At Nirvana Healthcare Management Services, we understand how asthma can affect one’s everyday life. It makes tasks as simple as breathing even more difficult to accomplish. By receiving medical treatment, you can get back to doing the things you love without hassle.

Learn more about our asthma treatment services in East Orange and Newark, NJ at our care locations: Salerno Medical Associates, Metropolitan Medical Group, Roseville Medical Society, North Ward Medical Arts and Armenti Medical Group. Treatments are also available through CHOP/SHOP which provides house visits to eligible patients. 

What Is Asthma?

Asthma is a type of chronic respiratory disease that constricts your airways, causing them to narrow, become inflamed, and produce excess mucus. This can make the simple act of breathing a daunting task, and it can even impact everyday activities such as talking, exercising, and more. People with asthma can experience symptoms such as:

• Coughing that worsens at night or in the morning
• Wheezing
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain, tightness, or pressure
• Trouble sleeping

However, asthma symptoms aren’t one-size-fits-all, and symptoms may vary from person to person. Sometimes, symptoms may only present themselves during periods of exercise or sickness. That’s why it’s so important to monitor asthma symptoms so you can receive care as soon as possible. If left untreated, you may find yourself in the hospital more often, leading to costly bills and a decreased quality of life.

Signs of an Asthma Attack

If your asthma symptoms worsen, this can bring about an episode called an asthma attack. Asthma attacks are caused by tightening airway muscles which can make it incredibly hard to breathe. Asthma attacks can also cause a variety of additional symptoms such as:

• Severe wheezing
• Excessive coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain or pressure
• Difficulty talking
• Blue lips or fingernails

If you believe you’re having an asthma attack, seek out proper medical treatment immediately.

We Can Help Manage Your Asthma

When diagnosing asthma conditions, it’s important to determine which type of asthma you may have. There are four main types of asthma conditions, including mild intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent, and severe persistent. To diagnose asthma, your provider may conduct a series of tests to determine your best course of treatment. Tests used to diagnose asthma conditions include:

• Spirometry, which measures your air outtake and how fast you can blow air out
• Peak flow, which measures how well your lungs can push air out
• Additional testing, which may include a methacholine challenge, or an exhaled nitric oxide text
• Referral to an additional specialist

If your provider still cannot determine a diagnosis after testing, you may be subject to additional testing like chest X-rays, C.T.s, or allergy tests. Once you are diagnosed with asthma, we can create a personalized treatment plan that works best for you. Referral to a pulmonary specialist may also be recommended. Asthma treatment options include:

Medication

Your provider may prescribe medications you can take to manage your asthma symptoms. There are a variety of medications that can treat asthma long-term so you can get back to doing what you love. They may prescribe medications through inhalers, pills, or injections.

Lifestyle Changes

The best way to prevent serious asthma attacks from occurring is by knowing what your asthma triggers are and actively working to avoid them. Whether it’s through your environment or certain lifestyle choices, a list of irritants to avoid includes:

• Viral infections like the cold or flu
• Allergens such as mold and dust
• Strong odors
• Air pollution
• Tobacco smoke
• Changes in weather, temperature, or humidity

In addition to avoiding certain irritants, we may also suggest regular physical exercise, as well as breathing exercises, to improve lung strength and prevent asthma attacks from occurring.

Learn More About Asthma Treatment in NJ

If you believe you may have asthma, don’t wait to seek out proper medical treatment. Our family-owned facility aims to provide reliable health care services for our families in Essex County, NJ. To learn more about how we can help you manage your asthma symptoms, contact Nirvana Healthcare Management Services today.