Nyeri: Si ‘Tajam’ yang Melumpuhkan

Rasa nyeri bukan sesuatu yang asing lagi di kalangan awam. Rasa nyeri bisa timbul secara ringan, sedang, maupun berat dengan keluhan yang subjektif.

Rasa nyeri dapat bersifat akut, misalnya nyeri yang berasal dari trauma. Keadaan ini biasanya berasal dari kondisi yang lebih mudah ditelusuri dan dapat lebih mudah diatasi. Berbeda halnya dengan nyeri yang bersifat kronis. Jenis ini berasal dari keadaan yang lebih sulit diteluri penyebabnya, sehingga membutuhkan waktu yang lebih lama untuk mengatasinya. Beberapa contoh ini misalnya nyeri dari kanker, neuropati (nyeri akibat gangguan di saraf perifer), dan rasa nyeri yang menjalar. Hal penting yang perlu kita ketahui adalah bahwa nyeri dapat makin lama makin meningkat kualitasnya bila kita diamkan saja. (1)

Tidak sulit mendiagnosa sebuah rasa nyeri karena bisa diketahui dari keluhan pasien (subyektif). Yang perlu diperhatikan dan menjadi sulit adalah menentukan jenis, derajat, dan penyebab dari nyeri tersebut karena ini akan menentukan jenis terapi yang akan dilakukan. Rasa nyeri sangat subyektif dan diutarakan pasien dengan bahasa yang berbeda-beda. Misalnya rasa nyeri kadang dibahasakan dengan kata: tajam, ngilu, perih, dirobek-robek, tertimpa sesuatu, ditusuk-tusuk dan sebagainya. Hal ini yang harus dapat ditelusuri sehingga pengelolaan nyeri dapat dilakukan seefektif dan secepat mungkin.
Beberapa cara dibuat untuk membuat penilaian subyektif ini menjadi objektif mis: dengan membuat Skala Numerik Nyeri, Visual Analog Scale, bahkan Scala Wajah. Ini menjadi salah satu penilaian penegakkan diagnosa selain pemeriksaan fisik dan penunjang lainnya yang dapat dilakukan.

Ada berbagai cara pengobatan yang dilakukan untuk mengatasi nyeri ini, dan diantaranya adalah:
1. Medikamentosa (2)
Obat-obatan telah lama dikenal sebagai salah satu pereda nyeri. Tersedia berbagai kelas tahapan penggunaan obat-obatan. Dari jenis Paracetamol untuk mengatasi nyeri yang ringan, sampai jenis Opioid (Morfin) yang digunakan untuk mengatasi nyeri yang sangat berat . Misalnya akibat kanker. Selain obat-obatan, medikamentosa ini juga dapat dilakukan dengan cara injeksi di lokasi yang sakit atau dengan memblok saraf yang nyeri dengan menggunakan obat-obat anastesi.
2. Pembedahan
Untuk kasus-kasus tertentu di mana nyeri disebabkan karena adanya gangguan organik, pembedahan menjadi alternative solusi tatalaksana nyeri. Mis: dalam kasus Hernia Nucleus Pulposus yang menimbulkan nyeri pinggang yang sangat mengganggu, pembedahan dapat membantu masalah ini.
Terapi blok transmisi dengan cara merusak system saraf juga dapat dilakukan melalui teknik operasi, tetapi teknik ini menyebabkan kerusakan yang irreversible.
3. Fisioterapi
Fisioterapi sangat diperlukan terutama untuk meningkatkan kualitas fungsi dari organ/lokasi nyeri. Teknik fisioterapi dapat digunakan dengan berbagai cara, misalnya dengan beban, terapi suhu, air, mekanis, dsbnya, yang disesuaikan dengan keadaan dari setiap kasus.
4. Terapi Komplimenter
Terapi komplimenter ditemukan sangat membantu kasus-kasus nyeri. Salah satu terapi komplimenter yang saat ini sangat efektif meredakan rasa nyeri adalah penangangan dengan menggunakan terapi biofisika menggunakan alat yang dinamakan BICOM 2000. Terapi ini bertujuan untuk menghilangkan blockade saraf yang ada, sehingga tubuh dirangsang untuk meningkatkan kemampuan memulihkan fungsinya.(4). Beberapa pasien bahkan mengalami pemulihan yang sangat cepat lewat terapi ini.

Rasa nyeri banyak disepelekan. Tapi rasa tajam yang disepelekan ini dapat ‘melumpuhkan’ aktivitas kita sehari-hari, sehingga jangan sepelekan si tajam dan lakukan penanganannya sedini mungkin.
(Dr. Lia B.Ariefano – Bio E Care)

Source:
1. Medline Plus : Pain http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pain.html#cat1
2. American Society of Anasthesiologist: http://www.asahq.org/patientEducation/managepain.htm
3. Penanganan Nyeri dengan Biofisika: http://withcaregroups.wordpress.com atau http://regumed.de

My Journey as A Medical Doctor

Perjalanan perkenalan saya dengan dunia kedokteran dimulai bulan Agustus 1991. Saat itu saya menjadi mahasiswi tingkat pertama dari sebuah Universitas di Jakarta. Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Katolik Atmajaya.

Tahun-tahun belajar di sana, memberikan ilmu dasar dan sensasi awal rasanya memakai jas putih dan dipanggil dengan sapaan "Dok...!"

Rasanya demikian melambung tinggi, dan berbagai idealisme tentang pendidikan, pengobatan, dan pasien rasanya meluap di hati dan otak saya.
Sampai dari waktu ke waktu... semuanya itu mulai pupus perlahan. Kenyataan demi kenyataan mengajarkan saya untuk tidak membawa kesulitan masa depan dalam 1 hari, dan kembali melihat perjalanan saya menjadi seorang dokter adalah perjalanan kemanusiaan.

Akhirnya Juli 2000 saya melakukan sumpah profesi. 9 tahun berlalu dengan 2 1/2 tahun proses ngantri untuk masuk ke coas dan ujian negara, serta 6 1/2 tahun masa pendidikan. Dan waktu itu saya memutuskan untuk bekerja dulu di salah satu perusahaan farmasi sambil menunggu panggilan PTT. Tetapi karier yang membaik membuat saya sempat melupakan impian untuk praktek. Sampai satu hari saya menyadari... bertemu pasien adlah hidup saya.Melihat mereka membaik dari waktu ke waktu adalah impian saya. Dan membuat mereka tersenyum bahagia adalah tujuan keilmuan saya.

Kekecewaan demi kekecewaan mendera. Dan saya memutuskan, harus keluar dari dunia farmasi sebelum saya malu mengakui diri saya sebagai dokter. Politik perdagangan obat, kerjasama dokter dan farmasi yang makin lama makin tidak masuk akal, pemakaian obat yang sangat tidak relevan, semua membuat saya memiliki cara pandang yang mungkin extreem dan sulit diterima oleh teman sejawat lainnya.

Dan sampailah saya pada pengenalan akan Biophysic Medicine. Satu ilmu komplementer yang membuka wawasan baru dalam dunia kedokteran saya. Membawa pikiran saya "out of the box" dan melihat betapa tubuh manusia adalah ciptaan Tuhan yang luar biasa.
Dulu di dunia kedokteran konvensional, tidak habisnya saya berdecak kagum.
Hari ini... tidak habisnya saya mensyukuri... keberadaan saya di dunia yang sarat dengan keajaiban dan kebesaran. Dari yang terlihat sampai yang tidak terlihat. Dari yang terjangkau, sampai yang tidak terjangkau. Dan semuanya itu... ingin saya persembahkan untuk kemanusiaan.
Kalau dari awal... semuanya adalah satu impian untuk kemanusiaan, biarlah semua proses ini juga dapat membantu banyak orang... untuk dapat memaknai dan mensyukuri kehidupannya.

Quotes from Medical World:

In nothing do men more nearly approach the gods than in giving health to men. ~Cicero

The greatest mistake in the treatment of diseases is that there are physicians for the body and physicians for the soul, although the two cannot be separated. ~Plato

Body and soul cannot be separated for purposes of treatment, for they are one and indivisible. Sick minds must be healed as well as sick bodies. ~C. Jeff Miller

In the sick room, ten cents' worth of human understanding equals ten dollars' worth of medical science. ~Martin H. Fischer

It is a mathematical fact that fifty percent of all doctors graduate in the bottom half of their class. ~Author Unknown

Restore a man to his health, his purse lies open to thee. ~Robert Burton

I got the bill for my surgery. Now I know what those doctors were wearing masks for. ~James H. Boren

A hospital should also have a recovery room adjoining the cashier's office. ~Francis O'Walsh

Did God who gave us flowers and trees,
Also provide the allergies?
~E.Y. Harburg, "A Nose Is a Nose Is a Nose," 1965

I learned a long time ago that minor surgery is when they do the operation on someone else, not you. ~Bill Walton

It is a wise mans part, rather to avoid sickness, than to wishe for medicines. ~Thomas More, Utopia [sic]

I wondher why ye can always read a doctor's bill an' ye niver can read his purscription. ~Finley Peter Dunne

You have a cough? Go home tonight, eat a whole box of Ex-Lax - tomorrow you'll be afraid to cough. ~Pearl Williams

To array a man's will against his sickness is the supreme art of medicine. ~Henry Ward Beecher

A doctor whose breath smells has no right to medical opinion. ~Martin H. Fischer

Surgeons must be very careful
When they take the knife!
Underneath their fine incisions
Stirs the Culprit - Life!
~Emily Dickinson

It is a good thing for a physician to have prematurely grey hair and itching piles. The first makes him appear to know more than he does, and the second gives him an expression of concern which the patient interprets as being on his behalf. ~A. Benson Cannon

A doctor who cannot take a good history and a patient who cannot give one are in danger of giving and receiving bad treatment. ~Author Unknown

One thousand Americans stop smoking every day - by dying. ~Author Unknown

A hypochondriac is one who has a pill for everything except what ails him. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966

The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease. ~Voltaire

A doctor must work eighteen hours a day and seven days a week. If you cannot console yourself to this, get out of the profession. ~Martin H. Fischer

It is sometimes as dangerous to be run into by a microbe as by a trolley car. ~J.J. Walsh

Every disease is a physician. ~Irish Proverb

God heales, and the Physitian hath the thankes. ~George Herbert, Outlandish Proverbs

Drugs are not always necessary. Belief in recovery always is. ~Norman Cousins

I firmly believe that if the whole materia medica could be sunk to the bottom of the sea, it would be all the better for mankind and all the worse for the fishes. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

There is no curing a sick man who believes himself to be in health. ~Henri Amiel

Doctors think a lot of patients are cured who have simply quit in disgust. ~Don Herold

The only equipment lack in the modern hospital? Somebody to meet you at the entrance with a handshake! ~Martin H. Fischer

The worst thing about medicine is that one kind makes another necessary. ~Elbert Hubbard

When you are called to a sick man, be sure you know what the matter is - if you do not know, nature can do a great deal better than you can guess. ~Nicholas de Belleville

Throw physic to the dogs; I'll none of it. ~William Shakespeare

I recently became a Christian Scientist. It was the only health plan I could afford. ~Betsy Salkind

Poisons and medicine are oftentimes the same substance given with different intents. ~Peter Mere Latham

In the nineteenth century men lost their fear of God and acquired a fear of microbes. ~Author Unknown

Symptoms, then are in reality nothing but the cry from suffering organs. ~Jean Martin Charcot, translated from French

I never read a patent medicine advertisement without being impelled to the conclusion that I am suffering from the particular disease therein dealt with in its most virulent form. ~Jerome K. Jerome, Three Men in a Boat

Diagnosis is not the end, but the beginning of practice. ~Martin H. Fischer

The physician should look upon the patient as a besieged city and try to rescue him with every means that art and science place at his command. ~Alexander of Tralles

Physicians and politicians resemble one another in this respect, that some defend the constitution and others destroy it. ~Author Unknown

A smart mother makes often a better diagnosis than a poor doctor. ~August Bier

When fate arrives the physician becomes a fool. ~Arabic Proverb

Medicines are not meat to live by. ~German Proverb

Treat the patient, not the Xray. ~James M. Hunter

God and the Doctor we alike adore
But only when in danger, not before;
The danger o'er, both are alike requited,
God is forgotten, and the Doctor slighted.
~Robert Owen

Financial ruin from medical bills is almost exclusively an American disease. ~Roul Turley

The hospital is the only proper College in which to rear a true disciple of Aesculapius. ~John Abernethy

A man who cannot work without his hypodermic needle is a poor doctor. The amount of narcotic you use is inversely proportional to your skill. ~Martin H. Fischer

Better to hunt in fields, for health unbought,
Than fee the doctor for a nauseous draught,
The wise, for cure, on exercise depend;
God never made his work for man to mend.
~John Dryden

Medicine is the only profession that labours incessantly to destroy the reason for its own existence. ~James Bryce, 1914

It is not a case we are treating; it is a living, palpitating, alas, too often suffering fellow creature. ~John Brown

The patient does not care about your science; what he wants to know is, can you cure him? ~Martin H. Fischer

Medicines heals doubts as well as diseases. ~Karl Marx

A physician is obligated to consider more than a diseased organ, more even than the whole man - he must view the man in his world. ~Harvey Cushing

Medicine sometimes snatches away health, sometimes gives it. ~Ovid, Tristia

As it takes two to make a quarrel, so it takes two to make a disease, the microbe and its host. ~Charles V. Chapin

Disease is war with the laws of our being, and all war, as a great general has said, is hell. ~Lewis G. Janes

Until a physician has killed one or two he is not a physician. ~Kashmiri Proverb

No man is a good doctor who has never been sick himself. ~Chinese Proverb

Only one rule in medical ethics need concern you - that action on your part which best conserves the interests of your patient. ~Martin H. Fischer

To me the ideal doctor would be a man endowed with profound knowledge of life and of the soul, intuitively divining any suffering or disorder of whatever kind, and restoring peace by his mere presence. ~Henri Amiel

Medicinal discovery,
It moves in mighty leaps,
It leapt straight past the common cold
And give it us for keeps.
~Pam Ayres

When you no longer know what headache, heartache, or stomachache means without cistern punctures, electrocardiograms and six x-ray plates, you are slipping. ~Martin H. Fischer

It is easy to get a thousand prescriptions but hard to get one single remedy. ~Chinese Proverb

Never forget that it is not a pneumonia, but a pneumonic man who is your patient. ~William Withey Gull

It is said to be the manner of hypochondriacs to change often their physician. ~William Cullen, Practice of Physic

The road to medical knowledge is through the pathological museum and not through an apothecary's shop. ~William Withey Gull

A Short History of Medicine
2000 B.C. - "Here, eat this root."
1000 B.C. - "That root is heathen, say this prayer."
1850 A.D. - "That prayer is superstition, drink this potion."
1940 A.D. - "That potion is snake oil, swallow this pill."
1985 A.D. - "That pill is ineffective, take this antibiotic."
2000 A.D. - "That antibiotic is artificial. Here, eat this root."
~Author Unknown

When a lot of remedies are suggested for a disease, that means it cannot be cured. ~Anton Chekhov, The Cherry Orchard

A half doctor near is better than a whole one far away. ~German Proverb

No doctor is better than three. ~German Proverb

I will lift mine eyes unto the pills. Almost everyone takes them, from the humble aspirin to the multi-coloured, king-sized three deckers, which put you to sleep, wake you up, stimulate and soothe you all in one. It is an age of pills. ~Malcolm Muggeridge, 1962

Man may be the captain of his fate, but is also the victim of his blood sugar. ~Wilfrid G. Oakley

Faith and knowledge lean largely upon each other in the practice of medicine. ~Peter Mere Latham

Each patient ought to feel somewhat the better after the physician's visit, irrespective of the nature of the illness. ~Warfield Theobald Longcope

Who ever thought up the word "Mammogram?" Every time I hear it, I think I'm supposed to put my breast in an envelope and send it to someone. ~Jan King
Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died. ~Erma Bombeck
You may know the intractability of a disease by its long list of remedies. ~Alonzo Clark

Here's good advice for practice: go into partnership with nature; she does more than half the work and asks none of the fee. ~Martin H. Fischer

Varicose veins are the result of an improper selection of grandparents. ~William Osler

If you are too smart to pay the doctor, you had better be too smart to get ill. ~African Proverb

When you treat a disease, first treat the mind. ~Chen Jen

Symptoms are the body's mother tongue; signs are in a foreign language. ~John Brown

The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease. ~Thomas Edison

Oh the powers of nature. She knows what we need, and the doctors know nothing. ~Benvenuto Cellini

So many come to the sickroom thinking of themselves as men of science fighting disease and not as healers with a little knowledge helping nature to get a sick man well. ~Auckland Geddes, The Practitioner

Where a man feels pain he lays his hand. ~Dutch Proverb

The doctor is often more to be feared than the disease. ~French Proverb

Despite all our toil and progress, the art of medicine still falls somewhere between trout casting and spook writing. ~Ben Hecht, Miracle of the Fifteen Murderers

The Lord hath created medicines out of the earth; and he that is wise will not abhor them. ~Ecclesiasticus 38:4

A drug is that substance which, when injected into a rat, will produce a scientific report. ~Author Unknown

Cancer is a word, not a sentence. ~John Diamond

The medicalization of early diagnosis not only hampers and discourages preventative health-care but it also trains the patient-to-be to function in the meantime as an acolyte to his doctor. He learns to depend on the physician in sickness and in health. He turns into a life-long patient. ~Ivan Illich

Patients may recover in spite of drugs or because of them. ~J.H. Gaddum

He's the best physician that knows the worthlessness of the most medicines. ~Benjamin Franklin

Physiology is the stepchild of medicine. That is why Cinderella often turns out the queen. ~Martin H. Fischer

The field of Western medicine has become literally nothing but medicine. Doctors are on their way out, to be replaced by self-serve pharmaceutical vending machines. ~Grey Livingston

The fact that your patient gets well does not prove that your diagnosis was correct. ~Samuel J. Meltzer

Man is a creature composed of countless millions of cells: a microbe is composed of only one, yet throughout the ages the two have been in ceaseless conflict. ~A.B. Christie

Our profession is the only one which works unceasingly to annihilate itself. ~Martin H. Fischer

On J-Day our profession will have a lot to answer for! We might at least have withheld our hands instead of making them work against God. ~Martin H. Fischer

The doctor may also learn more about the illness from the way the patient tells the story than from the story itself. ~James B. Herrick

Don't think of organ donations as giving up part of yourself to keep a total stranger alive. It's really a total stranger giving up almost all of themselves to keep part of you alive. ~Author Unknown

Most of those evils we poor mortals know
From doctors and imagination flow.
~Charles Churchill

Men are not going to embrace eugenics. They are going to embrace the first likely, trim-figured girl with limpid eyes and flashing teeth who comes along, in spite of the fact that her germ plasm is probably reeking with hypertension, cancer, haemophilia, colour blindness, hay fever, epilepsy, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ~Logan Clendening

Don't take your organs to heaven with you. Heaven knows we need them here. ~Author unknown, attributed to both Dan and Barbara Hladio and Thomas Boyadjis, Sr.

'Tis not always in a physician's power to cure the sick; at times the disease is stronger than trained art. ~Ovid

And lo, The Hospital, grey, quiet, old, Where Life and Death like friendly chafferers meet. ~William Ernest Henley

For the most part, Western medicine doctors are not healers, preventers, listeners, or educators. But they're damned good at saving a life and the other aspects kick the beam. It's about time we brought some balance back to the scale. ~Claire Todae

A sweating ovary or a sick prostate explains most history. ~Martin H. Fischer

The only weapon with which the unconscious patient can immediately retaliate upon the incompetent surgeon is hemorrhage. ~William Stewart Halsted

The public blabbers about preventative medicine, but will neither appreciate nor pay for it. You get paid for what you cure. ~Martin H. Fischer

To save a man's life against his will is the same as killing him. ~Horace

Nowadays the clinical history too often weighs more than the man. ~Martin H. Fischer

Hypochondriacs squander large sums of time in search of nostrums by which they vainly hope they may get more time to squander. ~Mortimer Collins

One doctor makes work for another. ~English Proverb

Doctors are just the same as lawyers; the only difference is that lawyers merely rob you, whereas doctors rob you and kill you, too. ~Anton Chekhov, Ivanov

Let the young know they will never find a more interesting, more instructive book than the patient himself. ~Giorgio Baglivi

Formerly, when religion was strong and science weak, men mistook magic for medicine; now, when science is strong and religion weak, men mistake medicine for magic. ~Thomas Szasz, The Second Sin, 1973

Terapi Bioresonansi Atasi Alergi tanpa Obat - dari Koran Pikiran Rakyat

PERNAHKAH Anda mengalami kulit memerah dan gatal-gatal setelah mengenakan jam tangan atau gelang dari logam? Atau gejala itu terasa usai menyantap “seafood” misalnya? Sangat memungkinkan Anda alergi terhadap zat tertentu. Kalau cuma gatal tak mengapa, tetapi jika alergi nyaris membawa kita ke liang lahat, nanti dulu. Syukurlah kini ada cara menyembuhkan alergi tanpa obat-obatan.

Saat ini kita hidup di lingkungan yang sudah banyak tercemar. Kegiatan industri dan kendaraan bermotor membuat polusi udara, ditambah lagi dengan berbagai bahan kimia yang bisa meracuni tubuh yang terdapat dalam makanan maupun benda di sekitar kita. Hal-hal tersebut dapat menjadi pemicu terjadinya gangguan kesehatan, terutama bagi orang-orang yang sensitif. Banyak penyakit yang tidak berasal hanya dari virus, namun karena seseorang dikategorikan sangat rentan terhadap beberapa jenis benda alias alergi.

Bertambah buruknya polusi membuat angka penderita alergi di Indonesia kian meningkat. Sebuah penelitian yang dilakukan oleh Dr. Heru Sundaru dari RSCM/FKUI menunjukkan, angka penderita asma di Indonesia mencapai 8,2%, alergi hidung 17,5%, dan eksim 2,5-4%. Semua ini disebabkan oleh alergi yang penyebabnya dapat bermacam-macam, seperti interaksi antara faktor genetik, pola hidup, dan lingkungan.

Angka pasti penderita alergi di Indonesia dari tahun ke tahun belum jelas. Akan tetapi, menurut beberapa ahli, insiden alergi meningkat dalam 10 tahun terakhir ini, terutama di negara-negara berkembang. Di Klinik Alergi RS Immanuel Bandung, setiap bulannya yang melakukan tes alergi sekitar 20-30 orang, yang konsultasi jauh lebih banyak.

“Pasien alergi di sini kebanyakan pasien rujukan dari bagian lain seperti kulit, THT, paru, anak, mata,“ kata dr. Melinda Susilo (37).

Reaksi kepekaan abnormal

Alergi adalah suatu reaksi kepekaan abnormal dari tubuh terhadap suatu benda tertentu. Orang yang alergi akan memperlihatkan gejala-gejala alergi jika terkena zat-zat tertentu.

Masih kata dr. Melinda, gejala alergi dapat timbul pada semua usia. Alergi pada dasarnya merupakan kelainan fisik. Bagaimanapun, stres emosional yang berat, rasa takut, cemas, amarah, dan rasa jengkel dapat merangsang sistem saraf sehingga memperberat atau mencetuskan timbulnya gejala alergi. Faktor pencetus lain adalah infeksi, asap rokok, polusi, cuaca dingin/panas, dan kelelahan.

Anak dengan salah seorang orang tuanya yang alergi mempunyai kemungkinan 30% menderita alergi. Akan tetapi, bila kedua orang tuanya menderita alergi, anak tersebut kemungkinan menderita alergi 60%. Selain itu, lingkungan dan pola hidup juga mencetuskan gejala alergi, misalnya debu rumah, tungau, binatang peliharaan, kecoa, jenis makanan tertentu (misalnya susu, telur, ayam), asap rokok, asap mobil, juga obat-obatan.

Terapi

Menurut dr. Lia Brasali Ariefano dari Bio E Indonesia, perkembangan terapi alergi selama ini menunjukkan kemajuan yang pesat. Awalnya, pendekatan terapi alergi hanya dengan penyuluhan untuk pasien agar menghindar dari faktor penyebab alergi tersebut. Lalu dengan berkembangnya dunia farmasi, beberapa jenis obat digunakan untuk meminimalisasi gejala yang timbul akibat alergi, misalnya antihistamin. Akan tetapi, obat-obatan ini tidak menyelesaikan permasalahan.

Pendekatan terapi beralih imunoterapi. Terapi ini melakukan pemberian berulang jenis zat yang diketahui menimbulkan reaksi alergi pada pasien tersebut. Pendekatan imunoterapi merupakan pencegahan dan perlindungan dari gejala alergi dan reaksi radang yang dapat timbul bila pasien kontak dengan alergen (zat yang menimbulkan alergi).

Terapi terkini adalah bioresonansi. Cara ini dapat mengatasi gejala alergi. Terapi ini menggunakan pendekatan ilmu fisika gelombang/kuantum, yaitu ilmu fisika yang berdasarkan pada teori Einstein.

Salah satu pengembangan ilmu biofisika ini sudah diterapkan sejak lama di bidang kedokteran pada alat rekam jantung atau yang lebih dikenal dengan EKG (elektro kardiogram).

Dalam biofisika, setiap substansi terdiri dari energi, juga menghasilkan energi. Dengan energi yang berupa gelombang/resonansi (getaran) inilah, sel-sel tubuh kita berkomunikasi satu sama lain pada frekuensi tertentu. Jika komunikasi antarsel ini berjalan harmonis, berarti orang itu ada dalam kondisi sehat. Namun, kalau komunikasi antarsel ini terganggu oleh substansi yang memiliki frekuensi gelombang lain, fungsi organ tubuh juga dapat terganggu. “Dalam kasus alergi, gangguan ini berkenaan dengan sistem kekebalan tubuh,“ ujar dr. Lia B. Ariefano, alumnus Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Atmajaya Jakarta.

Dengan menggunakan alat Bicom Bioresonance, pola frekuensi yang menimbulkan penyakit dapat diubah menjadi pola frekuensi yang efektif dalam pemulihan fungsi kekebalan tubuh. Metode ini mampu mengeliminasi gelombang abnormal dari bahan asing/alergen dan mengalirkan gelombang normal tubuh sehingga akhirnya menghilangkan sensitivitas yang berlebihan terhadap alergen tersebut. “Dengan demikian, terapi ini merangsang tubuh untuk memulihkan fungsinya sendiri,“ ujar Lia, yang belajar bioresonansi sejak tahun 2007, dan memperdalam di Jerman pada Februari 2008.

Sebelum menjalani terapi, dokter melakukan anamnesis, yaitu melihat riwayat alergi pasien, orang tua, atau keluarga. Di sini pasien harus memberikan informasi sebanyak-banyaknya kepada dokter. Pasien dideteksi dengan Bio Tensor (sensor logam) seperti alat pancing, untuk mengetahui alergi apa yang diderita pasien. Dasar teknologi ini adalah biofisika, pasien hanya duduk santai, kemudian dokter atau terapis memegang, mengoperasikan Bio Tensor dengan tangan kanan, dan ampul berisi cairan alergen di tangan kiri. Apabila Bio Tensor bergerak mendatar/horizontal, artinya pasien tidak menderita alergi. Kalau Bio Tensor bergerak vertikal/naik turun, artinya pasien menderita alergi zat tersebut. Pasien dideteksi dengan 40 macam alergen atau lebih, yang memakan waktu sekitar 15 menit, dan hasilnya saat itu juga bisa diketahui.

Cara lain untuk mendeteksi alergi, sebelah tangan pasien memegang ampul berisi cairan alergen, tangan yang sebelah lagi diangkat kemudian oleh terapis ditekan, pasien harus menahan tekanan terapis. Kalau tidak bisa menahan/lemah, artinya pasien memang alergi. Sebaliknya, kalau bisa menahan tekanan terapis, artinya pasien tidak alergi terhadap alergen tersebut.

Terapi dibagi empat tahap dengan waktu sekitar 20-30 menit, basic therapy, geopathy, scar removal, blockage removal.

“Terapi dilakukan seminggu sekali. Sebaiknya selama menjalani terapi, pasien berhenti dulu makan makanan yang menyebabkan alergi, atau menguranginya,“ kata dr. Stella Tinia, therapist Bio E Hope Bandung.

Sembuh

“Anak saya menderita alergi ikan laut sejak bayi. Sekarang dia sudah berumur 5 tahun. Pernah satu kali saya memberikan potongan ayam dari garpu yang sudah saya lap setelah saya gunakan untuk makan ikan, tidak saya sangka mulutnya langsung bengkak dalam hitungan menit. Kemudian, suatu kali pembantu di rumah memandikan dia, setelah pembantu saya baru saja membersihkan ikan laut. Padahal, dia sudah mencuci tangannya dengan bersih lalu memandikan anak saya. Dalam hitungan menit, seluruh kulit anak saya memerah. Selain itu anak saya juga menderita asma dari kecil,” kata Yana.

Setelah 8 -10 sesi terapi. Yana mencoba memberi makan anaknya ikan laut, ternyata alergi tak datang lagi. “Syukurlah sekarang tubuhnya sudah bisa mengatasi reaksi terhadap ikan laut,“ ungkap Yana.

Lain lagi dengan Ny. Linda (45), yang menderita nyeri di kaki kiri sejak 3 tahun lalu. “Dokter bilang saya menderita rematik. Setiap kali saya menggerakkan kaki kiri, saya sering terasa sakit. Saya terus mengonsumsi obat-obatan dan nyerinya memang agak menghilang, tetapi tidak sampai 50%-nya. Kemudian, saya menjalani terapi bioresonansi. Dalam pertemuan kedua saja, sakitnya sudah sangat berkurang hingga tinggal 30% dan di pertemuan kelima hampir tidak terasa lagi,” paparnya.

Sasha, 21 tahun, setelah dideteksi, dari 40 macam alergen, ternyata ia alergi terhadap sebelas macam. “Saya tidak menduga saya alergi gula putih, cokelat, jagung, dan beras,“ kata Sasha, mahasiswa semester VI . Ia juga alergi terhadap bulu ayam, bulu angsa, bulu hamster, asap rokok, debu, serbuksari padi, tungau. “Selama ini saya selalu bersin-bersin setiap bangun tidur, pilek alias meler setiap saat dan gatal-gatal di kaki kalau habis makan sesuatu,“ tambah Sasha yang sudah 5 tahun pilek terus. Kini ia menjalani sedang dalam terapi di Bio E.

Bayu Limadjaja (27), malah alergi terhadap keringatnya sendiri. “Alergi bagi saya sudah bukan mengganggu lagi, tetapi sudah tahap `memalukan`. Karena kalau sudah basket atau berkegiatan, pasti saya garuk-garuk badan karena gatal yang tak tertahankan,“ ujar Bayu yang juga alergi benang dan formalin. Kini ia tengah menjalani terapi benang, setelah alergi keringatnya terkendalikan.

Sementara itu, Wisnu Wardhono (49) kini sedang menjalani terapi alergi untuk bersin-bersin, suara serak, dan hidungnya meler. “Terapi konvensional mulai dengan prick-test bahkan sampai hidungnya disolder sudah dijalani. Tapi kini saya mengikuti terapi bioresonansi, tidak perlu suntikan, tidak makan obat, asal rajin terapi seminggu sekali, saya yakin bisa sembuh,” katanya.

Proses terapi bioresonansi ini tidak langsung terasa, tetapi perlahan-lahan. “Kini mulai terasa lega pada pagi hari, saat bangun tidur tidak lagi bersin-bersin, hidung tidak meler. Hanya kalau kena debu rumah, buka buku-buku tua masih bersin, tetapi sebentar, “ tutur Wisnu.

Memang, kata dr. Fifi, sang pengelola Klinik Bicom, hampir semua orang di dunia ini menderita alergi. Akan tetapi, kebanyakan orang tidak menyadari bahwa dirinya alergi sesuatu atau banyak alergi.

Jadi, tak ada salahnya memeriksakan diri ke dokter ahli terapi bioresonansi bukan? (Ida F. Suliztyarto)***

Si Kecil suka Jajan...?

Si Kecil Suka Jajan?
"Si Rio bikin kepalaku pusing, setiap ada tukang jajanan lewat pasti dia merengek minta beli." Keluhan seperti itu mungkin cukup akrab di telinga. Suka jajan memang merupakan salah satu problem anak balita. Anak yang hobi jajan tak bisa disalahkan seratus persen karena sebenarnya para orangtua lah yang membentuk kebiasaan si kecil. Salah satu faktor yang menyebabkan si upik suka jajan adalah karena kurangnya variasi makanan di rumah, akibatnya anak menjadi bosan dan tergiur dengan jajanan. Ayah-ibu yang sama-sama bekerja sering menjadi alasan orangtua jaman sekarang untuk membeli makanan siap saji. Akibatnya si anak merasa membeli makanan merupakan hal yang lumrah. Pengaruh lingkungan juga merupakan faktor yang sangat berpengaruh. Biasanya anak tergiur melihat teman-temannya menyantap jajanan. Jika si anak keseringan jajan akibatnya adalah anak sulit makan. Selain itu kita tidak bisa mengetahui apakah jajanan yang disantap bersih dan aman dari bahan-bahan kimia berbahaya. Meskipun si anak sudah terlanjur hobi jajan, sebagai orangtua Anda tetap memiliki kendali. Melarang anak agar tidak jajan mungkin sulit dilakukan, tetapi Anda tetap bisa mengurangi kebiasaan jajan. Apa saja yang bisa kita lakukan? - Batasi uang saku anak dengan tetap memperhatikan pengeluaran mendadak yang mungkin dibutuhkan anak di sekolah. - Atur jajanan yang boleh dimakan si anak, misalnya sehari tak lebih dari satu. Dengan begitu si anak tidak akan menjadi rakus karena pola makannya sudah terbentuk. - Biasakan si anak untuk makan di rumah. Agar anak menyukainya, sediakan menu yang beragam. Ajak si anak menentukan menu makanan yang akan dimasak atau libatkan anak dalam kegiatan memasak. - Ajari anak untuk memilih makanan yang bersih, aman, dan sehat. - Perut lapar merupakan alasan anak untuk membeli makanan di luar. Pastikan anak menghabiskan sarapannya atau bawakan bekal yang bergizi untuk anak. Kreatiflah dalam membuat variasi menu dan tampilan yang menarik. - Kebiasaan yang ditanamkan secara konsisten dan teratur akan menghasilkan perilaku yang baik, termasuk dalam hal makan.

From Heart Sinking to Heart Singing

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sometimes you have to stop and listen to that voice deep inside telling you something very important. Is it telling you what you yearn for, or you wish you hadn’t given up on?
Can you hear what it says above the roar of your day to day cacophony? Would you like to open your heart to living a life you really want?
Which door did you close when you opened the one to became a doctor? What would you find if you opened it again?
Is your life too routine, too busy and too stressful?
Are you engulfed in the day to day overwhelm of general practice? If you continue along the same path what will you regret if or when you reach the age of ninety five?
Have you forgotten what it’s like to have fun, to have laugh?

You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing. - Michael Pritchard

Do you want to do something wild and wonderful? Is your answer a ‘don’t be so silly’ or ‘what would people think of me’? Would you love to revisit hobbies, play music, sing, walk, jog, paint, write, dance or photograph or whatever, but believe you don’t have the time?
Are you scared to get that almost forgotten buzz again from doing something really exciting? How about trusting your instinct, your inner voice, which urges you to give something a try? You may say ‘….what if I fail?….what if they think I’m crazy…? Have you tried reassuring yourself with a ‘never mind that…at least I had a go!’
Whose life are you living? Are you sure? Who sets the agenda you follow? How can you change?

1. Daydream

To accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act. - Anatole France (1844 - 1924)
Close your eyes. Imagine being at one with the universe, at ease, happy, fulfilled, relaxed. Who are you? What are you doing? Where are you? How do you feel? What’s different?

2. Listen.

What gives you, an extra-ordinary sense of excitement, a buzz, an awareness of ‘this is what life is about’? That you need more of, again?
To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter ... to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life. - John Burroughs

3. Believe.

Has your life as a doctor tended to have suppressed your natural creativity? Is it the right time now to allow your imagination to run free? What beliefs about yourself or the ‘system’ stop you having a fabulous life? Are you scared of what others might say or think? Is that the way you want to live? You can’t predict how the other person will react if you behave differently. They, like you, have a choice. You may even be their inspiration if you start to ‘walk your talk.’ If you actually do what you’ve been thinking or talking about for ages.
Change your thoughts and you change your world.- Norman Vincent Peale

4. Do it your way

To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.- Joseph Chilton Pearce
Has the time come to put yourself first for a change? To ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’? Is now your opportunity to have what you want in your life?

5. Get out of your rut

Find a rope to haul yourself out of your hole, and seek whatever support and encouragement you need to change your life.
It's not that some people have willpower and some don't. It's that some people are ready to change and others are not. - James Gordon, M.D.

6. Keep going

Your decision and enthusiasm to make a change will give you some momentum. Decide your goal. Be pro-active. Work out the steps to get there and you’ll be well on the way. Keep going and you will get to where you want to go.

7. Hold on

Julia Cameron recommends two wonderful ‘tools’ to keep you on track. She recommends ‘Morning pages,’ which are ‘flow of consciousness’ writing about what’s happening and your reaction to the changes you’re making. Secondly, arrange to take yourself on an ‘Artist’s date’ each week. Make a commitment to do something, on your own just for you. This could be, for example, an outing, a walk, or sitting quietly in the garden.

8. Take action

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. - Confucius
If you really want more joy and happiness then truly believe in yourself and know that you have the power to create the life you want. Stop waiting for others to do things differently. You can change your life yourself . But you have to do something. You have to take the first step, however small.
They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself. - Andy Warhol (1928 - 1987)

9. Keep going

Do I hear you murmuring ‘been there, done that, started a load of projects but can’t stick at anything’? What can keep you going? Will you use your diary, a computer programme, charts to tick? Who can be there for you? Someone who will encourage you to do what you want and give you positive encouragement? Your partner, friend, relation, mentor or coach? Someone to travel along this bit of your life’s journey with you for a while?
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. - Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862)

10. Celebrate

What will you do when you are on the top of your world?
I celebrate myself, and sing myself. - Walt Whitman, Song of Myself, 1855

Susan E. Kersley, Life Coach, Retired Doctor

Still A Privilege to be A Doctor

Seseorang (ngga tahu siapa) menulis tulisan di bawah ini tentang pekerjaannya (atau statusnya) sebagai dokter... Emang bener... it is a privilage to be a doctor...!

Though not immune to the hassles and hardships of practice, this physician
tells why he experiences the joy of medicine.
Twenty years ago, when I was barely out of medical school, I attended a
conference and found myself seated at a table with far more experienced
physicians. As usual when seasoned doctors converge, the complaining-

about
managed care, malpractice, unfair reimbursement, lack of respect-quickly
began.
I kept quiet, until an older doctor turned to me and asked what I thought.
What I wanted to say was: "What a great job we have! We help people, we make
a difference, and we make a fine living." Not wanting to sound like a
Pollyanna, I simply replied, "I think the positive aspects of being a doctor
outweigh everything else." But even this response brought stares of disdain.
Okay, I thought to myself, there are real challenges. But even so, these
guys could use an attitude adjustment-and an "injection of wonder."
Much more than mundane
Since then, I've remembered that phrase. It's become an approach that's
helped me throughout my professional career.
As a doctor, I've experienced life's extremes. I've felt life enter the
world in my hands as a child was born, and felt life leave the world under
my hands while performing CPR on a patient who didn't make it. But, like
most doctors, my day-to-day routines are not so dramatic. In my pediatric
practice, most of my time is spent on mundane problems-kids' colds, worried
parents, ear infections, strep throat. Same old, same old.
But wait. Everyday routines can hide everyday wonders.
Ashley's in Room 3, with a positive rapid strep. It doesn't get more
commonplace than that. Then, with a sense of wonder, I remember: A century
ago, rheumatic fever complications from strep were the No. 1 cause of death
in school-age children. Now, we hardly see rheumatic fever in this country;
a few generations ago, Ashley may have been one of the victims. As I write
out yet another prescription for amoxicillin, I think maybe I just saved a
life.
Bobby's in Room 6. Routine immunizations, which I've already given 20 times
today. Then, a quick thought: During the first half of the 20th century,
polio killed tens of thousands of people, and crippled tens of thousands
more. Since the development of polio vaccines like the one I'm about to
administer, polio has been eradicated from this country and is close to
elimination in the rest of the world.
When I pause and really think about what our profession has accomplished,
the sense of wonder rushes in. Since the mid-1800s, life expectancy in much
of the world has doubled. It's as if modern medicine and public health have
given each of us a second lifetime. Who among us doesn't have a relative who
was saved by modern science-heart bypass surgery, perhaps, breast cancer
treatment, or a C-section? My role may be small, but it still feels good to
be a part of such a positive change.
No matter what your specialty, the same approach can be applied. Removing a
mole isn't just a minor procedure-it can be a life-saver. That
antidepressant order isn't just a simple script, it's a contribution to
human happiness. An insulin dose adjustment may seem like nothing much, but
more than 15 million people living with diabetes would have died at an
earlier age were it not for insulin.
Granted, it's not always easy to think this way, especially when results are
slow and I'm striving, as most physicians are, to run a business and deal
with a litany of practice management problems. It helps me to remember that
it's not just the success of my practice or my day-to-day efficiency, but my
patients' health that's at stake. And wonder-a sense that's reawakened by
stepping back and taking a second or two now and again to look at the big
picture-helps to balance my perspective.
At the end of that lunch so many years ago, one of the skeptics said to me,
"We'll see what you say in 20 years."
Hard to believe, but it's been almost 20 years, and I still feel the same
way. Being a doctor can be a hassle. But it's still a joy and a privilege.
[ME]

A NEW APPROACH to ALLERGY

A NEW APPROACH to ALLERGY

Kata Alergi belakangan sudah menjadi kata-kata milik awam, bukan lagi sebuah kata yang hanya dikenal di dunia kedokteran. Ini disebabkan karena penyakit alergi sekarang sudah menjadi masalah dunia. Alergi sendiri adalah kegagalan fungsi imunitas/kekebalan tubuh di mana seseorang mengalami sensitifitas berlebihan terhadap satu bahan/ zat tertentu.

WHO (World Health Organization) dan WAO (World Allergy Organization) berupaya mengatasi masalah alergi yang prevalensinya mencapai 40% di beberapa negara maju. Penelitian di berbagai tempat di Indonesia sendiri menunjukkan prevalensi yang tidak rendah, bahkan menunjukkan peningkatan di beberapa daerah dengan tingkat polusi, stress, gaya hidup yang lebih tinggi dibandingkan daerah lainnya. Gejala asma di Pulau Jawa dan Bali berkisar 4,3-7,5%, gejala rhinitis (pilek berkepanjangan) 15-22%, serta dermatitis atopic (eczema) 3-4%.

Dunia kedokteran selama ini telah melakukan berbagai macam pendekatan terapi, seperti edukasi untuk menghindarkan pasien dari penyebab timbulnya alergi tersebut, pemberian obat-obatan seperti antihistamin, dekongestan, kortikosteroid. Dan pendekatan terbaru yang dilakukan di pengobatan alergi adalah Imunoterapi, yaitu dengan memasukan allergen ke dalam tubuh pasien dengan harapan tubuh pasien membentuk pertahanan tubuh terhadapa allergen tersebut. Tetapi sampai saat ini belum ditemukan obat yang mengatasi masalah sampai ke akar masalahnya, tetapi hanya berdasarkan gejala yang timbul.
Salah satu pendekatan lain yang dilakukan adalah penanganan dengan metode Biofisika. Dalam ilmu biofisika, setiap substansi terdiri dari energy dan menghasilkan energy. Termasuk juga tubuh manusia. Energi yang dikeluarkan adalah dalam bentuk gelombang dan mempunyai panjang gelombang yang berbeda dan spesifik. Tubuh manusia mempunyai gelombang yang spesifik dan mempunyai 1 spektrum gelombang individual yang normal dan dapat dideteksi. Adanya benda asing dalam tubuh yang juga mengeluarkan gelombang lain yang juga spesifik akan mengganggu pola normal tubuh sehingga menimbulkan gangguan pada sel tubuh untuk berfungsi secara normal.
Terapi ini mampu mengeliminasi gelombang abnormal dari benda asing/allergen dan mengalirkan gelombang normal tubuh sehingga akhirnya menghilangkan sensitivitas yang berlebihan terhadap allergen tesebut.

Metode ini berangkat dari teori fisika quatum yang ditemukan oleh Einstein (dari pengembangan rumus E=MC²⁾, dan kemudian dikembangkan di Jerman oleh seorang dokter Jerman bernama Franz Morrel pada tahun 1977. Hans Brugemann dari Regumed Institute (Regumed=Regulatory Medicine) kemudian mempopulerkan konsep terapi ini dengan nama terapi Bioresonansi di pertengahan tahun 1980an.

Metode ini sudah digunakan di lebih dari 54 negara termasuk Indonesia. Banyak uji klinis yang telah dilakukan untuk membuktikan efektifitas dari terapi ini. Dan hasil uji klinis menunjukkan keberhasilan terapi metode biofisika ini mencapai 85-97%.
Terapi Bioresonansi masuk ke Indonesia sekitar tahun 1996, dibawa oleh pioneer terapi Bioresonansi di Indonesia yaitu DR.Dr.Aris Wibudi, SpPD. Terapi ini mempunyai kelebihan: Efektif mengatasi akar masalah, Non invasife/ tanpa rasa sakit, Aman tanpa efek samping, Untuk segala usia.
Penelitian lain membuktikan selain untuk alergi (asma, berbagai alergi makanan, neurodermatitis), terapi ini juga dapat membantu mengatasi beberapa masalah seperti: nyeri, migraine, Anti Smoking Therapy, dan rheumatic.

Untuk mengatasi masalah anda, hubungi kami:

BIO E CARE
Jl. Pluit Karang Cantik blok Y3T no.18 (Lantai 2)
Phone: 021.92587989
e-mail: withcaregroup@yahoo.com
Jam buka: Senin sd.Jumat 09.00-21.00
Sabtu 09.00-15.00

(dr.Lia Brasali Ariefano)

Understanding Asthma

Understanding asthmaThis common disease can claim lives, so control it as early as possible.
By Dr. Sonia J. Silos

A good friend of mine in his mid-30s has had asthma since childhood. He tells me that his attacks since then have been few and far between, but that they come at the most inopportune moments. He says, "It has reminded me of its presence at the worst times: when I am elated, when I exert myself physically or at the tail end of the flu."
Yes, living with asthma is difficult but it doesn't have to be that way. The first step is learning about the disease and how it affects you. This will help you better understand how to treat, manage and, ultimately, control asthma.

What is asthma?
Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the lungs and its airways. It affects adults and children alike, but asthma in children is different, explains Dr. Agnes Sebastian-Sanchez, pediatric pulmonologist at the Victor R. Potenciano Medical Center and the Healthway Medical Clinics (both in the Philippines). "Children have smaller airways so the symptoms are exaggerated, particularly in younger kids."
Asthma is a chronic condition characterized by acute attacks. These attacks are caused by hyperreactive airways, which produce increased mucus, then subsequently tighten and narrow, causing airway obstruction. All these bring about the common asthma symptoms of coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
But what exactly causes the airways to hyperreact? There are numerous asthma triggers and each individual has his own particular trigger. Once you identify what sets off your asthma attack, you can begin to avoid or limit your exposure to them.

Dr. Rommel Tipones, adult pulmonologist at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in the Philippines and the Healthway Medical Clinics, shares these handy tools for controlling asthma triggers.
Quit smoking. Ban smoking inside your home.
Keep furry pets out of your home.
Keep doors and windows closed to control the entry of outdoor allergens. Air-conditioning, although expensive, will help.
Remove stuffed animals, carpeting, curtains, or anything that collects dust, from the bedroom. Cover your mattresses and pillows with airtight covers.
Get a flu shot each year.
These are safe for adults and children over 3.

Drugs definedAsthma medications can either be inhaled or swallowed (systemic medication). Tipones says inhaled medications are preferred because they deliver the drug direct to the airways, decreasing any side effects that affect the whole body (systemic effects).
Medications are classified into relievers, which help stop attacks once they start, and controllers, which help prevent attacks from starting.
Relievers consist of bronchodilators, which keep the airways open, allowing you to breathe during an attack. Inhaled bronchodilators in the proper dose and frequency are very effective. It is the one medication that every asthmatic should have handy wherever he goes. Inhaled bronchodilators are the medication of choice for exercise-induced asthma and are the only medication that those with mild asthma will ever need.
Systemic bronchodilators, although equally effective, have more associated side effects and so are not frequently used. Side effects include a rapid heartbeat, nausea and vomiting, indigestion, dizziness, irritability and difficulty sleeping. When these occur, tell your doctor immediately.
Controllers are anti-inflammatory medications that reduce the swelling of airways and their mucus production. There are different types, including the ever-popular corticosteroids. These are recommended for daily use and are safe and highly effective for long-term therapy. But remember that they have to be used regularly and consistently for maximum effect.
Inhaled corticosteroids are the most frequently used controller medication, but they require spacer devices to avoid side effects such as throat infections. Systemic steroids are only given for severe, uncontrolled asthma. They are extremely effective but can cause serious side effects with prolonged use. Among the many side effects are weight gain, nausea and vomiting, face puffiness and foot swelling, hyperacidity, growth retardation in kids, early cataracts, delayed wound healing and infections.
As such, avoiding their long-term use whenever possible, especially in children, is prudent.
The doctor's roleYour treatment program will usually be individualized because each person's asthma is different. What works for your friend may not work for you. It is the doctor's role to choose the right medication at the right dose for your particular asthma.
After you have been prescribed asthma medicine, see your doctor even when you feel well.

Regular checkups can help your doctor ascertain if the medicine is working well for you. "Generally, improvement should be seen within a month of starting treatment," Tipones points out. It is vital for your doctor to know if:
You are taking more than the usual recommended dose.
You have symptoms at night and have trouble sleeping.
Your daytime symptoms are increasing.
These things signal that your treatment program is not working, and a change of medication or additional medicine might be needed.

Asthma and you

Finally, successful asthma management relies heavily on you as the patient. Everyone with asthma has a responsibility to learn everything about the condition.
Know your symptoms and what to do about them. During an attack, knowing the signals that precede it is vital, especially in young children, who usually can't report what they feel. Your job as a parent is to spot those early signs to ward off a severe attack. Be alert for cough especially at night, noisy, irregular breathing, wheezing, flaring nostrils and pursed-lip breathing.
Learn about your medication and how it works. Inhaled bronchodilators relieve symptoms quickly. They take effect within five to 10 minutes, when symptoms should start abating. The earlier treatment is given, the less medicine you'll need to control the attack. It is best to give treatment within five minutes of an attack.

Discover what your triggers are and work hard to avoid or control them.

Complete control of all your triggers is impossible, but you can decrease the frequency and severity of attacks. For instance, those with exercise-induced asthma need not curb their sports activities; they may be advised to take medication instead before engaging in strenuous activity.
Swimming has long been touted as the best exercise for asthmatics. Sebastian-Sanchez says, "Children can benefit from swimming because it teaches proper breathing techniques and there are less environmental triggers associated with it."
Take your med exactly as prescribed, even when you feel well. With controller medicine, the effects are not evident immediately. It takes a few weeks for them to work. For this reason, some people discontinue medication because they deem it unnecessary or see no attack forthcoming.

To control your asthma continuously and permanently, you must adhere to the treatment exactly as the doctor recommends. "Asthma management requires a partnership between the patient, his family and their doctor," Sebastian-Sanchez stresses.
Asthma can last a lifetime and can even be life threatening, but if you manage it properly, it is almost always controllable.