Nocturnal Asthma

Factors that are attributed to the occurrence of nocturnal asthma include:

•  Cooling of the airways during sleep
•   The return of stomach contents into the respiratory tract, which occurs in a few people during sleep
•  Changes in the pressure of the muscles around the respiratory tracts that occur with increased contraction of the respiratory tracts at night.

Although the reduction of steroid secretion that occurs naturally at night increases the possibility of nocturnal asthma attacks, but this is not the only cause of nocturnal asthma.

 Taking extra steroids at night does not always prevent asthma attacks.

 The natural decrease in adrenaline secretion at night can also be attributed to the complexity of asthma symptoms.
 

The term “return of food from the stomach to the esophagus” means that some of the acidic contents of the stomach return to the esophagus and sometimes enter the respiratory tract, causing irritation and inflammation of these tracts.

 This action may trigger asthma attacks.

If you have a habit of belching gas, if you belch, or if you have a history of a diaphragmatic hernia (returning food without a hernia is also possible), consult your doctor, because this information should be added to your medical history.

The possibility of food regurgitation is more at night, when you are sleeping downhill, the return of liquid materials from the stomach to the esophagus is easy.

A muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter naturally prevents the passage of stomach contents into the esophagus.

 The sphincter or ring muscle of people with this condition is weak.

 Often there is no history of this disorder.

Sometimes, a gastro-intestinal X-ray can reveal the presence of a hernia and, rarely, regurgitation.

 Sometimes the radiologist finds the passage of stomach contents into the esophagus and confirms the diagnosis of reflux.

 However, the probability of seeing food regurgitation in the respiratory tract itself by imaging is low.

In some cases, treating hiatus hernia with surgery can improve asthma.
 

• Raising the upper part of the bed at night
• Eating less food in each meal, and if necessary increasing the number of meals, so that the stomach is not overfilled
• Avoid any food three hours before sleep
• Taking an antacid two hours after eating and at bedtime, in order to reduce the acidic state of the stomach, other methods such as taking cimitidine or ranitidine tablets, which reduce the acidic secretion of the stomach, should be considered.

 Losing weight and quitting alcohol and smoking are also very important in such situations.

If the mentioned medical treatments are not effective, you should think about the possibility of surgery to relieve the discomfort.

 Because surgery to treat GERD is difficult and not successful in all patients, it is best to consider all precautions before making a decision.

Because the return of food to the esophagus can cause problems in the treatment of asthma, therefore, if you see any of the mentioned symptoms, inform the doctor.
 

It is becoming clear to asthmatic doctors that discomfort in the upper respiratory tract (nose and sinuses) can affect the entire respiratory tract.

If there is nasal congestion or an underlying sinus infection, the probability of an asthma attack is higher.

There is disagreement among doctors about the mechanism that explains the effect of upper respiratory tract disorders on asthma symptoms.

However, it is quite clear that nerves running from the nose and sinuses to the airways can trigger an asthma attack. Additionally, when there is sinus congestion.

 Mucous secretions are a way of clearing the throat. The presence of phlegm at the back of the throat can stimulate the stimulating receptors located there and cause asthma symptoms by constricting the airways.

Regardless of the reasons mentioned, it is clear that drug treatment of upper respiratory tract disorders can lead to the improvement of asthma symptoms to a great extent.

 When a person has acute asthma and does not respond to medications, imaging of the sinuses and referring the patient to an otolaryngologist for a detailed examination is mandatory.

 Compared to the problems related to asthma symptoms, most patients consider the discomfort of nasal congestion to be insignificant.

 If the treatment of sinus and nasal disorders can lead to improvement of asthma symptoms in some cases.

 According to these points, it is necessary to check the position of the nose and the discomforts that may cause its congestion.