If you suspect you have adult or late-onset asthma a final diagnosis should be left to a qualified practitioner, but there are some signs that suggest asthma may be a problem.
Many adults who develop asthma will have experienced chest problems as a child. They may have suffered a higher than average number of coughs or episodes of bronchitis. This may have been undiagnosed asthma.
Although asthma does seem to run in families because there is a genetic component to the condition it is not unusual for a single family member to develop asthma while their siblings do not.
If you have more than two of the following symptoms it is probable that you are suffering some form of lung disease and you should consult a doctor.
1.Do you correctly use your diaphragm to breathe, or do you lift your shoulders and chest as you breathe?
2.Can you complete long sentences without becoming short of breath?
3.Do you wheeze? This could be a sign that mucus has built up in your airways.
4.Do you have a rapid pulse? This could be due to lack of oxygen in your bloodstream.
5.Are your chest, back or stomach muscles painful? This could be a sign of the strain breathing is putting on these muscles.
If you do have asthma it is likely that it is triggered by something. The most common asthma triggers include pollution from traffic or industry, cold or dry air, and airborne irritants.
There are many other triggers. In women, hormones can trigger a susceptibility to asthma. Some women find asthma becomes a problem just before a period, some experience symptoms during pregnancy, and some around the menopause.
Many cases of adult asthma are triggered by viral infections that affect the respiratory system. Others find that symptoms become noticeable as they put on weight. There seems to be a link between obesity and asthma.
So what is the next step if you suspect you have asthma? You need to visit your doctor, and you will make the most of the consultation if you go prepared.
Think about your home and your place of work. Do these have any triggers that may be starting your asthma? Are there any other environments, activities or substances that seem to provoke a worsening of your condition?
Give some thought to your medical history and whether any relatives have suffered from asthma, eczema or any allergies. If you are not sure there is any connection between how you feel and where you are or what you do keep a daily journal of your condition, preferably for about two weeks.
With this information and some simple breathing tests your doctor should be able to tell you whether you have asthma. If you find you do have asthma, take comfort from the fact that we know more about this disease and how to manage it than ever before.
Dealing with employee insubordination is a difficult task. If left unchecked, it can snowball into a major problem that affects more than just one employee. As other employees see the insubordinate employee "getting away" with being insubordinate, they become more inclined to behave in that manner as well.
And you know what happens next . . . morale and productivity drops dramatically. To stop this from happening, you must recognize these five early warning signs of employee insubordination.
The First Early Warning Sign of Employee Insubordination: Dishonesty
A lack of honesty is the first warning sign of employee insubordination. You may catch the employee in a couple "white lies" that are not a big deal at first. What you may not realize is that these white lies are the employee's way of testing you. If you don't call the employee to the table for telling these little white lies, he or she thinks it is acceptable to lie to you and that it is easy to get away with telling stories. Before you know it, these lies will escalate to major lies that disrupt the efficiency of your business.
The Second Early Warning Sign of Employee Insubordination: Incompetence
An employee that is incompetent, whether real or feigned, may present problems down the road. As with the dishonest employee, an employee that pretends to not understand the job requirements is already trying to see how little he or she can get away with. For the employee that is genuinely incapable, he or she can easily become an insubordinate employee - even if it is unintentional.
Therefore, you should watch for an employee that has difficulty concentrating or following directions, as this employee may develop into a major problem for you and your business. Other signs that you have an incompetent employee on your hands include a decrease in productivity with an increase in the number of mistakes or an employee that has frequent memory lapses.
The Third Early Warning Sign of Employee Insubordination: Reluctance to Change
Another early warning sign of employee insubordination is an unwillingness or general reluctance to change. An employee that is unwilling to change his or her work habits is likely to develop a negative attitude. How do you recognize an employee with this reluctance? This employee may have negative conversations with other employees or may often overreact to problems or issues that you discuss. The employee may also get flustered easily, have strained relationships with other employees, or may have irritable outbursts while on-the-job.
The Fourth Early Warning Sign of Employee Insubordination: Lack of Dependability
A person that fails to complete the duties you have assigned to him or her is also presenting early signs of employee insubordination. This lack of dependability may even be purposeful as the employee intentionally slows down on production to "get back" at you or to try to show dominance. Even an employee that is honestly undependable is still a problem, as the result is the same either way: the work they need to do is not getting done. A telltale sign of an employee that is not dependable is poor attendance.
The Fifth Early Warning Sign of Employee Insubordination: Apathy
An employee that is apathetic is also a candidate for employee insubordination. Employees that are not engaged in their job are less likely to work to their fullest potential. They are also more likely to slack off on their duties and to fail to comply with your directives. Signs of an employee that is apathetic include withdrawing from other employees and being physically but not mentally present at work.
What to Do about Employee Insubordination?
If you have an employee that exhibits any of these early warning signs of insubordination, here's how to stop the problem before it gets worse. First put your employee into progressive discipline. Start a formal documentation procedure and give consistent feedback to the employee. Give them every opportunity to improve.
If progressive discipline doesn't have an effect on the employee's behavior, then you must fire this individual. Otherwise the employee will destroy the morale and productivity of your workforce. So keep a vigilant eye out for the 5 early warning signs of employee insubordination and tackle any potential problems before they ruin your workplace.
Both David Kane & Kevin Muir are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
David Kane has sinced written about articles on various topics from Asthma, Allergies and Asthma. David Kane is the author of 'Stop Asthma Now' and is giving away copies of his 'Guide to Allergy and Asthma Relief'. To get your copy visit the