Allergic reactions are among the most prevalent medical problems affecting Americans at the moment. An allergic reaction is an immune system response to a stimulus from the environment. The body mistakenly counts the stimulus as unsafe, and attempts to combat it, causing the symptoms of an allergic reaction. The frequent symptoms are an itching or runny nose, wheezing, coughing and irritated eyes.

One very prevalent type of allergy is asthma. It is a chronic allergy that directly affects the lungs and airways in the body. The airways are easily irritated by allergens and a thick lining of mucus builds up. Allergens and other stimuli can induce an asthma attack, including pollen, smoke, temperature variations and humidity variations. Normally, an asthma attack consists of a number of respiratory symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and difficulty breathing. Another symptom of asthma is shortness of breath.

Symptoms of an asthma attack are caused by the air passages reacting to the allergen or trigger. When exposed to a trigger, the airways become irritated and contract, causing the respiratory symptoms. These symptoms can range from moderate to severe, depending on the severity of the allergy. Any asthma symptom can be upsetting, and should be taken seriously.

Asthma is usually diagnosed in childhood, because symptoms tend to manifest by the age of five. Currently, it affects around ten to twelve percent of all children, and has been steadily rising. There is no conclusive known reason for the rise, but risk factors include exposure to cigarette smoke, other allergies and a history of other respiratory infections. In addition, the odds of being diagnosed are raised in males and African Americans.

Currently there are several different types of asthma drugs and methods of treatment that can effectively diminish symptoms. Two important types of asthma medication are fast-acting medicine to treat symptoms during an asthma attack, and preventing medicine, which is taken on a regular basis to lower the chance of having an attack. Short-acting Beta-2 Antagonists (SABAs) are bronchodilators, which is a type of fast acting medication that facilitates opening airways and alleviating the symptoms of an asthma attack, and are usually given through asthma inhalators. This type of medicine does not treat the inflammation that causes an attack, but is effective when taken during an asthma attack, and will last for 3 - 6 hours after it is given.

Controlling asthma drugs are taken on a regular basis and treats the underlying causes of the attacks. The most universal types of this medicine are asthma inhalers containing a steroid that reduces inflammation in the airways and lungs and Long-Acting Beta-2 Antagonists (LABAs). The results of long-acting asthma inhalers usually last for twelve hours, and can lower the number of attacks that take place while the asthmatic is asleep. Several drugs have very severe side effects for some people.

Several types of asthma treatment alternative therapies are presently getting more popular. A few alternative approaches focus just on preventative care, such as not smoking during pregnancy or around babies, including a selenium-rich diet or removing sources of allergy causing substances in the home. Some other treatments include reducing weight, increasing Omega-3 intake, decreasing Omega-6 intake, acupuncture, relaxation techniques and hypnotherapy. It is important to note that any type of alternative therapy is designated to be used in conjunction with medical advice, while fast-acting medications are frequently required for an acute asthma attack.

One treatment program that is getting more popular is self-hypnosis or hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy for asthma has the goal of triggering the relaxation response, which can serve to prevent or diminish your symptoms when having an attack. Some other alternative types of asthma treatment also employ relaxation as a tool to eliminate symptoms, such as with meditation programs.

Using hypnosis, one can treat the emotional aspects of an asthma attack, which have the capacity to make an attack much more intense. It is only human nature to get anxious or feel threatened when we feel our air supply being cut off. This instinctual reaction in reality may intensify the severity of an asthma attack. Similar feelings of fearfulness and apprehension about having an asthma attack can actually bring on an attack. These emotional causes and reactions are managed with the asthma treatment method of self-hypnosis.

Hypnotism has been proven to be an extremely effective asthma treatment. Either with a trained hypnotherapist, or using one of the many recorded programs obtainable, an individual can easily glide into a relaxing state, and begin to take charge over breathing and bodily functions. One of the best techniques is to learn how to utilize self-hypnosis to actually abort an oncoming asthma attack. The self-hypnosis method of asthma treatment is enormously successful, and can work well for those who can't take or do not want to take prescription medication on a regular basis. Which asthma treatment you choose depends both on the severity of your symptoms and what type of treatment that works well for your symptoms.