Inflammation occurs as a response to foreign objects and injured tissue and organs. It’s an immune response that aids with healing and recovery. Sometimes, your blood doesn’t have a foreign object such as a virus or bacteria, but an inflammatory response occurs anyway. When that happens, it’s damaging to your body.
If you’re exposed to the flu, your immune response triggers an attack to neutralize those germs. The inflammatory cells and cytokines that help increase the number of inflammatory cells get to work trapping those germs and allowing tissue to heal. Sometimes, the response isn’t related to germs.
There are many inflammatory conditions, but not every one of them causes respiratory problems. Some of the most common inflammatory conditions include:
Some of these conditions are tied to your lifestyle. Being obese and living a sedentary lifestyle can increase the likelihood of developing one or more of them. Chronic stress, poor sleep, and an unhealthy diet also increase the risk. Diets high in saturated fat, sugar, and sodium are problems. The use of alcohol and tobacco and exposure to toxins like air pollution also increases the odds of developing a chronic health condition.
There are three main concerns when it comes to inflammatory conditions and your respiratory health.
Asthma affects all ages and occurs when inflammation and muscle tightness close off the airways. More than 28 million Americans have asthma, and a large percentage of them are older adults. This is not always a disease that starts in childhood.
When asthma hits, It becomes very difficult to breathe, and the chest feels tight while coughing and wheezing become common problems. Some of the triggers include cold weather, fragrances, pet dander, pollen, smoke, and stress. Medications are often used to treat an asthma attack, but avoiding triggers is equally important.
COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Its root cause is damage to the lungs and airways. This damage triggers inflammation that makes it hard to breathe and may produce extra mucus in the lungs. There are two main forms of COPD affecting more than 14 million Americans.
Emphysema: Damage to the air sacs within the lungs that keeps them from stretching and filling with air properly.
Smoking is a leading cause of COPD, and anyone diagnosed with this inflammatory health condition must stop smoking. Air pollution is another leading cause, and that’s harder to avoid. Using air purifiers inside and limiting time spent when the outdoor air quality is poor are important. Oxygen therapy and other medications are often prescribed for COPD.
Most people are familiar with viruses like COVID, the flu, and pneumonia. They’re difficult to avoid, but they can trigger severe inflammation that makes it hard to breathe properly. Seeing a doctor for a proper diagnosis is important. So is getting a vaccination to help lessen the severe impact these viruses cause.
If you have one of these viruses or suspect that you might, see a doctor if you have underlying health issues. Get plenty of rest, drink a lot of water and herbal tea to help keep mucus flowing, and stay home to avoid infecting others or picking up another virus when your immune system is already busy battling a disease.
When you have an inflammatory condition that impacts your breathing, what can you do? Start by seeing an allergy specialist. You need a proper diagnosis and action plan that helps you live a full life without putting your health at risk. Most plans for managing inflammation and allergies cover the following.
Lifestyle modifications are the first step to easing inflammation that impacts your breathing. Aiming for foods known to be anti-inflammatory and that are high in antioxidants is important. Many doctors suggest trying Mediterranean meal plans as they focus on fresh vegetables, fruits, grains, and fish. Some of the best foods to incorporate into your diet are:
You want to avoid foods with added sugar, processed carbs and ingredients, cured or processed meats, and trans fats. Skip soda and drinks with added sugar. Alcohol is best avoided. If you’re craving a soda, try a seltzer with a slice of orange, lemon, or lime instead. If you want a beer, try some of the newer hop waters that are fizzy water with hop oils and brewer’s yeast added.
Stress, anxiety, and depression can all worsen inflammation within your body. It’s impossible to avoid all stress, but learning ways to better manage stress is essential. This might mean seeing a therapist who specializes in anxiety or depression, engaging in fitness activities known to reduce stress, or finding creative outlets for easing stress. A hobby that relaxes you is a good start.
Many find hobbies like reading, baking, or painting are great ways to ease stress. Hobbies focus your mind on the task at hand and not the world around you.
Strengthening your lungs is also important. As exercise is another way to improve your overall health and strengthen your muscles and many organs like your lungs, try some of the fitness programs that include deep meditative breathing that works out the lungs while also helping reduce stress. Tai Chi and Yoga are great programs with beginner classes.
Finally, watch for triggers in your environment. If you know that a dusty (dust mites) environment will trigger asthma attacks, take steps to avoid having a lot of dust in your home. Swap out carpeting for wood floors. Wash curtains and bedding regularly, and run an air purifier to capture small dust particles. If you have an HVAC system with forced air, change the air filter regularly.
If you have a hard time coughing and becoming congested around heavy fragrances, avoid perfumes and fragrances added to everyday items like laundry detergent, body wash, shampoo, or cleaning supplies.
You might have medications that are necessary to reduce airway inflammation and improve your health. If your doctor recommends an inhaler, keep the prescription current and make sure you have it available. If you’re on beta blockers to lower your blood pressure, take them as directed. Don’t miss a dose, and if you do, talk to your doctor about how to handle it when you forget or are unable to take it.
Viruses like COVID, the flu, pneumonia, and RSV are hard to avoid unless you stay home and never come into contact with others. You can do your part to protect yourself from severe cases of these common viruses.
See your doctor to get your annual flu shot. Get any COVID boosters that are recommended. If you’re over the age of 50, the pneumococcal vaccine is recommended. You should also get your shingles vaccinations if you’ve had chicken pox at any point, and most doctors also recommend Hep A and Hep B vaccinations to older adults.
Research into new treatment options is ongoing. Immunotherapy is one option for dealing with certain allergies, so it’s worth asking a doctor about allergy shots or oral immunotherapy options if you are dealing with allergies to items like pollen, dust mites, or pet dander.
Taking control of your health is important. It’s equally important to work with a specialist in inflammatory respiratory diseases. Premium Asthma & Respiratory Center provides the relief you need when allergies trigger respiratory conditions like chronic cough and asthma. Book an appointment online today!
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