Asthma, the chronic inflammation of airways, is a problem seen the world over. It is estimated that three crore people are affected world wide.
However, the disease can be controlled and does not turn fatal in most cases, professor of pulmonlogy in Andhra Medical College and chest physician in Government Chest Hospital K.V.V. Vijaya Kumar has said.
Inhalation therapy is now the best norm adopted all over the world.
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Doses of medicines are inhaled from a canister to control asthma and get relief as the airway is cleared, says the physician.
Genetic factors and environmental pollution, along with personality traits like anxiety, are among the factors that cause asthma.
Work pressure, anxiety, disappointment, and not reaching the goals cause asthma among the grownups. High expectation from parents and teachers of corporate schools and junior colleges lead to children becoming asthmatic, he warns.
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In a place like Visakhapatnam, which is facing industrial pollution on a high scale, the first few minutes of rain — acid rain — can aggravate the condition of an asthma patient.
Dr. Vijaya Kumar says long-term complications are rare if regular medication is followed. In the case of child asthmatics, parents must not allow them to eat nuts or any brown eatable.
Symptoms of asthma are wheezing, coughing, tightness of chest, shortness of breath. If an asthma patient is seen in a state of non-wheezing, it cannot be considered that the patient is getting relief.
It is a very critical condition , he said.
Irregular heartbeatAdvanced technology helped a boy get relief from palpitations. He was examined at a corporate hospital here a few days ago and was diagnosed to be having ventricular arrhythmia, meaning irregular heartbeat.
Cardiologist S.N. Panda performed radio frequency treatment with advanced 3D navigational system (NAVX) and removed the arrhythmia.