Steemit Learning Challenge-S21W4: Asthma

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Asthma is a lung disease that occurs due to inflammation that occurs in the respiratory tract of the human body. The human body has a respiratory tract, just imagine that the respiratory tract is like a hose, when healthy a person will be able to breathe easily because this hose is wide open so that air can flow and change.

But for people with asthma this hose seems to shrink or swell so that air is difficult to enter and people who experience it will find it difficult to breathe, such as experiencing symptoms of shortness of breath, difficulty speaking and wheezing.

Asthma is a treatable disease, but if chronic inflammation occurs or is not treated in time, it can also be life-threatening. There are two main components that cause asthma to occur, firstly due to allergen problems such as pollen, dander, and dust that enter through the respiratory tract, some human bodies are allergic to this so that it can cause an overreaction which can cause inflammation in the respiratory tract.

Secondly, due to inflammation of the lungs that can create swelling in the breathing tube, the trigger is excess mucus or because of the cells that line the respiratory tract.

Asthma can occur due to three types, conventional asthma occurs due to genetic factors, weather changes, environmental influences, and allergen factors (allergies to pollen, dander and dust).

Occupational asthma can occur due to exposure to harmful substances that are inhaled by the respiratory tract while at work, such as construction workers who unknowingly inhale cement dust.

Exercise-induced asthma occurs due to strenuous physical activity that triggers constriction of the respiratory tract, this can occur when doing heavy lifting, running and other sports. Asthma symptoms can be recognized by the following signs:

• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty speaking
• Tightness in the chest
• Wheezing
• Dry cough

Asthma can be diagnosed in various ways such as by doing a physical examination, one of which is by listening to breath sounds. The doctor will use a stethoscope to listen for abnormal sounds. In addition, the doctor can also check whether there are signs of a rash on the skin or by directly checking the nose for congestion.

In addition, diagnosing asthma can also be done with a number of examinations with special tools such as chest x-rays to see the condition of the lungs, pulmonary function tests (LFTs) to measure how well your lungs are working, and sputum analysis to detect inflammation and infection that occurs in the respiratory tract.

The next tool that is often used to detect asthma is spirometry, this tool detects how well your lungs are working by asking the patient to inhale and blow air into the spirometry device, this tool will calculate the volume and speed of breathing of patients with asthma.

1️⃣ Box breathing

I breathe in for about 3 seconds and then breathe out through my mouth for 6 seconds.

This is an exercise to regulate the rhythm of breathing to return to normal, early practice can be used to reduce stress, control emotions, and calm the mood. Without realizing it I often do this exercise, such as when I feel nervous standing in front of many people then I start doing the box breathing exercise and when I have trouble sleeping I also do this exercise.

It is also very easy to do, I breathe in for about 3 seconds and then breathe out through my mouth for 6 seconds, this exercise can calm my mood so that my breathing rhythm returns to normal.

2️⃣ pursed lip breathing exercise

Then I practiced breathing with pursed lips, this is almost the same as the first exercise I did. The difference between the second exercise and the first exercise is that this exercise must be done in a sitting position and the position of pursed lips or whistle. In addition, this exercise can also make the chest position rise and fall when exhaling.

Inhale for 2 seconds	Exhale lip position like whistling

3️⃣ Diaphragmatic breathing exercise

Next, I tried diaphragmatic breathing exercises by placing my right hand on my chest, then placing my left hand on my stomach. then I breathe in from the nose and then slowly breathe out from the mouth, I keep doing it repeatedly to feel it. This exercise allowed me to feel the air coming in and out more directly because both hands were in the area that affects breathing.

Step 1	Step 2

4️⃣ chest stretch

Next I tried breathing exercises with the chest stretching method, my hands were in the back position and bent so as to push the chest part of my body a little higher, I also raised my head slightly in order to facilitate the entry and exit of air when doing this exercise. After doing this exercise the respiratory tract feels more fully expanded and makes breathing easier.

Front view	Side view

After doing the exercises given in this course I realized that the main purpose of breathing exercises can help relieve stress, calm the mind and mood, control emotions, relieve nervousness, overcome sleep difficulties, and regulate breathing rhythms to return to normal.

While all of the exercises had a positive impact on my body, diaphragmatic breathing and chest stretching were exercises that I only learned about after reading the course materials, these two exercises also had a tremendous impact on my body.

The diaphragm exercise puts pressure on the respiratory tract area so that I can feel the air coming in and out directly, the pressure also makes me feel more relaxed because more air enters the abdomen.

While the chest stretching exercise made me feel that my airways were expanding, I felt more comfortable when breathing. In addition, this exercise allows me to breathe more freely without feeling any resistance.

Thus this article, I hope it is useful and inspires all who read it.I also invite you to participate in this contest. @memamun @fadia @fajrularifst

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