Urgent Care for Asthma Treatment in Oxford, CT

Effective asthma management consists of various treatments and medications, education, habits, and lifestyle choices. As far as treatment and medication go, asthma is usually managed with a combination of long-term control medicine, such as inhaled or oral corticosteroids, immunomodulators, or long-acting beta-agonists, and quick-relief medicine, including anticholinergics and short-acting beta-agonists.

However, treatment and medication are not the only things required for effective asthma management, as nutrition, exercise, and increasing your awareness of how asthma affects you are also vital aspects of taking control of asthma instead of letting it control you!

When your asthma is managed correctly, you can expect to experience the following:

• Absence of breathing difficulties on most days
• Sleep soundly without asthma symptoms disrupting your sleep
• Exercise free from asthma symptoms
• Have normal results from a spirometry (lung function) test
• Minimal reliance upon your inhaler or quick-relief medicine (no more than three times per week)

While everyone’s case of asthma is different, including which foods harm them and which are fine, some foods commonly trigger asthma symptoms. Some of these foods include the following:

• Foods that contain preservatives known as sulfites, such as dried fruits, wine, shrimp, pickled vegetables, maraschino cherries, and bottled lemon or lime juice.
• Foods that cause gas or bloating, such as beans, cabbage, carbonated drinks, fried foods, garlic, and onions. Such foods often put pressure on the diaphragm, which can cause chest tightness and shortness of breath, especially if you have asthma. For the same reason, overeating can also lead to an asthma flare-up.
• Foods that contain salicylates, such as coffee, tea, various herbs and spices, and some anti-inflammatory medication like aspirin. These foods negatively affect individuals more rarely than those that cause bloating or contain sulfites.
• Processed foods or foods with chemical preservatives, artificial flavorings, and artificial colorings.

While coffee is not suitable for asthma survivors who react negatively to foods and drinks containing salicylates, research is emerging that shows coffee provides some significant benefits for individuals with asthma. This is because the caffeine content in coffee functions as a bronchodilator, improving airflow for up to four hours after consumption. That said, coffee is not a substitute for other asthma treatments, and since it may be harmful to some, it is important to find out whether you react negatively to salicylates or if you are unbothered by them.

Other drinks that are good for asthma include water and beverages that are high in antioxidants and vitamins A, C, D, and E. For more information on foods and drinks that help asthma, as well as what you should avoid, our board-certified physicians at Priority Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinic would be happy to give you their expert medical opinions and recommendations!

If you live near Oxford, CT, we welcome you to come to Priority Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinic for first-rate asthma treatment! Please feel free to schedule an appointment with us through our website or by calling us at (475) 675-5502 anytime between 8 am to 7:45 pm during the week or 9 am to 4:45 pm on the weekend. Priority Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinic are located at 278-2 Oxford Rd in Oxford, Connecticut. We serve patients from Oxford, CT, Ellington CT, Unionville CT, East Haven CT, Cromwell CT, and Newington, CT, and BEYOND!