Category Archives: Respiration Health

Coshh And Respiratory Sensitisers

Breathing in substances called respiratory sensitisers at work can cause occupational asthma.

A respiratory sensitiser is a substance which when inhaled can bring on an irreversible allergic reaction in the respiratory system. Once a sensitisation reaction occurs, continued exposure to the substance will produce symptoms.

Sensitisation does not usually take place right away but can happen after several months or even years of breathing in the sensitiser.

Substances responsible for most cases of occupational asthma include the following:-

Substance Groups & their Common Activities

Isocyanates:Vehicle spray painting;foam manufacturing

Flour/grain/hay:Handling grain at docks;milling, malting, baking

Glutaraldehyde:Disinfecting instruments

Wood dusts:Sawmilling, woodworking

Electronic Soldering Flux:soldering

Latex:Laboratory animal work

Some glues/resins:Curing of epoxy resins

The symptoms of respiratory sensitisation are:

– asthma – attacks of coughing, breathlessness and tightness of the chest

– rhinitis and conjunctivitis – runny or stuffy nose and watery or prickly eyes

Once a person is sensitised, symptoms can occur either immediately they are exposed to the sensitiser or several hours later. If the symptoms are delayed, they are often most severe in the evenings or during the night, so workers may not realise it is work that is causing the problem.

– If exposure to the substance continues, this can result in permanent damage to the lungs. People with rhinitis may go on to develop asthma.

– Respiratory sensitisers are regulated by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health(CoSHH).

CoSHH guidelines recommend an assessment of the risks created by work which are liable to expose employees to respiratory sensitisers.

First, find out whether there is an activity or process in your workplace which uses or creates respiratory sensitisers.

If this is the case, then ask the following:

– Is the sensitiser likely to become airborne in use?

– Are there safer alternatives?

– Who is likely to be exposed, to what concentrations, for how long and how often?

According to CoSHH regulations, exposure must be prevented or controlled. To do this you will need to think about how you can:

– Stop using the sensitiser altogether perhaps by replacing it with a less harmful substance;

or if this is not reasonably practicable;

– Segregate work that may pose a risk; or totally end the process;

or if this is not reasonably practicable;

– Partially enclose the process and provide local exhaust ventilation.

If after carrying out the above you still have not achieved adequate control you will also need to use respiratory protective equipment (RPE).

Unless you are confident that your CoSHH assessment shows that there is an unlikely risk to your health, then a system of health surveillance will need to be set up if employees are exposed to respiratory sensitisers.

If health surveillance makes you suspect an employee has become sensitised you should:

– Remove the individual from working with the sensitiser and advise them to consult a doctor giving information on the work they do and the substances they may have been breathing in;

– Review your CoSHH assessment and existing control measures and make any necessary changes.

If employees are exposed to respiratory sensitisers then employers have a legal duty to inform, instruct and train them so that they know and understand:

– The risks to health;

– The symptoms of sensitisation

– The significance of reporting even possibly minor symptoms at an early stage;

– The proper use of control measures;

– The need to report promptly any failures in control measures

How Can A Respiratory Therapist Help You

Some people do suffer from respiratory problems and a respiratory therapist is who can help them at times when they have problems breathing. This therapy is absolutely beneficial to those individuals who may suffer from problems with breathing and especially suffer from chronic conditions affecting the lungs as well as the airways. However, how the therapy works will depend on the condition and the diagnosis for each individual patient. There are certain common symptoms that may need treatment. These symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, a tight feeling in the chest, cough, and loss of appetite, headache and fever. Again there are other conditions that may require a respiratory therapist to use certain equipment. These conditions are asthma, lung cancer, emphysema, pneumonia, cystic fibrosis and farmer’s lung disease.

If you are suffering from any respiratory problems the first thing that you must do is see your physician. He should be able to tell you the cause of the problem and then prescribe a cure to it. Sometimes, you may be having some kind of allergy to substances in the environment or it may be your cigarette smoking habits or some sort of occupational hazard.

The most common disease related to breathing trouble is asthma. Children are found to be commonly affected and is mostly caused due to an allergic reaction to substances in the environment like pet dander, pollen, cigarette smoke, pollen, and some dust particles or maybe some food. Your respiratory therapist will be able to tell you better how to control your problem. Sometimes, stress and exercise and changes in temperature may also cause breathing trouble. A respiratory therapist usually uses corticosteroids for inflammation and bronchodilators for opening up the airways. These may be administered either with the help of an inhaler or a nebulizer which is also known as the breathing machine. Usually children are made to use a nebulizer till the time they learn how to use an inhaler.

Asthma may usually affect children while the elderly get affected by a condition called emphysema. It is very important that you visit a respiratory therapist if you suffer from this problem. Emphysema is normally an outcome of smoking or a deficiency of a protein that is meant to protect the lung from any harm or damage. The symptoms of this disease may include shortness of breath, cough and tightness in the chest. A respiratory therapist may use equipment like an oxygen tank or a tent to treat this condition of yours. There may also be other treatment that includes administering medication like steroids as well as bronchodilator drugs. If you are a smoker and suffer from breathing problems, the best thing to do would be to quit smoking because emphysema may also lead to other conditions like pneumonia.

Pneumonia is usually caused as a result of complications from other conditions. If you do not visit your respiratory therapist soon enough, the problem may linger and cause complications. Antibiotics may be the best form of therapy prescribed when you suffer from pneumonia but you can avoid this condition if you are cautious early enough.

Cold Occurs At Upper Respiratory Infection

Sinus cold is very serious problem which people now a days are suffering from. Sinus cold can be irritating and are highly contagious. If you are suffering from sinus cold you need to cut down your interaction with the outside world and also need to spent plenty of your time in bed. If this problem left untreated it can further develop into other health problem like sinus infection or sinusitis. So, before these problem arises you need to consult your doctor as soon as possible.

Cold is a very serious problem and occurs at upper respiratory infection. It is usually caused by a virus that infects the nose and throat directly. In some cases cold may cause swelling in the sinuses. The main symptoms od cold are nasal congestion, run down feeling, runny nose with discharge, sneezing, sore throat, post nasal drip, headache, fatigue and fever. In adults fever is uncommon with cold but it can be seen in children. Cold normally last for week.

A sinus infection can be caused by any condition that blocks off the sinus drainage channels. These conditions include nasal polyps, cold, hay fever, allergies and non allergic rhinitis. A sinus problem may occur from anatomic problem nasal cavity and may occur after a cold. Sinus infection may last for many weeks if it is not treated on time.

For the treatment of sinus and cold there are various medicines available in the market for the treatment. Among all the medicines available in the market Drixoral medicine is considered to be the best, most trusted and recommended by the doctors and health care professionals. Drixoral is a over the counter medicine it means that one can get it without showing prescription given by the doctor. The main ingredient of drixoral medicine are Antihistamine and Decongestant. This medicine is available in form of tablets by brand name.

Before making any use of the medicine you should know full information about the medicine. You should avoid drinking alcoholic beverages if you are taking Drixoral Tablets. If you are taking sedatives or tranquilizers, do not take Drixoral without consulting your doctor. If you are making use of this medicine and your symptoms do not improve within 7 days you should immediately consult your doctor. Do not use Drixoral if you are suffering from breathing problem, heart disease, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, glaucoma and diabetes. Drixoral medicines should not use in children below 12 years of age, unless it is recommended by the doctor. Pregnant and breast feeding mother should not use Drixoral medicine as use of this medicine in pregnant and breast feeding mother may harm the health of unborn baby or nursed child.

Take Drixoral medicine with a full glass of water. Take this medicine as suggested by the doctor or health care professional. Do not increase the dose of the medicine. Recommended dosage for Drixoral medicine is two in a day. Store medicine at room temperature away from the light, heat and moisture. For best result take Drixoral medicine at the same time each day. Keep all medicines away from the reach of the children and pet.

How To Safely Detox Your Lungs

How the Lungs Function

The lungs perform a vital task within the body: Respiration. They acquire the air that we breathe, which includes a number of gases, such as oxygen that the cells need to function. They then transport the fresh oxygen to the blood, which in turn carries it to the bodys cells. Next, carbon dioxide, a waste gas from the metabolism of food, leaves the blood and is diffused to the alveoli to be exhaled via the lungs.

How the Lungs Protect Themselves

The typical person breathes in 20,000 liters of air every day and this inevitably means the ingestion of harmful toxins, particles and gases. The lungs have a natural defense mechanism that filters toxins entering the body, and counter those that sneak past.
There are three indispensable methods that the lungs rely on to perform these protection functions:

Epithelial barriers, enzyme systems and immune responses.

Epithelial Barriers- Refers to the cellular tissue that lines the insides of the lungs. This tissue assists with removing dust particles and unfamiliar bodies which have entered the air passages.

Enzyme Systems- While there are a lot of structures of enzymes, within one particular system, the enzymes (substances that lend a helping hand to chemical reactions within the body) act in response to inhaled particles creating substances to shield the air sacs of the lungs.

Immune Responses- Immunoglobulin (antibodies that shield the body from infection)are vital to the monitoring of the respiratory tract. They are essentially the security guards that protect the tract from microbes and tumor cells.

Detoxing and Maintaining Healthy Lungs

The lungs are a key part of the detoxing process with their elimination of toxins such as carbon dioxide, asbestos, pesticides and many more. Yet such as anything, when there are too many pollutants, the body becomes overwhelmed and may no longer efficiently complete its duty. The lungs are no exception.

On a daily basis the typical person breathes in a wealth of pollutants from car exhaust, household cleaners, minute particles of metal, and perhaps most universally, cigarette smoke.

When one of the lungs three defense systems stops functioning efficiently as an effect of toxin excess that means that the body has no path of expelling the detrimental waste. Thus, this toxic waste, begins to build.

Overtime, failure to remove these toxins results in several associated diseases. These consist of Bronchitis, Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis, Pneumonia, Lung Cancer, Emphysema, Tuberculosis etc

The Symptoms of Lung Toxicity

Before your systems completely crash, your body will provide you with warning signs that your lungs are suffering.

Here are a couple of the ways your lungs tell you they are sick:

Chronic cough
Coughing up blood or mucus
Difficulty breathing
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Wheezing

How to Safely Detox Your Lungs

If you are suffering from any of the above symptoms or have become aware of the fact that your lungs are not performing at their finest level, there are ways of clearing the vital organ of toxins and get them healing and functioning well once again.

Stay away from pollutants. Offenders consist of cigarettes, pesticides, chemical household cleaners, and car exhaust.
Get moving. Exercise is a great way to flush out the lungs. The cardio loosens the toxins throughout the lung and will have you coughing up a lot of the harmful toxins formerly lodged within your respiratory tract.
Consume a, balanced diet. The foods we consume unconsciously involve the lungs as toxins join the blood, a lot of them are diffused to the alveoli and expelled via the lungs. Cutting down on toxic foods means less toxins in our blood.

Clinical Trials of Buteyko Respiration Technique for Asthma

Breathing techniques and respiration devices become more and more popular among asthmatics and people with other respiratory problems. Among the known breathing techniques is the Buteyko breathing method, which had six randomised controlled trials in western countries.

The results were remarkable: twice less steroids, 3-10 times less reliever medication, better quality of life and less asthma symptoms, but unchanged bronchial responsiveness or lung function results after several months of breathing exercises. Meanwhile, all these studies had a major methodological flaw, which I am going to consider here.

Dr. K. Buteyko made the following clinical statements:
– Sick people, asthmatics including, breathe more air at rest than the minuscule medical norm (chronic hyperventilation). Overbreathing reduces tissue oxygenation and strengthens the desire to breathe even more.
– If they normalize their breathing pattern, then they will not require medication and will not experience their symptoms.
– The Buteyko Table of Health Zones relates breathing parameters of sick people, regardless of the name of the disease, with their current health state. This table describes parameters that reflect normal breathing (8 breaths/min for breathing frequency at rest, 6.5 percent for alveolar CO2 content, 60 seconds for stress-free breath holding time after usual exhalation, etc.). These parameters correspond to normal health and absence of asthma and many other chronic diseases since normal breathing improves body oxygenation.
– Someone has mastered the Buteyko breathing method, if his breathing parameters are normal.

Dr KP Buteyko never made claims that a particular Buteyko practitioner could achieve a particular result in relation to some group of asthmatics. Let us apply these Buteykos claims to available scientific data and the results of these randomised controlled trials.

First of all, hundreds of scientific research publications have shown that hyperventilation DIMINISHES oxygen content in body tissues.

Do asthmatics breathe much more air than the medical norm? A typical respiratory minute ventilation for an average asthmatic is about 12-15 L of air in one minute at rest (5 publications are available on my website), while the medical norm is only 6 L/min. Therefore, asthmatics breathe at rest about 2-2.5 times more air than the physiological standard.

Did asthmatics improve their breath parameters during these randomised controlled trials of the Buteyko breathing method? During the most impressive study (Bowler et al, 1998), in 3 months, use of relievers was reduced by 96 percent (25 times less ventolin) and preventers or inhaled steroids by 50%. Respiratory minute volume decreased from their initial 14 L/min to 9.6 L/min, but the physiological norm is only 6 L/min, while Dr. Buteykos hard standard is 4 L/min at rest for a 70-kg man. Hence, during their best shot, the participated asthmatics got only about a half way towards the standard. Consequently, there were a very few asthmatics, if any, who normalized their breath during these trials. They continued to hyperventilate.

The assumption of the medical doctors, who conducted these randomised controlled trials, was that a Buteyko teacher taught the Buteyko breathing method and a controlled group “learned” the method. This is easy to see from the titles, which usually say about a “trial of the Buteyko method”. How could they study the method, if no one learned it?

From a practical view, since I taught the Buteyko method to hundreds of people, the key difficulty during these randomised controlled trials were the following. The participants were mainly limited to practicing breathing exercises (e.g., 40-70 min per day). They could not use the versatile arsenal of life-style addressing tools of the Buteyko method. Breathing normalization process requires 24/7 control of breathing including:
– nasal breathing all the time (hence, it is necessary then to seal ones mouth with a surgical tape, if the mouth is usually dry in the morning; and someone will never solve their problems with asthma, if mouth breathing occurs during each night
– physical exercise (no less than 2 hours daily with only nasal breathing, in and out, otherwise exercise is more or less ineffective for most, especially sick people)
– prevention of sleeping on ones back (we breathe about two times more air, when we sleep on our backs at night)
– and various other lifestyle-related factors so that ones basal breathing pattern is restored back to our physiological standard.

Even more successful results have been discovered after application of the Frolov Breathing Device during recent clinical trails in Russia (under review and to be published in 2011).