What is night asthma?
people with asthma often find that their symptoms are getting worse at night. Symptoms of asthma, such as tightness of the chest, difficulty breathing, cough and wheezing disrupt sleep during the night and can cause daily drowsiness and fatigue. Night asthma also makes it difficult to control the symptoms of daily asthma. Night asthmatic attacks are potentially threatening life, and studies suggest that asthma -related deaths are likely to occur at night than during the day.
Night asthma is associated with several physiological phenomena. Nitner oxide levels, as well as some cellular receptors, decrease at night, resulting in reduced availability of natural bronchodilators. Night asthma is also associated with low levels of melatonin, as well as low hormone levels such as epinephrine, helping to maintain the airways relaxed.
Although these associations are well established, the causes of asthma night attacks and the reasons why asthma symptoms remain unknown. There are several possible explanations. JIt is that, given the previously mentioned physiological phenomena, it is more likely to be narrowed at night. Another possible trigger is that nasal and lung secretions more often accumulate in the airways and lungs during the night. Reduced lung volume and increased lung pressure from being in a lying position can increase the narrowing of the airways. The loss of moisture and heat in the airways is also assumed to trigger night asthma.
People are more likely to experience asthma attacks during the night if they also suffer from gastroesophageal reflux. This condition may deepen the symptoms of night asthma because the regurgited stomach acid sometimes drips into the trachea, causing irritation and narrowing of the airways. People suffering from asthma and gastroesophageal reflux often FIA that the night symptoms of asthma reduce severity or disappear completely when reflux is effectively treated.
normal asthma treatmentIt cannot cure the condition but can help reduce the frequency and severity of the night asthma attacks. Typical treatment involves stricter control of symptoms of day and night asthma with drugs. Long -acting medicines are the most effective because these continue to provide anti -inflammatory effects during hours of sleep.
Reducing the allergenic potential of sleep environment can also help prevent night asthma. Keeping a bedroom without dust, hair for pets, pets and any other known asthma triggers can reduce night symptoms. It may also be useful to modify the content of temperature or humidity in the air if it is too dry or too cold.