure that in order to get rid of such an ailment, people should allow themselves to be free from everything and from inseparable feelings, including.
We examined the psychosomatics of bronchial asthma.