Why do asthma symptoms worsen at night. How can you improve sleep quality with asthma. What are the best ways to manage nocturnal asthma symptoms. How does sleep position affect breathing for asthmatics. Which environmental factors trigger nighttime asthma flare-ups.

Understanding Nocturnal Asthma: Why Symptoms Worsen at Night

Asthma symptoms often intensify during nighttime hours, a phenomenon known as nocturnal asthma. This can lead to sleep disruptions, leaving individuals feeling fatigued and unrefreshed in the morning. But why does this happen?

Several factors contribute to the worsening of asthma symptoms at night:

• Increased exposure to allergens
• Cooling of airways
• The act of lying down flat
• Natural narrowing of airways during sleep

When we sleep, our airways tend to constrict, which may cause increased airflow resistance or wheezing. This can trigger coughing in some people, further tightening the airways and potentially leading to an asthma attack.

Identifying and Eliminating Nighttime Asthma Triggers

Recognizing and addressing nocturnal triggers is crucial for managing nighttime asthma symptoms. Common triggers include:

• Dust mites in bedding
• Extreme room temperatures
• Dry air
• High pollen counts

To mitigate these triggers:

1. Vacuum your bedroom regularly and wash bedding on high heat to reduce dust mites.
2. Maintain a comfortable room temperature.
3. Consider using a humidifier if you experience dry cough.
4. Keep windows closed during high pollen periods and take appropriate allergy medication.

Optimizing Sleep Position for Better Breathing

Did you know that your sleep position can affect your breathing? When lying flat, the chest area naturally relaxes, potentially putting pressure on the lungs. For some asthma sufferers, elevating the head and upper body can help.

Try propping yourself up with an extra pillow or using a wedge pillow to keep your upper body slightly elevated. This position may help reduce pressure on the lungs and ease breathing during sleep.

The Role of Positive Expiratory Pressure (PEP) in Asthma Management

Positive Expiratory Pressure (PEP) is a technique that can benefit some asthma sufferers. It involves exhaling into a mask or bottle, which helps remove mucus and enlarge the airways. For optimal results, perform PEP exercises at least 1 to 2 hours before bedtime.

How to Perform PEP:

1. Sit comfortably with your back straight.
2. Inhale normally through your nose.
3. Exhale slowly and steadily through the PEP device.
4. Repeat for 10-15 breaths.
5. Take a break and repeat the cycle 2-3 times.

Remember to consult with your healthcare provider before incorporating PEP into your asthma management routine.

The Connection Between Asthma and Sleep Apnea

Are you aware of the link between asthma and sleep apnea? People with asthma are at a higher risk of developing sleep apnea, a condition characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep. Both disorders can negatively influence each other, exacerbating symptoms and disrupting sleep quality.

If you’re experiencing persistent sleep issues along with your asthma symptoms, it may be worth discussing sleep apnea testing with your healthcare provider. Proper diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea can significantly improve overall sleep quality and asthma management.

Creating a Sleep-Friendly Environment for Asthma Sufferers

Transforming your bedroom into a calming sanctuary can greatly improve sleep quality for those with asthma. Here are some tips to create an optimal sleep environment:

• Reserve your bedroom for sleep and relaxation only.
• Develop bedtime rituals that support asthma management.
• Practice stress-reduction techniques before bed.
• Ensure proper ventilation in the room.
• Use hypoallergenic bedding materials.

Consider incorporating activities like meditation, gentle yoga, or a short walk in fresh air before bedtime. These practices can help relax your body and mind, potentially easing asthma symptoms and promoting better sleep.

The Importance of Consistent Asthma Management

Persistent sleep disruptions due to asthma symptoms may indicate that your condition is not being properly controlled. If you’re experiencing frequent nighttime flare-ups, it’s crucial to consult with your healthcare provider. They can assess your current treatment plan and make necessary adjustments to improve your symptom control.

Key Aspects of Asthma Management:

• Regular use of prescribed medications
• Proper inhaler technique
• Avoiding known triggers
• Regular check-ups with your healthcare provider
• Having an up-to-date asthma action plan

Remember, good asthma control during the day often translates to better sleep at night.

Exploring Alternative Therapies for Nighttime Asthma Relief

While traditional asthma medications form the cornerstone of treatment, some individuals find complementary therapies helpful in managing nighttime symptoms. These may include:

• Breathing exercises
• Acupuncture
• Herbal remedies
• Salt therapy

It’s important to note that while some people report benefits from these therapies, scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness is often limited. Always consult with your healthcare provider before trying any alternative treatments to ensure they don’t interfere with your prescribed asthma management plan.

The Impact of Diet on Nocturnal Asthma Symptoms

Could your diet be affecting your nighttime asthma symptoms? While not a direct cause, certain foods and eating habits may exacerbate asthma symptoms in some individuals. Consider the following dietary factors:

• Avoiding large meals close to bedtime
• Limiting foods that may trigger acid reflux
• Staying hydrated throughout the day
• Consuming foods rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids

Some studies suggest that a Mediterranean-style diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, may have anti-inflammatory effects that could benefit asthma sufferers. However, more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between diet and asthma symptoms.

The Role of Exercise in Managing Nighttime Asthma

Regular physical activity can play a crucial role in managing asthma symptoms, including those that occur at night. Exercise can help:

• Strengthen respiratory muscles
• Improve lung function
• Boost overall cardiovascular health
• Reduce stress and promote better sleep

However, exercise itself can sometimes trigger asthma symptoms. To minimize this risk:

1. Warm up properly before exercising
2. Use your inhaler as prescribed before physical activity
3. Choose activities less likely to trigger symptoms (e.g., swimming)
4. Exercise in environments with clean, warm air when possible

Always consult with your healthcare provider before starting a new exercise regimen, especially if you have concerns about how it might affect your asthma.

Understanding the Psychological Impact of Nighttime Asthma

Persistent nocturnal asthma symptoms can take a toll on mental health. The anxiety of potential nighttime flare-ups and chronic sleep disturbances can lead to:

• Increased stress levels
• Daytime fatigue
• Mood disturbances
• Reduced quality of life

Addressing the psychological aspects of living with nighttime asthma is crucial for overall well-being. Consider the following strategies:

1. Practice relaxation techniques before bed
2. Seek support from friends, family, or support groups
3. Consider cognitive-behavioral therapy to manage anxiety related to asthma symptoms
4. Maintain open communication with your healthcare provider about your concerns

Remember, managing the psychological impact of asthma is just as important as managing the physical symptoms.

Innovative Technologies for Nighttime Asthma Management

Advancements in technology are providing new tools to help manage nighttime asthma symptoms. Some innovative solutions include:

• Smart inhalers that track medication usage and provide reminders
• Wearable devices that monitor breathing patterns during sleep
• Air quality monitors for the bedroom
• Mobile apps for tracking symptoms and identifying triggers

While these technologies can be helpful tools in asthma management, they should be used in conjunction with, not as a replacement for, your prescribed treatment plan. Always discuss the use of any new technology with your healthcare provider to ensure it aligns with your overall asthma management strategy.

The Importance of a Personalized Asthma Action Plan

A well-crafted, personalized asthma action plan is crucial for managing symptoms, including those that occur at night. This plan, developed in collaboration with your healthcare provider, should include:

• A list of your daily medications and when to take them
• Instructions for managing worsening symptoms
• Guidelines for when to seek emergency care
• Strategies for avoiding known triggers

Regularly review and update your asthma action plan with your healthcare provider to ensure it remains effective and relevant to your current condition.

The Future of Nighttime Asthma Treatment

Research into asthma management is ongoing, with promising developments on the horizon. Some areas of focus include:

• Targeted biological therapies
• Gene therapy approaches
• Novel drug delivery systems
• Personalized medicine based on genetic profiles

While these advancements are exciting, it’s important to remember that current asthma management strategies, when followed consistently, can effectively control symptoms for many individuals. Stay informed about new developments, but always consult with your healthcare provider before considering any new treatments.

Managing nighttime asthma symptoms requires a multifaceted approach, combining medical treatment with lifestyle modifications and environmental control. By understanding the factors that contribute to nocturnal symptoms and implementing appropriate strategies, many individuals with asthma can achieve better sleep quality and improved overall well-being. Remember, asthma management is a journey, and what works best may vary from person to person. Stay proactive in your care, maintain open communication with your healthcare provider, and don’t hesitate to seek help when needed. With the right approach, it’s possible to minimize the impact of nighttime asthma symptoms and enjoy restful, rejuvenating sleep.

How to sleep better with asthma

Is your asthma or COPD keeping you from a good night’s sleep? Sleep is so important for getting you through each day and refreshing you mentally and physically. If you’re waking up to coughing or wheezing, here are four practical steps to help you deal with night-time symptoms.

1.

Feeling good night and day

Why do asthma symptoms tend to get worse during the night? For most people, it’s a combination of factors including increased exposure to allergens, cooling of airways, and even just the act of lying down flat, and going to sleep.

When we sleep our airways tend to get narrow which may cause increased airflow resistance, or wheezing. This can trigger coughing in some people, which further tightens the airways, and could even lead to an asthma attack.

If you’re having sleeping difficulties, it could be a reminder to cut down on those late nights. However, nocturnal flare ups could also be a sign that your asthma is not being correctly controlled.

If sleep disruption persists for more than a few days, it would be wise to check in with your doctor to see if your medication needs adjusting.

2. Goodbye to nocturnal triggers

Whatever triggers your asthma symptoms during the day could also become problematic at night. Dust mites are known to exacerbate night-time asthma symptoms, and they love to get buried in the bedcovers. So, it’s a good idea to vacuum every corner of your bedroom regularly and to wash your bedding on a high heat.

Is the temperature in your room too hot or too cold? For some people temperature can be a night-time trigger. If you’re experiencing a dry cough, you could consider installing a humidifier. Another common night trigger can be a high pollen count but that’s easily fixed by keeping windows shut firmly and taking an allergy medication.

3. Breathe easier, sleep better

We all know how hard it is to sleep with a cold or a persistent cough. Good sleep equals healthy and clear air passages. Yet, even gravity has an effect on night-time breathing. When we lie down flat, our chest area naturally collapses into a more relaxed state but this can put pressure on the lungs. If it’s comfortable for you, try propping yourself up on a higher pillow as you sleep.

Some asthma sufferers also benefit from Positive Expiratory Pressure, or PEP, which involves exhaling into a mask or bottle. This helps remove mucus and enlarge the airways and should be done at least 1 to 2 hours before you go to bed.

Consider testing for sleep apnea. People with asthma are at greater risk for sleep apnea, and both disorders could adversely influence each other. Sleep apnea causes breaks in your sleep breathing, which can worsen your symptoms.

4. A calming sanctuary

The advice for anyone suffering from sleeplessness is to convert the bedroom into a stress-free haven. Make your bedroom a place that’s just for sleeping and relaxing.

Consider designing some bedtime rituals that make you happy as well as support your asthma management. Maybe you’ve heard the old saying ”never go to bed mad”. If you live with others, try to avoid conflict at bedtime.

Deep breathing is also important before sleep. Meditation or yoga are ideal pre-sleep activities, or maybe you prefer a brisk walk in the fresh air. Find what resonates best with you, but keep in mind that a healthy fatigue makes the best pillow.

This article was compiled with expert input from Kaisa Toikko, expert at the Finnish Allergy, Skin and Asthma Federation.

References:

Dixit R. Asthma and obstructive sleep apnea: More than an association!. Lung India. 2018;35(3):191-192.

Jennifer Y. So, Albert J. Mamary, Kartik Shenoy. Asthma: Diagnosis and treatment EMJ. 2018;3[4]:111-121.

By Laurel Colless

Photo by iStock

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My Baby Is Wheezing. Is it Asthma? (for Parents)

My baby is wheezing. The doctor wants her to get breathing treatments through a nebulizer. I’m worried! Could she have asthma?
– Audrey

Probably not. Many babies and young children wheeze due to colds or viruses and don’t develop asthma when they’re older.

Young kids are more at risk for wheezing because their airways are very small. When they get a cold or other respiratory tract infection, these already small passages swell and fill with mucus much more easily than an older child’s or an adult’s. This can cause wheezing, coughing, and other symptoms that people with asthma get.

Another thing to consider is how often your baby wheezes. One instance of wheezing isn’t enough to diagnose asthma. It must happen more than once. But even when wheezing happens a bunch of times, it still might not be asthma, especially in young children. Most kids who wheeze as infants outgrow it and don’t have asthma when they get older. So doctors usually can’t make an asthma diagnosis until children are older, by about age 4 or 5.

In the meantime, doctors will treat any asthma-like symptoms. They may prescribe asthma medicines, but probably won’t officially diagnose a child with asthma unless symptoms continue.

Share your concerns with your child’s doctor, and ask about possible asthma if your daughter has:

• wheezing that has happened more than once (with or without illness)
• long-lasting coughing or coughing that get worse at night or after active playing
• any other breathing problem that concerns you

The doctor may ask if your child has breathing problems in different circumstances, such as during a cold or when exposed to:

It’s important to tell the doctor about any family history of allergies, asthma, eczema, and sinus problems. This information and careful monitoring of your child over time will help the doctor decide if the symptoms are due to asthma or another problem.

Assess and Monitor Your Asthma Control

When your asthma is well-controlled, you experience very few symptoms throughout the day and night and you can perform daily activities without shortness of breath, chest tightness, coughing or wheezing. It is recommended that people with asthma monitor their symptoms daily. The information below can help you determine your level of asthma control.

Assessing Asthma Control

Tracking asthma symptoms is a key component to keeping asthma in good control. Knowing how much of what medicine to take, and when, is based on your symptoms and can be found in your Asthma Action Plan.

There are four key symptoms that you should monitor to help you keep your asthma under control:

• Daytime Symptoms
  How often do you have asthma symptoms during the day, such as coughing, wheezing, chest tightness or shortness of breath?
• Nighttime Symptoms
  Do you wake up at night with asthma symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, chest tightness or shortness of breath?
• Quick-Relief or Rescue Inhaler Use
  How often do you use your quick-relief or rescue inhaler (i.e., albuterol medicine) to relieve asthma symptoms?
• Activity Level
  Do you have difficulty performing normal activities, such as walking, climbing stairs, daily chores or playing with the kids?

There are two easy ways to check your asthma control:

1. Baylor College of Medicine’s Rules of Two®

• Do you have asthma symptoms or use your quick-relief inhaler more than two times per week?
• Do you awaken at night with symptoms more than two times per month?
• Do you refill your quick-relief inhaler more than two times per year?

If you answer “yes” to one or more questions, your asthma may not be well controlled. Plan a visit with your healthcare provider and share your results.

2. Asthma Control Test™

Answer five questions about your asthma to determine if your asthma is well controlled. There is a test for children and adults. This assessment provides a score. Share the results with your healthcare provider.

Monitoring Symptoms

To help monitor your symptoms, keep a journal or diary. A symptoms journal or diary can be an important communication tool to share with your healthcare provider. It also can help you determine whether your asthma is getting worse. To help make tracking easier, incorporate it into your daily living such as keeping a note on your smartphone, use an electronic blog, download one of the many apps available, use your health tracking app built into your phone or device. Whatever works best for your needs.

Using a Peak Flow Meter

Some healthcare providers like to recommend a peak flow meter to anyone with a new diagnosis of asthma. It can be especially helpful in children. A peak flow meter may help them recognize the signs and symptoms of their asthma getting worse.

What Is a Peak Flow Meter?

A peak flow meter is a portable, inexpensive, hand-held device used to measure how air flows from your lungs in one “fast blast.” In other words, the meter measures your ability to push air out of your lungs.

Who Should Use a Peak Flow Meter?

Patients age 5 years and older are usually able to use a peak flow meter to help manage their asthma. Not all healthcare providers recommend peak flow meters to help children and adults manage their asthma. Many healthcare providers believe a peak flow meter may be of most help for people with moderate and severe asthma. If your asthma is mild or you do not use daily medication, a peak flow meter may not be useful for your asthma management. A peak flow meter is a helpful tool for school health staff to monitor a child’s asthma during the school day.

Why Should I Measure My Flow Rate?

Peak flow meter measurements can help your healthcare provider make decisions about your treatment and adjust your medicines, and the measurements also can alert you when your asthma symptoms are worsening.

Asthma sometimes changes gradually. Your peak flow may show changes before you feel them. Peak flow readings can show you when to start following the steps on your Asthma Action Plan that you developed with your healthcare provider. It can help you determine the severity of the episode; decide when to use your rescue medicine, and decide when to seek emergency care.

A peak flow meter may help you and your healthcare provider identify causes of your asthma at work, home or play, and it can help parents to determine what might be triggering their child’s asthma.

Learn more about using a peak flow meter and how to measure your peak flow rate.

Wheezing When Lying Down – PlushCare

Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling or rattling sound that occurs when breathing, particularly during an exhale. The wheezing sound is the result of constricted or inflamed airways, most frequently caused by asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

Read on to learn more about the causes of wheezing while lying down.

Wheezing when lying down

Wheezing might only occur, or get worse when lying down. For some conditions, wheezing when lying down only starts after a few hours of being reclined. If you are only wheezing when lying down, it might be a sign of one of these following conditions:

Sleep apnea is a condition where breath stops and starts throughout sleep. Symptoms of sleep apnea can include wheezing when lying down, accompanied by:

• Loud snoring
• Gasping for air
• Dry mouth
• Headaches in the morning
• Insomnia
• Hypersomnia (excessive daytime sleepiness)
• Episodes of breath stopping during sleep

Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure, is the progressive decline of the heart’s ability to pump blood.

Cor pulmonale is similar, failure of the right side of the heart. These conditions might not show any symptoms, or symptoms might develop as the problem progresses. Symptoms for both heart failure and cor pulmonale include:

• Shortness of breath or wheezing when lying down
• Sudden shortness of breath accompanied by coughing up foamy mucus
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• More frequent urination at night
• Irregular heartbeat
• Productive wheezing or coughing (white or pink phlegm comes out)
• Rapid weight gain
• Loss of appetite
• Difficult concentration
• Swelling of appendages below the waist (legs and feet)
• Chest pain (if heart failure is the result of a heart attack)

Nocturnal asthma. Asthma can be worse during sleep. Although the reason for this is not explicitly known, possible reasons include: cooler air, reclined body position, and hormone changes. Symptoms of nocturnal asthma might include:

• Wheezing
• Cough
• Chest tightness
• Difficulty or shortness of breath

GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) causes stomach acid to flow into the esophagus. This can result in breathing issues like wheezing. The stomach acid can trigger asthma for people who have both conditions. Symptoms of GERD are often worse at night, which might cause wheezing when lying down accompanied by:

Other causes of wheezing

Many medical conditions can cause wheezing whether or not you are lying down. Some conditions are chronic, some are acute, some are minor and manageable, and some are emergencies.

Contact a doctor if you have: wheezing symptoms for the first time; fever of 101° F or more; yellow, green, or bloody mucus that is coughed up; bluish skin; or a change in mental state or decreased alertness.

Seek emergency care if wheezing is accompanied by severe allergic reaction; sharp, localized chest pain; or a sensation of suffocation.

Additional causes of wheezing include:

• COPD
• Respiratory tract infections (e.g. bronchitis, bronchiolitis, pneumonia)),
• Emphysema
• Lung cancer

Seek immediate medical attention for wheezing caused by:

• Foreign objects inhaled “down the wrong pipe”
• Anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction)

If you are experiencing wheezing while lying down book an appointment with a PlushCare physician to get an official diagnosis today.

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Asthma Symptoms – Signs of Asthma

Asthma Symptoms

People with asthma experience symptoms because of the inflammation and narrowing of their airways. Symptoms often vary from person to person. The most common symptoms are:

• Breathlessness
• Wheezing
• Tight feeling in the chest
• Continuing cough

Cough

Cough can be caused by many things, and there are many types of cough. The presence of persistent cough, or one that continues during the night or early morning, irrespective of the sound it makes, would warrant further investigation and the consideration of asthma as a diagnosis.

Wheeze

Wheeze is a high-pitched whistling sound made by the airways when they are narrowing. It is often heard by the doctor as they listen to your breathing using a stethoscope. It can also be heard by non-medical people without special equipment. Wheeze can be caused by a number of things, including asthma. When heard, visit a doctor to investigate further.

Difficulty Breathing

Occasionally, people with asthma experience silent symptoms of asthma. This is where the signs of the tightening of the airways don’t result in the sounds of wheezing and coughing that are more familiar to us. You should let people around you (school or daycare staff, work colleagues, family and friends) know that you experience silent asthma symptoms so they can respond and support you when you need it. Signs of breathing difficulty which could indicate an emergency include:

• Distress, irritability, restlessness more than usual
• Fatigue and listlessness
• Deep sucking movements in their chest and throat when they try to breathe
• For all children, especially the younger ones, look at the gap at the bottom of their neck, where it meets the breast bone. When that area appears to be sucking in an out during breathing, this is a sign of difficulty breathing. Same for the spaces between the ribs, when they are appearing such in and out, this is a sign of breathing difficulty
• Inability of the child to finish their sentences when talking due to breathlessness

In most situations where a child is experiencing breathing difficulties, they should be seen by a doctor urgently.

Chest Tightness

Chest pain and chest tightness occur when the narrowing airways make it difficult to get the air in. This makes the chest feel tight. It can be uncommon to hear young children use the word “tightness” and “chest”. They might otherwise say “sore tummy” or “feeling sick”. Symptoms can be controlled, or they can be very serious. But with the right management, people with asthma continue to live full and uninhibited lives. A person’s symptoms can vary over time. Sometimes people with asthma will have no symptoms, especially when their asthma is well-controlled. You may have all of these symptoms, or only a few, and they may come and go. Symptoms often occur at night, early in the morning, or during or just after activity. If your asthma is well controlled, you should only have occasional symptoms. If you have symptoms or use your reliever puffer over two days a week your asthma may not be under control and you should see your doctor. You can also get more help by viewing Live well with Asthma.

Asthma is a complex condition

Occasionally, people with asthma experience what are known as ‘silent’ symptoms. This is where the signs of the tightening of the airways don’t result in the familiar asthma sounds of wheezing and coughing. If you or someone you live with, work with, or care for experiences silent symptoms, it is important they consult a doctor for an ongoing Asthma Action Plan. People around the person with asthma–such as co-workers, school teachers or daycare educators – should know about the silent symptoms so they can respond if needed. Asthma can start at any age, and can be more of a problem when it starts in older adults. Don’t assume if you never had asthma as a child that it’s not possible to develop symptoms now. Being breathless is not a normal part of getting older, it should always be checked out by a doctor.

What should I do if I think I have asthma?

If you suspect you might have asthma, you should see your doctor for a professional diagnosis. Don’t ignore it – if you do have asthma, the sooner you get it under control, the faster you can get back to living a full and active life. For more information on how Asthma Australia is helping people with asthma to breathe so they can live freely, visit About Us.

Breathing problems to look out for in children

Breathing problems in children can have a number of different causes. This page tells you what signs to look out for and what they might mean, from coughing or a runny nose to wheezing, fast breathing or coloured mucus.

Call 999 now if your child has any of these breathing-related symptoms:

• Severe breathing difficulties
• Grunting with the effort of trying to breathe
• The muscles under their ribs are sucking in with each breath
• Fast breathing
• Your child won’t wake up, or won’t stay awake
• Breathing stops for more than 20 seconds
• Regular shorter pauses in their breathing while they are awake
• Very pale or blue skin, or the inside of their lips and tongue are blue
• Fitting, if they have never had a fit before

What signs and symptoms are linked with breathing problems?

The following signs and symptoms can all make it difficult for your child to breathe.

Runny nose, blocked nose and sneezing

A runny nose is usually caused by a cold.

Sometimes it’s caused by an allergy – this is often called hay fever.

If your child’s runny nose is caused by allergies, they may be more likely to have asthma and problems sleeping too.

Coughing

Everyone coughs from time to time. A cough helps clear the airway of mucus and things like dust and smoke. An occasional cough is not usually a sign of anything serious.

More persistent coughs are due to a cold or viral infection that usually clears up in a few days. Some coughs carry on for a few weeks after the infection has cleared. Common cough medicines do not stop coughing and are not recommended. If your child is older than 1 year, you could give them honey to help soothe their throat. Honey must not be given to infants under 12 months.

Visit your doctor if:

• your child is vomiting after they cough
• has bouts of coughing that last over a minute several times a day, or
• has a cough that lasts for longer than 3-4 weeks

It is very helpful to doctors and nurses if you can video the cough on your mobile phone. This is because different coughs are signs of different conditions:

Breathing problems

It’s important to seek help if your child is breathing in a different way than usual. Check out when to call 999 and when to go to the doctor.

Fast breathing can be a sign of an infection of the lower airways, such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia. All children are different, but as a rough guide, fast breathing can be defined as:

• more than 50 breaths per minute for infants (2 months to 1 year)
• more than 40 breaths per minute for children (1-12 years)
• more than 20 breaths per minute for children over 12 and adults.

The main thing to watch out for is if your child is breathing persistently faster than usual.

Wheezing is a high-pitched sound that comes from the chest when your child is breathing out. Wheezing is a common symptom of asthma. However wheezing can have many causes, so it does not necessarily mean your child has asthma. 

We know that different doctors, nurses and parents all mean something different by wheeze. If your child is well enough, a video on your mobile phone is a very helpful way of showing the nurse or doctor what happens.

Breathlessness or difficulty breathing that becomes worse over a few hours could be a sign of an asthma attack.

Pneumonia and chest infections can also cause breathlessness. Children usually have a fever with these conditions.

Sudden and unexpected breathlessness or difficulty breathing could mean your child has something blocking their airway and is choking.

Difficulty breathing during exercise can be a sign of asthma. 

What do breathing difficulties look like?

• Breathing may be faster than usual, or irregular
• Your child’s nostrils may flare (get wider) when they breathe
• They may wheeze when breathing out
• They may make a high-pitched sound when breathing in (stridor)
• They may make a grunting sound when breathing out. Call 999 if this happens
• The muscles under their ribs may suck in with each breath. Call 999 for urgent medical help.

Find out when to call 999 about your child’s breathing difficulties

High temperature

A fever is a high temperature. In children, a temperature of over 38C (100.4F) is a fever.

What’s causing my child’s fever?

A high temperature can be a sign of infection – including infections in the upper respiratory tract and lungs. Fever helps children and adults to fight infection.

Your child’s fever could also be caused by other illnesses, or by vaccinations.

In itself, a fever is not dangerous. It is the cause of the fever that is the concern. Always seek medical advice if you are worried.

NHS advice on fever

The NHS website has more information on temperature and fever.

They recommend that you seek urgent help if your child:

• is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38C (101F) or over
• is 3-6 months and has a temperature of 39C (102F) or over

Contact your GP for an urgent appointment. Out of hours, call NHS 111 (in England and Scotland), 0845 46 47 (in Wales) or your local out-of-hours service in Northern Ireland.

The NHS also suggests you should always get medical help for your child of any age who has a high temperature if:

• you think your child may be dehydrated
• your child develops a red rash that doesn’t fade when a glass is rolled over it
• your child has a fit
• your child doesn’t stop crying
• the fever lasts for more than 5 days
• your child’s health is getting worse
• you’re concerned about looking after your child at home

Treating a fever in hospital

A high temperature will make your child feel poorly, have a faster breathing rate and a faster pulse. Children who are becoming severely ill will also have faster breathing and a faster pulse.

Health care professionals may treat a temperature to see if the pulse and breathing are slower without the fever.

Drowsiness

If your child has a high temperature (fever) they may also be drowsy or confused.

Children with a temperature often lack interest or are more sleepy or irritable than usual. They usually improve after taking children’s paracetamol or ibuprofen to bring their temperature down.

Seek urgent help from your GP or health visitor if your child is drowsy and:

• has other symptoms of breathing difficulty
• doesn’t improve after taking paracetamol or ibuprofen

Out of hours, call NHS 111 (in England and Scotland), 0845 46 47 (in Wales) or your local out-of-hours service in Northern Ireland.

Call 999 if you’re unable to wake your child or, if woken up, they are very drowsy and don’t stay awake.

Problems with feeding and drinking

Problems with feeding and drinking can be a sign of a problem with the lungs and airways.

Your child may not be feeding or drinking if:

• they have an infection and a high temperature
• they are struggling to feed and breathe at the same time

Seek help if your child is having difficulty breastfeeding or they are drinking half, or less than half, the amount they usually would. They may need to go to hospital to make sure they get enough food and fluid.

Aches and pains

Chest pain, headaches and other aches and pains can be symptoms of a chest infection.

A tight, sore chest can be a sign of asthma.

Babies and small children do usually not complain about aches and pains.  But they might be irritable if you pick them up.

If your child is older they might say, ‘My chest’s hurting’ or ‘I’ve got a tummy ache’.

Coloured mucus

Mucus protects your child’s airways. It traps unwanted particles and carries them away.

Mucus can be a problem if it doesn’t work properly or if there’s too much of it. A build-up of mucus in your child’s airways is called catarrh.

Young children usually swallow their mucus so you may not know what colour it is.

But if you are able to see it, yellow, green or brown mucus is a sign of infection or allergy. It might not be serious or need treatment. For example, green mucus running from their nose can be caused by mild infections that don’t need antibiotics.

A change in skin colour

A change in your child’s skin colour may mean they do not have enough oxygen in their blood or their circulation is poor.

Call 999 if:

• your child’s skin is very pale and they have other symptoms of an infection or difficulty breathing
• your child’s skin looks blue
• the inside of their lips and tongue are blue.

We’re committed to providing free up-to-date expert lung health information

Over 6.5 million people in the UK have a lung condition – breathing isn’t something they take for granted.

We want to give people with lung conditions the knowledge they need to live well.

Your support helps make sure that we can continue to provide free advice and information when people need it most.

If you find our health advice useful, please consider making a small donation today.

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Next: information on respiratory tract infections >

Kids Health Information : Asthma

This fact sheet is
available in the following languages:
Arabic,
Assyrian,
Burmese,
Chinese (simplified),
Chinese (traditional),
English, 
Karen,
Persian,
Somali,
Turkish and
Vietnamese.

Asthma is a common condition caused by narrowing of the small air passages in the lungs. The narrowing happens when air passages become swollen and inflamed, causing more mucus to be produced. In addition, the muscle bands around the air passages become tighter. These changes make it harder for air to get in and out of the lungs (especially out), and cause wheeze, cough and problems with breathing.

Wheezing is very common in babies and toddlers, but not all children with wheeze go on to develop asthma. About one in five children will be diagnosed with asthma sometime during childhood.

With the right treatment, nearly all children with asthma will be able to join in sport and lead active lives. Children with asthma should have an Asthma Action Plan that will tell you how to prevent asthma episodes (sometimes called asthma attacks) and how to manage asthma episodes when they happen.

Asthma can be unpredictable, and affects each child differently. Many children will grow out of their asthma.

Signs and symptoms of asthma

Common signs that your child is having an episode of asthma are:

• Breathing problems – your child might be out of breath at rest, feel tightness in the chest, have to work hard to breathe, or be unable to complete full sentences due to feeling out of breath. They might seem to be lacking energy.
• Wheezing – when your child’s breathing sounds like whistles.
• Coughing – this usually happens at night or early hours of the morning; when the weather is cool; and during exercise. Cough alone does not mean asthma.

The above are the symptoms of a mild asthma episode. These symptoms will often go on for two to three days, and sometimes longer. Most asthma episodes are mild.

In a severe episode of asthma:

• your child might struggle to breathe, become very distressed, exhausted or even limp
• you may see deep sucking movements at their throat or chest as they try to breathe.

Call an ambulance immediately in a severe episode of asthma.

What causes asthma?

The cause of asthma is often not known. It can run in families, and some children’s asthma is related to other conditions, such as eczema, hay fever and allergies.

There are many things that can trigger an asthma episode. The most common trigger is a respiratory infection caused by a virus, such as a cold. Other common asthma triggers include:

• exercise
• changes in the weather or windy conditions
• dust mites in the house, pollens or pets.

Cigarette smoke, even on clothes or furniture, can trigger an asthma episode, so do not allow anyone to smoke in your home or around your child.

While it is not always possible to know when an episode will occur, it is helpful for you to know what may trigger your child’s asthma, so you can try to avoid it.

When to see a doctor

If your child has problems breathing, wheezing or coughing, it is important to take them to the GP to discuss whether it might be asthma. If your child has asthma, ask your GP to create an Asthma Action Plan. The plan will tell you how to prevent asthma episodes and how to manage episodes when they happen.

Treatment – Asthma Action Plans

Your child’s Asthma Action Plan should be kept in a place where you can find it easily. Make sure anyone caring for your child knows your child has asthma and understands what to do during an asthma episode.

Prevention is the most important part of treatment. Avoid triggers that commonly result in an asthma episode, and keep other conditions like hay fever and eczema under control.

The two types of medication most often used by children with asthma are relievers and preventers. In some more serious cases, controllers may be required.

Giving asthma medicine

Inhalation is the best way to take most asthma medicines. Nebulisers are machines that change liquid medication into a vapour that can be inhaled through a mask or mouthpiece. Most children will use spacer devices with puffers, which work just as well as nebulisers. Spacer devices are cheaper, faster and much more portable than nebulisers, which are usually used in hospitals and ambulances.

Make sure your child knows how to take their asthma medications, and that you understand how to assist them. See our fact sheet
Asthma – use of spacers.

Make sure your child carries their asthma medication with them at all times.

What to do during an episode of asthma

If your child is having an asthma episode, follow the advice in your child’s Asthma Action Plan, or follow the below 4x4x4 asthma first aid steps:

1. Sit your child comfortably upright and remain calm.
2. Shake a blue reliever puffer and give four separate puffs through a spacer, if available. Give one puff at a time and ask your child to take four breaths from the spacer after each puff.
3. Wait four minutes. If there is no improvement in your child’s asthma repeat step 2.
4. If there is still no improvement, call an ambulance immediately. State that your child is having an asthma emergency. Continuously repeat steps 2 and 3 while waiting for the ambulance.

Key points to remember

• Ask your doctor for an Asthma Action Plan.
• Reliever treatment should be taken to relieve symptoms of asthma.
• Preventer treatment should be taken every day, if it has been prescribed by your doctor.
• Make sure your child knows how to take their asthma medications, and that you understand how to assist them.
• Make sure your child carries their asthma medication with them at all times.
• If your child has an asthma episode, follow their Asthma Action Plan or the 4x4x4 asthma first aid steps.
• Call an ambulance if your child’s symptoms get worse very quickly, or if they are severely short of breath, unable to talk, or their lips turn blue.

For more information

Common questions our doctors are asked

Do I wake my child for her asthma medication if she is asleep?

Generally no. If you can’t hear any coughing or wheezing, and they are not working hard to breathe comfortably, then don’t wake your child.

When do I take my child to the GP or doctor?

If you are using reliever medications frequently and think a preventer might be helpful, see your GP. Always see your GP when you are worried, or if the medications used at home are not working.

When do I take my child to the nearest emergency department?

If your child is finding it difficult to breathe or if your child is unable to talk. Call an  ambulance if there is minimal improvement after taking a reliever.

How much activity can I let my child do?

Once properly controlled, your child should be encouraged to take part in all usual activities. There is no need to restrict activity.

Should my child go on antibiotics when he gets a cold, to prevent an asthma attack from happening?

Colds are respiratory infections caused by a virus. Viruses are not killed by antibiotics. Therefore, antibiotics are not used to prevent episodes of asthma. Your GP will prescribe antibiotics for your child if they have a chest infection that is caused by a bacteria.

Is it safe to give my child prednisolone?

You may have heard about possible side effects from prednisolone. These side effects happen when the medicine is given either for long courses for months at a time or several courses of a few days each. When breathing is bad they can be essential but are usually considered as emergency treatment. The best way to avoid taking steroids is by taking the daily medicine recommended in the action plan.

Developed by The Royal Children’s Hospital. We acknowledge the input of RCH consumers and carers.

Reviewed August 2020.

Kids Health Info is supported by The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation. To donate, visit
www.rchfoundation.org.au.

90,000 wheezing in the chest – causes, diseases, diagnosis, prevention and treatment – Likar24

Wheezing is a strong whistling sound that is produced during deep breathing. Wheezing can be a symptom of a serious breathing problem that requires diagnosis and treatment. There are certain risk factors that can increase your chances of developing wheezing. More often they occur in smokers, allergy sufferers and people with lung cancer. If treatment is avoided or not followed, wheezing can worsen and lead to further complications such as shortness of breath or an altered mental state.

Related symptoms depend on the cause of the wheezing. Other symptoms that may accompany wheezing include shortness of breath, cough, chest pressure, fever, nasal congestion, loss of voice, swelling of the lips or tongue, or bluish discoloration around the mouth or nails.

The most common cause of wheezing is inflammation and narrowing of the airways anywhere from the throat to the lungs. Recurrent wheezing is caused by asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which cause constriction and spasms in the small airways of the lungs.

It could also be:

• Asthma is a chronic breathing disorder that causes narrowing of the airways and inflammation.
• Allergies – Seasonal allergies and food allergies can cause respiratory irritation, congestion and shortness of breath.
• Physical obstruction – when a person’s airway tube is blocked by food or other foreign body.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a group of inflammatory diseases: chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
• Panic – A panic attack can cause wheezing and shortness of breath.
• Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchi that is often caused by a viral or bacterial infection.
• Colds and Flu – Infections that cause the common cold or flu can cause inflammation and breathing problems.
• Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs.
• Heart Disease – Heart disease can cause breathing problems, coughing and phlegm in the lungs.

Wheezing can also be evidence of: gastroesophageal reflux disease, lung cancer, sleep apnea, vocal cord dysfunction, smoking reactions, taking certain medications, anaphylaxis.

The doctor will probably ask you questions such as:

• How long does the wheezing last?
• Do they occur during physical activity?
• Or more wheezing during the day or at night?
• Does rest help control it?
• Or do you smoke?
• Does wheezing occur on inhalation or exhalation?

These questions will help you determine the likely cause of your chest wheezing. For a complete clinical picture, the following diagnostic methods can be carried out:

• X-rays to get a snapshot of the lungs;
• Tests of lung function to see how well they work;
• A blood test to check the oxygen level (too low a level can signal a problem in the lungs)

Conditions that can lead to wheezing:

Respiratory tract diseases: asthma, bronchiectasis (a chronic condition of the lungs, in which abnormal expansion of the bronchi inhibits mucus clearance), bronchiolitis, bronchitis, exacerbation of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), emphysema, epiglotitis (swelling of the respiratory tube), foreign objects in the respiratory tract, pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus, respiratory tract infection, vocal dysfunction, lung cancer.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Diseases of the cardiovascular system: heart failure.

Other: allergies, anaphylactic shock (severe allergic reaction, for example, to an insect bite or medication), sleep apnea.

If wheezing appears in the lungs, contact a therapist who, thanks to the test results, physical examination and diagnostic methods, will be able to establish the correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment.Be sure to tell your doctor when the wheezing first started, as well as symptoms such as shortness of breath, hives, and a swollen face or throat. All information on symptoms will be needed.

In the case of some chronic diseases such as asthma, wheezing cannot be prevented without medical intervention. However, taking the prescribed medications along with the recommended home remedies can improve your overall health. Do not stop using medication without your doctor’s consent, even if symptoms improve.This can lead to dangerous relapses.

To relieve mild wheezing, you can try the following prevention methods:

• Humidify the air. Use a humidifier and steam shower. Humidity in the air can help relieve mild wheezing in some cases;
• Drink plenty of fluids. Warm waters can relax the airways and loosen the sticky mucus in the throat
• Avoid tobacco smoke. Heavy or passive smoking can make wheezing worse;
• Try breathing exercises;
• Purify the air.Use an air purifier with filters. This will help reduce the occurrence of allergens that often lead to asthma attacks.

90,000 “I’m afraid I can’t stand it the third time.” How people get re-ill with coronavirus | Hromadske TV

The number of patients with coronavirus is growing daily in Ukraine. Among them there are those who were already ill a few months ago. According to information of the Public Health Center, as of March there were more than 1300 such people.

Why does this happen, and what does it depend on, will a person get sick for the second time – in our material.

“It seems like a kettle is boiling in me”

A 38-year-old Kharkiv woman Olga first became ill with coronavirus at the end of December last year. Then the disease was easy: temperature 37.4, fatigue, cough and runny nose. The taste and smell did not disappear. True, there were sleep disturbances, mood changes, and blood pressure increased.

“Almost like a cold, but with a positive PCR test”, – says Olga.

After 20 days of illness, Olga passed the ELISA test. He showed that there is no virus in the blood, but antibodies have not formed either.

“I was also told that if I lay in intensive care, then there would definitely be antibodies,” she recalls .

In March, the woman fell ill again. At first I thought I had a cold. Although this time the temperature rose to 38.5.

“Such a high temperature is not typical for me. Heart jumped out of my chest. And the wheezing was such that it seemed as if a kettle was boiling in me ”, – says Olga.

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Olga from Kharkiv was ill with coronavirus in December 2020 and in March 2021

Photo:

Olga Nesterenko / Facebook

She passed tests and took x-rays. In his conclusion, it was said that the woman had 90,096 – 90,097 bilateral viral pneumonia caused by COVID-19.

“If you compare, it seems to me that the first time I did not get sick. And the second time – panic, loss of strength, pneumonia ”, – she recalls .

This time concomitant illnesses made themselves felt – Olga’s blood pressure was constantly rising, and she could not bring it down, she had a hypertensive crisis, heart problems.

“Was there a question to admit me to the hospital? First, there were no seats. And secondly, the oxygen saturation did not fall below 96. And this is not an indication for hospitalization, ”the woman explains.

Now Olga has actually recovered. But she still has to take heart pills.The doctor’s report says that she has postcoid syndrome.

Olga speaks of the possibility of getting sick for the third time with fear: “I wake up in the morning already tired. And at night, no matter how tired I was, I couldn’t sleep. If there will be another third time, I don’t know how I can handle it. ”

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Family doctor Darina Dmitrievskaya was ill in November and again – two months later

Photo:

Darina Dmitrievskaya / Facebook

“Antibodies would not have saved me”

Family doctor Darina Dmitrievskaya also got sick -19 twice: in November and again – two months later.

In her case, the second illness was also more severe: with fever, weakness, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, and later with viral conjunctivitis.

“The second time I had a high viral load. A little daughter fell ill, and I was in close contact with her. The dose of the virus was huge, so I think no antibodies would have saved me ” – says Darina.

During a meeting with a virus, the body activates defense mechanisms.It could be cellular immunity. It is provided by a strong increase in the number of special cells in the body that can recognize and destroy a foreign agent, such as a virus.

After an illness, some of these special cells remain in the body, forming immune memory. It is she who allows, upon repeated contact with the virus, to recover easier and faster, and the duration of such protection can be from several months to several years.

In addition to cellular immunity, there may be humoral immunity – these are antibodies to the virus that invades the body.

During the first week after the onset of symptoms, IgA antibodies are produced. Later, antibodies of the IgM class appear. And then immunoglobulins of the IgG class are produced, which can persist from 2 to 4 months, and their number depends on how badly the person has been ill. It is this type of antibody that protects against reinfection.

Infectious disease doctor Fyodor Lapiy says that scientists have not yet answered what the protective level of antibodies to COVID-19 should be so that a person does not get sick again: “I know what the protective level of antibodies to diphtheria and tetanus should be but not COVID-19. “

Family doctor Dmitrievskaya notes that a person who is re-infected will not necessarily carry the disease harder. It is difficult to predict how the coronavirus will behave, – . During the entire time of the pandemic, up to ten such patients turned to her, and each had a different severity of the disease.

“Any infection, any disease against the background of the fact that there was intoxication, that the forces of the body were depleted, can manifest itself much more strongly. But what will happen in a specific case – a question for large-scale research ”, – Darina explains

Two months after the illness, the doctor was recovering.She felt weak, she had apathy and tachycardia, and it was difficult to work. Although the first time she went to work right after self-isolation.

“It’s one thing when you have a healthy body that has not been ill for a long time and for the first time fell ill with covid. And the situation is different – when it is winter, stress and, moreover, re-infection ”, – she concludes.

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Family doctor Darina Dmitrievskaya will receive an injection of vaccine against COVID-19

Photo:

Darina Dmitrievskaya / Facebook

Will the vaccine save you from re-infection?

According to a study by Danish scientists published in the medical journal The Lancet, people over 65 are almost twice as likely to be reinfected as young people.

Scientists determined the level of protection against re-infection with coronavirus 6-7 months after the first infection.

The results of the study showed that in children and adults under 65 years of age, immunity is preserved in 80.5% -78.8% of cases. At the same time, among older people (65+), 47% have protection.

Researchers note that the best way to protect yourself from infection is by vaccination.

Fedor Lapiy explains that the National Technical Expert Group on Immunization (NTGEI) does not recommend determining the level of antibodies either before or after vaccination.First, because test systems for the determination of antibodies are not standardized. Second, during the clinical trials of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, people who already had antibodies after the disease did not have specific adverse reactions. Which means that vaccinating those who have already been ill is as safe as those who have not.

“Those who already have antibodies formed in the body after an illness still get sick again. But we know for sure that vaccines work – after 12-14 days, the incidence rate among the vaccinated practically does not increase, and if there are cases of the disease, then they are not severe.And among the unvaccinated – the level of patients is growing ”, – explains Lapiy.

According to him, when a person who has had a coronavirus ends the period of infectiousness and isolation, he can immediately go to get vaccinated. True, the NTGEI advises to postpone vaccination for six months. During this period, repeated cases of the disease are rare. Therefore, first of all, you need to vaccinate those who have not yet had COVID-19.

Darina Dmitrievskaya also reminds that the main goal of vaccination – is to prevent severe disease and death.And the vaccine, which has been approved by the WHO, protects against hospitalization, resuscitation, and mechanical ventilation devices.

“How long this protection will last is unknown, COVID-19 is only a year and a half. We will find out later whether revaccination is needed and when exactly ”, says doctor .

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Eat mindfully, read independent

Healthy food is often more expensive than fast food, but your body will be much more grateful for it.Quality information also costs money. Support hromadske

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Where are you, House?

House M.D.

Sunday evening … I feel somehow unwell, my head starts to ache and my body aches. Well, I think we arrived – I got sick! The temperature is approaching 38 every hour, and less and less want to stand. I wake up in the morning – nothing has changed, t

I called the reception desk: I was calling for five minutes, busy, I was calling for ten minutes, and I got through within twenty minutes.”What’s happened?” – they ask me at the other end of the tube. “Sick,” I say. Then they suddenly asked me the same thing again. I already thought, apparently, I got to the wrong place, and wanted to hang up, but a woman’s voice stopped me: “Girl, don’t worry, we have something with the phone, you disappear from time to time, so I’ll ask you again, don’t worry” … “Wow,” I thought. I have never met such an attitude in polyclinics, what a charm! I called the doctor, calmed down and fell asleep.

I woke up the doorbell, I opened it – my ideas about the district police officer had melted before our very eyes. Instead of a tall and fat woman with a handbag, I was standing on the threshold by a skinny little man with thin hair and clearly sweating. “Hello, I’m Dr. K.” – he said and entered the apartment. The first question was: “So, do you have a policy?” Then he still asked what worried me. Expecting something like this, however, in a different order, I prepared the policy and put it on the table. After spending a few minutes on scribbling, the doctor nevertheless decided to listen to me.

I listened very quickly somehow, in such a time I would not even have understood whether a person’s heart was beating or not, but he could hear that there were no wheezing. I thought that now she would listen from the front (my whole chest was stuffed up), but he did not think about it or forgot. But he remembered about the kidneys, asked if they hurt, and for some reason began to listen to the kidneys. Then, as expected, he looked at his throat from a distance of half a meter and sat down to prescribe treatment. I quote further:

– So, the day after tomorrow you will come in the morning for your tests. I write: urine for general and blood for syphilis, right now they all hand over it.

“Okay,” I say. – Or maybe you still need to do a general blood test?

– Yes, you can do it, I will write it out now. And make an appointment with me. And let my mother take dibazol for prophylaxis.

– I live with my husband, – I corrected him.

– Well, then let my husband drink, the doctor said and said goodbye to me, without answering the main question – what am I sick with. “The main thing is that there are no wheezing,” I thought.

The doctor is on the doorstep, and I’ve already thought about how to change the doctor, since the law now allows you to choose medicine to your liking.But I was in a hurry. The next day, a call rings on my mobile, a man’s voice asks: “Anna, how are you feeling? This is doctor K. ” I almost fell off my chair. This has never happened in my life. These are the doctors in the polyclinic, they are very polite! No, I will not change the clinic, I decided.

A day later, my husband fell ill, called, called a doctor for him, and at the same time for herself, so as not to go to the clinic again. Three hours – no doctor, four – no, five – no. On that day, our doctor K. never came.The next one too. After the weekend I went to the appointment. There were only three people in line in front of me. I waited exactly an hour and a half. I was very tormented by the question of what can be done with a patient in the office for so long. I understood when I entered.

Sela, doctor zero attention to me, writes something. I thought, maybe I didn’t notice that I was already sitting in front of his nose, I waited a few minutes. Hurray, it happened! I was asked where my card is. I said I was on sick leave. The doctor rummaged on the table, periodically mumbling to himself “where is she, I sort of picked her up at the reception, or not, where is she,” then jumped up and ran out of the office.Five to seven minutes later I came back with my card. Then I quote again:

– Why didn’t you come to see me on Friday?

I have been waiting for this question and have already armed myself with a rhetorical answer.

– Why didn’t you come to my call on Friday?

A minute of silence, and then Dr. K. gave me the following:

– Hmm, why didn’t I come to your call … Why, why. (He sang aloud.) I was in your house … Yes, it’s my fault. Have you passed the tests?

– Yes, I say – and I passed it for syphilis too!

– Well, then we’ll write it out now.

“Now” lasted a very long time, another fifteen minutes. A rather plump patient rushed into the office, threw the card on the table of my doctor K. and exclaimed: “Tell me, why do I have such shortness of breath?” The doctor looked at her calmly and replied: “Well, you had a cold.” I hardly said anything, I really wanted to answer her question. “Well, you write me out, I have to go to work,” the woman said. The doctor shook his head positively and had already taken her sick leave, when the woman was jerked to ask about hemoglobin, what the tests showed.The doctor again climbed into the card, found the result of the analysis and said firmly: “What are you, your hemoglobin is low, 80 in total, the head doctor will not sign the statement! You will be treated! ” And he began to prescribe her medications. Then I screamed.

She said that in fact I would take turns and let me be discharged first or … Then my doctor remembered my childhood and said to the nurse: “Give her a thermometer, let her measure the temperature!” Then I just lost my temper: “I don’t have any temperature, just write me out, I’ve been sitting here for half an hour and two hours in the clinic.”The doctor finally postponed all his affairs and took up my sick leave. Two minutes of writing, and I went to sign the department head. Moreover, the doctor was in such a hurry to discharge me that he forgot to listen and look at my throat and did not even ask about the kidneys this time. I go into the office of the head of the department, put the hospital on the table, then I ask the only question:

– What good therapist do you have in the clinic? I want to change my doctor.

– And you bring me a good therapist, then I will answer your question.

And then I realized that it was necessary to change not a doctor, apparently, but a polyclinic. Where are you, my Doctor House?

90,000 How much does it cost to keep a guinea pig and what you need to be prepared for

At the end of last summer, I got a guinea pig. Then I was sure that it was easy and cheap to maintain it. How wrong I was.

Evdokia Shelamova

bathing in the hay

Author’s profile

In this article I will tell you how much money I spent on a guinea pig and what I need to be prepared for.

This is me with my guinea pig Krynka

What you need to know about pigs

Guinea pigs are animals with character: for example, Krynka is capricious and demanding. But when I put her on my stomach, and she stretches her legs and falls asleep, I forget about all the problems. If a pig loves to sit in her arms, it’s incredibly cute: I held a shaggy tame cub, and he cooed. It was for these reasons that I took a guinea pig, but then I learned about their dark side.

Pigs are very loud animals. Very. They make a variety of sounds: squealing, whistling, chirping, chattering teeth, humming, hiccupping and cooing. The loudest sound is the whistle when the pigs are agitated or demand food.

Guinea pigs memorize the sounds of the refrigerator, dishes, rustling of bags, and begin to squeal whenever you take out food.

When I lived in the studio, every step I took in the direction of the kitchen area was accompanied by a squeal. Now Krynka squeals when I wake up or come from the store, when couriers come and when she scattered all the dry food and demands more.In the mornings, I sometimes wake up from her hiccups when she drinks half of the drinker at once.

Video with hungry pigs. This is not the loudest screeching – sometimes Krynka switches to ultrasound

They shit and eat a lot. Their whole life consists of food and toilet. They also eat their faeces – this is normal, as they absorb some vitamins. A pig can do this at any time: for example, when you are peacefully lying with her on the couch.

It is bad for pigs to live alone. They need to play with someone, divide territory, wallow, talk. A man cannot replace a mumps with a friend. Now that Krynka has gotten used to me, I plan to take her cub friend. I have no idea what my life will turn into.

Pigs are not particularly tactile animals. It’s fun to watch them, but you won’t be able to squeeze, especially representatives of bald breeds: pigs don’t like being picked up – they tolerate it. You won’t be able to play with them either.

If all this does not scare you and you still want to have a guinea pig, read on.

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What are the breeds of guinea pigs

There are more than 20 breeds, most of them differ in the length of the coat. They can be divided into five conditional groups.

Without wool. There are two such breeds: Skinny and Baldwin. These pigs are like Sphynx cats: they have no hair, only a very thin fluff and a little hair on the nose and legs.There is such a pig from 3000 R. Krynka is a skinny breed.

3000 R

I paid for Krynka. Together with her they gave me a good cage, a pack of hay, food and a packet of sawdust

Shorthaired. These are pigs with short hair, which can be silk, plush or rough. Short-haired breeds include teddy, rex, satin and others. This costs from 3000-4000 R.

Long-haired. These pigs have long hair that drags along the floor, it can be straight or curly and reach 15 cm.Examples of breeds: Alpaca, Texel, Peruvian, Merino, Luncaria. Cost from 2000 R.

Socket. These are pigs with hair in the form of rosettes or combs. Rosette pigs include, for example, the Crested and Abyssinian breeds. They can also be long-haired. Cost 2000-3000 R.

Kui. These are huge pigs – the size of a cat or a decorative dog. In Peru, they are grown for food. There are kui kennels in Russia too, but hardly anyone eats them here.

The easiest way to care for short-haired breeds.Unlike bald ones, they do not need a special temperature regime and sleeping bags. And they don’t have to be constantly combed, cleaned and trimmed like long-haired ones.

Where to buy a guinea pig

There are three options: buy at a nursery, pet store, or take it from your hands. It is best to immediately take same-sex couples so that the pigs do not get bored and do not breed. If you settle a female with a male, the female will constantly give birth, and this will shorten her life span.

Pet shops. In my opinion, this is the worst option.In pet stores, pigs live in poor conditions. And there is also the risk of buying a sick animal or a heterosexual couple, because sellers rarely understand the anatomy of pigs.

In pet stores it will be possible to purchase a pig for 500-1500 R.

In pet stores, I regularly see dirty water in bowls with food leftovers, the cheapest food and two or three pigs in small cages. I would not want to support such a business

Nurseries. Here it will turn out to take a thoroughbred animal with certificates and documents.This is especially important for those planning to participate in exhibitions. Kennels often specialize in specific breeds: Teddy, Peruvian, Hairless, and so on.

In the cattery you can book your favorite pigs and take them in pairs at once: for example, two sisters or brothers from the same litter. There they will tell you for sure the sex of the animal – those who keep the nursery usually understand the anatomy of pigs.

Of the minuses: in nurseries, prices are often high. In addition, as with other animals, there is a risk of running into an unscrupulous breeder who crosses animals at random and gives away sick pets.

For the price, you should focus on at least 2000 R for one adult pig. On average, thoroughbreds usually cost 2500-4000 R, and calves – up to 1000 R.

From hand. This is ideal for me: I prefer to pick up abandoned animals rather than buy. Often you can pick up an animal from your hands for free or immediately with a cage, drinker and houses. They gave me Krynka for 3000 R along with a good cage, a pack of hay, feed and a packet of sawdust for the first time. If I bought a pig from a breeder, it would cost 3000-4000 R without any accessories.

There are also disadvantages. The owners may not know the gender, so you run the risk of getting a pair of opposite-sex animals or even a pregnant female. When I took Krynka, I was told that she was a male.

Even taken from the hands of animals can have mental problems. Although pigs do not become attached to owners, they still get used to their home, their housing and human behavior. Therefore, it is difficult for them to change the situation. They may also have behavioral changes due to poor content.

Krynka was given away because the mistress’s cats attacked her.As a result, she rarely comes out of hiding and is too shy, even for guinea pigs. In addition, Krynka lived in a cage with granules and a plastic house, she did not have a warm shelter – because of this, she caught a cold.

At “Yulia” it will be possible to buy cheap purebred and ordinary pigs. Mostly they are given due to allergies, moving or children. This pig’s name is Barley. She sleeps like that all the time and does not wake up, even if the owner touches her. This is a sign that the pet feels safe and trusts the person.

And this is how Krynka sleeps – with his eyes open.She may be thinking about how to kill me, but rather just afraid to close her eyes

Where to keep a guinea pig

Pigs need a lot of space to run, explore and hide in different corners. They can live in cages, aviaries, shelving or containers.

Plain cage with bars. The ideal cage size for a single guinea pig is 150 x 50 cm, but such cages are rare. More often they use 80 × 50 cm. Less is already bad: in small cages, pigs cannot run and explore the space, they become bored and stressed.Therefore, pay attention first of all to the dimensions of the cages, and not to their description or advice from sellers.

5000 R

on average costs a new large cage

A new large cage with bars costs from 5000 R. On Avito or Yulia, cages in good condition are often given cheaper than in stores.

This is a 120×60 cm cage. This is suitable for one, maximum two pigs. If you take a smaller cage, then it is better with the second floor, so that the pig can run up and down the stairs. For pigs, cages are often taken with the second tier.But this cage is too small, only 77 × 48 cm. Abroad, cages of this size are usually used only for overnight stays, and during the day they let animals into the aviary. Such options also drop out on request “guinea pig cage”. It’s like making a person live in a TV box

Dune. These are cages with a plastic dome instead of bars. A large dune for a pig is in the region of 7000-8000 R. On the forums, they are recommended for bald breeds: in the dunes it is warmer than in ordinary cages, and sawdust does not fly to the floor.But this is their main disadvantage – the cage is not normally ventilated: if it is hot in the apartment, the pig can get heatstroke.

Russian breeders do not recommend housing pigs in cages and dunes: even in the largest cage, the animal will not be able to actively move. As an alternative, they suggest using racks, containers or aviaries.

This is what the dune looks like, 8000 R is the average price for a large cage. Dunes should not be left in the sun, otherwise the pet may die from overheating

Rack. If there is no room for an aviary, you can buy a rack. They are usually multi-tiered, easy to clean, and the pig is not fenced in with bars or plastic. At the same time, the racks cannot be folded like a cage or aviary, so they are more difficult to transport. The cheapest shelving unit for Avito will cost about 4500 R.

I have not come across racks in pet stores, only at Avito or Yulia: small firms are often located there that make racks to order.

Container. Another option is a transparent plastic container without a lid; things are usually stored in them.It is large, so it will be possible to make several tiers there. It is easy to get the pig out of the container, it is convenient to clean it, and sawdust, hay and droppings do not fall to the floor.

This is a shelving unit. If you decide to buy one, check with the seller if the glass is removable. If not, it will be inconvenient to clean. You also need to find out if the wood is protected from moisture: if not, the rack will deteriorate from constant dampness. The largest Samla container from Ikea. It is almost 80 cm long, suitable for one adult pig or a pair of cubs.Costs R 1199.To attach the drinker and hay holder, you have to drill a few holes

There is a lot of space in the aviary, you can place several different shelters and beds, make additional pens or tiers. Cons: hay and sawdust are poured through the grates, and a lot of diapers are needed to protect the floor from dirt.

I have the smallest aviary of 12 sections. On “Ozone” this one costs 1699 R with a discount. It takes about ten minutes to assemble and disassemble. When I need to clean it, I just shoot the first few sections.

This is Krynka’s aviary. On the left – a house for hot weather, a shelter tent with dry food and an edible tunnel. On the right is a sleeping bag, a tray with sawdust, a drinker and a sennik

Shelters and couches

Guinea pigs need a place to sleep, rest and hide from suspected predators. For breeds with wool, the most common option is a wooden house, which costs from 500 R. It is easy to buy in almost any pet store.

If you order online, be sure to look at the dimensions: there is a chance that the pig will not fit there.It is better to take a wooden house, not a plastic one, so that at the same time the pig can sharpen its teeth on it.This is a more luxurious option: a soft and spacious house for sleeping. Suitable for both bald and hairy pigs, it will not be hot in summer

For bald pigs, wooden and plastic houses are suitable only for hot weather. These pigs are freezing and do not like to lie in sawdust, so it is better for them to buy fleece bags or soft houses.

One bag for a bald pig lasts three to four days, then it needs to be washed.If your pig is not as shameless as mine and does not pee in bed, then you can change it once a week. Be guided by smell and dampness. I recommend buying at least two bags: while one is in the wash, the other is being used.

I have not seen bags in chain stores, but they came across in a small pet store near the house. Next to him is an atelier that sews bags and couches. I bought two at once. And this is a bag that I sewed from an old scarf. You can also find bags in online stores or order them at Yulia from needlewomen

If you have several pigs, each needs a separate shelter.I made two krynka: a bag for all occasions and a house for hot weather – it lies there when the temperature reaches 25 ° C and above.

I also bought several beds for Krynka, but they did not fit her in size: they were too small or too large. Unnecessary couches cost about 2000 R. In order not to overpay, I advise you to measure the length of the pig before buying: the couch should be such that the pig can lie freely on its side there.

I spent 2344 R 90 160 on shelters and beds for the pig

Bag, 2 pcs.

1400 R

I sewed this green couch myself from fleece and miscalculated the size a little. The animal is not happy

Filler and cleaning

As I already wrote, pigs shit a lot. Bald pigs eat three times more, so they also shit three times more. It’s the same with drinking – for example, Krynka can suck out the entire drinking bowl in a day. I’ll tell you how I clean up after my pig and how much I spend on it.

How often to clean. Depends on litter, number of gilts and odor tolerance.On websites and forums, it is usually advised to remove dirty filler every two to three days, and to carry out general cleaning once a week. General – this is when they completely change the filler, wash the tray and the walls of the cage, wipe the houses and bowls.

I can’t stand the smell of rodents, so I clean up often. When Krynka was in the cage, I cleaned the filler twice a day and every two or three days I did a general cleaning: I changed diapers, washed the tray with soap and wiped everything with a spray from the smell. General cleaning took 30-40 minutes.

During cleaning, I sometimes put Krynka in a blanket so that it does not get in the way. The spoiled animal approves of it

It has become easier with the aviary. I bought Krynka two cat trays: I put one next to the hay and a drinking bowl, and in the second I put a bowl of dry food. I covered the floor with a waterproof oilcloth and disposable diapers. Every evening I shake out the trays, brush the sawdust and hay off the oilcloth, and add new sawdust. It takes about 15 minutes, maximum half an hour, if Krynka joins the cleaning and starts scattering everything.

I do general cleaning once a week: I clean the enclosure, wash the floor, wipe the trays, bowl and oilcloths, spray them with spray. The diapers on the left side are usually clean, I change only wet ones.

What kind of filler to put in the cage. There are about ten combinations of sawdust, diaper, paper and fleece fillers for pigs. Most often, granular and ordinary sawdust is used as a filler, and disposable diapers are added to them.

What combinations of fillers I’ve tried

The Guinea Pig at Home site has a list of filler combinations.On the forums they say that this is a site with more or less reliable information, so I am largely guided by it. Here are the options I’ve tried.

Reusable Sheets is the worst idea. Sheets that are designed for adult bedridden patients or dogs are powerless against one small rodent. They are difficult to clean and need to be changed almost every day to avoid odor. A separate torment is to scrape off the hay from them. Failure to do so will clog the washing machine.Two sheets cost me 1100 R. Now I use them only for walking.

Disposable diapers only. Slightly better than with reusable ones, but if they do not have sawdust on them, then they will have to be changed every day – this is costly and not environmentally friendly.

The best solution in the end was the aviary. In it, I made toilet places where Krynka shits most of all, so the main part of the aviary remains clean. The larger the space, the less often it needs to be cleaned.

Granules, sawdust and absorbent diapers. For a cage, rack and container, this is the most convenient option. Granules retain moisture and odor, sawdust protects feet from damage, and diapers cover the bottom for less cleaning. The filler layer should be dense, 4-5 cm.

There are cotton or gel diapers. Gel ones keep the smell better, you can take any: for children, adults, for animals – there is not much difference.

Abroad, pigs are often kept on fleece instead of sawdust: they make several fleece mats and change as they get dirty.I have not tried fleece because it is troublesome: first you need to manually clean it of hay and sawdust, and then wash it almost every day.

Blogger Skinnypigs1 maintains a herd of ten pigs. She has a separate room to store fleece. In the video you can see how it looks

To understand what is right for you, select three or four options and try. You may find that keeping your pig on a fleece is more convenient for you than constantly buying and changing sawdust.Or vice versa.

How much do I spend on filler. Most of all I spend on sawdust: so that the cage does not smell strongly, you need to pour a thick layer – one pack is enough for two days. A pack costs 80 R, a month at first it took me about 1000 R only for sawdust and about 1500 R for granules. Then I began to buy them in large quantities, it turned out to be cheaper and more convenient: there is no need to run to the pet store when the filler suddenly runs out.

536 R

I spend for 20 kg of pellets

I buy diapers at Lenta or Perekrestok.In an aviary, a package of 30 is enough for several months, in a cage it is enough for a couple of weeks.

On filler and diapers I spend 1000-1300 R 90 160 monthly

Now the pig lives in an aviary. On the floor, I put disposable nappies and a baby waterproof oilcloth, which can be bought at the pharmacy for 100-130 R. Four nappies are enough for a couple of weeks. In the trays – sawdust with granules When Krynka lived in a cage, I laid two diapers on the floor, made a place to sleep on the right, and poured granules with sawdust on the left.You cannot use pure granular filler: it is hard and rubs on the paws, they can become inflamed. Therefore, the granules are sprinkled with sawdust on top, they soften it

Additional things for cleaning. Here’s what else I bought to make it easier for me to clean:

1. Household gloves.
2. Cat litter scoop, with which I clean the litter boxes faster.
3. Storage containers: two for hay and sawdust, one for pellets and two for everything else.I bought it at Ikea. Five containers are not enough for me, so if you decide to take, take large and many at once.
4. Brush. It is convenient for her to clean the beds from hay and shavings and quickly clean the aviary.
5. Deodorizing spray – good for trays and floors. I use Smart Spray.

I spent 1709 R 90 160 on things for cleaning

Two cat litter boxes

300 R

Brush for cleaning sawdust

70 R

Household gloves

50 R

Cat litter

40 R

How to feed your pig

Pigs need to eat hay, dry food and juicy food: these are greens and some vegetables.

Hay – the basis of the diet, there should always be a lot of it in the cage. Which one to buy depends on your finances and pet preferences: for example, Krynka refuses to eat tough, coarse hay, while other pigs, on the contrary, only eat this.

The problem is that batches of the same brand can vary greatly: in one month the hay is fresh and soft, and in the other it looks more like straw. I pay attention to the color: the greener the better. Also, look at the freshness and smell: the hay should not smell of dampness, be musty and very dusty – however, it will be possible to find out only after the purchase.

Get ready to spend a lot on hay. In May, it took me two bags of “Little Van” for 306 R each and a pack of hay “Moe Beast” for 96 R. In total, I spent 708 R on hay in a month. five packs cost about 300 R.

Prices for the same feed and hay in different stores may differ by 100-150 R. For example, Little Van hay can be found for 191 R, and in a store near my house the same packaging costs 306 R

On “Ozone” you can take hay at once in batches of 6 packs – enough for a month and a half.”Moya Beast” is a good Russian brand with affordable prices, but lately I have had no luck with their hay: Krynka refuses to eat it. Here are two different packs of hay. Left – Vitaline, right – Little Van. Vitaline didn’t fit my pig. Little Van is not bad, but a quarter of the bag is small hay dust, it is dusty and cannot be eaten

Dry food. It usually consists of herbal pellets, dried vegetables, grains and sometimes raisins and carob. Carob are bean pods with sweet pulp.

When I am looking for dry food for Krynka, I follow several rules:

1. Grain feed – hearty, fatty and high in sugar.If the pig constantly eats only them, it will lead to obesity and dental problems. Such food is not recommended for ordinary pigs with wool. Bald ones can be given, but in limited quantities.
2. Nut and dried fruit foods are not a good option because nuts can cause serious liver problems and dried fruit is full of sugar. They are usually added to the cheapest feeds to make them more nutritious.
3. Grain-free feed and pellets are considered the most suitable option: they do not contain wheat and other grains, but they contain dried flowers and vegetables.But these foods tend to be more expensive and the pigs are less willing to eat them.

This is the most common food offered to pigs in pet stores. It contains wheat, corn, barley, carob, crushed peas and very few grass granules. It can be used as a complementary feed or a treat. A kilogram package costs about 200 R. I bought the grain-free food “Chika” before, but it is rarely found in stores, and one pack is enough for a week. It costs about 250 R per pound, there are no large volumes

I chose a compromise option: I take herbal food as a basis and add grains or dried vegetables to it.Now I feed Krynka with this mixture:

1. Base – “Little Van Green Valley”, 240 R for 750 g.
2. Additionally – “Little Van” grain, 201 R for 900 g, enough for three months. I put in a few handfuls, about two tablespoons a week. This amount is enough for a bald pig.
3. Little Van Dried Vegetables, 157 RUR per can, lasts three months.
4. Dried corn silk and chamomile. I take it in a shop with dried fruits, and stigmas – in any pharmacy, is enough for a couple of months.All together it costs about 250 R.

It turns out that about 600 R is spent on dry food per month. How much food to give depends on the fatness of the pig. If she is thin, you can pour a full bowl, and if she is prone to obesity, dry food should be limited to two or three tablespoons per day.

600 R

on average I spend on dry food

If you don’t want to bother with mixes, you should start with Little Van Green Valley – the pig breeders recommend it.

I do not recommend buying ready-made snacks like cereal sticks, drops or bars from pet stores: they are usually too high in calories, fatty, with dyes, flavors or dairy products.

Looks smart, but bad for the stomach, liver and teeth. You shouldn’t take such snacks

A can of crushed peas costs 120 R – I give it as a delicacy, enough for a couple of months. You can give it a couple of times a day. In “Green Valley” there are practically no cereals, and the basis is made up of herbs and vegetables

Juicy feed. These are herbs, vegetables and some fruits and berries.

It is difficult to say how much money is spent on vegetables and herbs, since I buy them for myself too. I spend about 200-250 R a week on Krynka alone, the most expensive of which is sweet pepper.It contains a lot of vitamin C, so I add it to every meal of my pig. If you round up, then a month juicy food costs about 1000 R. Together with dry food and hay, about 2400 R is obtained per one gluttonous pig.

On feed for the pig, I spend 2368 R

monthly

February set of vegetables for Krynka for five to seven days. Half a large carrot, red pepper and cucumber, a cabbage leaf, half a package of parsley and dill. In the summer, I add zucchini and fresh grass, which I collect in forest parks

Utensils for feeding

Pigs drink water and eat three types of food: hay, dry food and vegetables with herbs.For all this, you need separate utensils: a drinker, a sennik and bowls.

573 R

I paid for feeding items

Drinking bowl. Bowls are not suitable for guinea pigs: the water in them quickly becomes polluted, and the pigs will inevitably turn the bowl over and fill the cage. Therefore, you need a drinking bowl with a ball, on average it costs 200-300 R.

Sennik is necessary so that the pig does not scatter hay. I used to put it on the floor, and Krynka lay there and shit.After that, she did not eat hay, so I bought a sennik for 200 R. Instead, you can use a food container, a cardboard box or a wooden house with holes.

I bought such a drinker for Krynka. They need to be cleaned every one or two days and filled with fresh water. To clean it, water is poured into the drinking bowl, some kind of cereal is added and shaken: the cereal cleans off the plaque inside the bottle. You can use, for example, rice or lentils. Hay should always be in the cage in large quantities. It is better to put it in a separate container or buy a special sennik like mine … otherwise there will be such a show

A bowl for dry food. A ceramic or metal bowl for rodents costs 100-300 R. A plastic one costs 30-50 R, but it’s better not to buy it: the pig will turn such a bowl over and scatter food throughout the cage. And the bowl should not be small – its pig will also turn over. Krynka consistently threw a small bowl on the floor several times a day when the food ran out, so I bought a large and heavy one. They also advise in such cases metal bowls, which are screwed to the cage lattice.

There is no need to buy a separate bowl for greens and vegetables: they can simply be placed in the cage on the floor.

I spent 573 R 90 160 on items for feeding

The pigs often turn the bowls over. To prevent this from happening, take a ceramic bowl: it is heavy, it is difficult to overturn it.And this is a plastic bowl for kittens, which costs 30 R. With such a bowl, food will probably be scattered throughout the cage

Guinea pig care

To redeem your pig, will come in handy with a couple of towels, wet wipes and coconut oil for hairless breeds. Coconut oil is advised to smear the skin of bald pigs so that it does not dry out.

A healthy pig should be bathed as it gets dirty. For example, there are sloth pigs who rarely wash themselves. And in long-haired breeds, mats can form: droppings get stuck in them and urine is absorbed. I washed the krynka once in six months: I did not have time to replace the sleeping bag, and she happily wrote there every day for a week. The rest of the time, Krynka takes care of herself.

pigs need to cut their claws about once or twice a month, so a nail clipper is needed.Clipping the claws is a must; long claws can injure the fingers of the animal. Together with a nail clipper, it is better to immediately buy chlorhexidine, cotton pads and hemostatic powder – it is sold in stores with manicure products. This is all necessary in case you accidentally catch a blood vessel while cutting.

260 R

I spent on a clipper

Krynke I cut my nails about once every six weeks. To do this, you have to turn her over on her back and distract her with food.While she is eating one sprig of parsley, I have about five seconds to trim. In general, it is not advised to put it on its back – this causes severe stress in the animal, and if it resists, there is a risk of damaging the spine. But only in this position can I cut my nails quickly and without damage.

I spent 690 R 90 160 on a set for the care of a pig

Coconut oil

355 R

Nail clipper

260 R

Towels

75 R

This is a Ferplast nail clipper for small animals, the price is 263 R in Beethoven. This is how I cut Krynke’s claws

What to do if the mumps gets sick

They say this about rodents: until the very end it is not clear that something happened to them.I do not know how true this is, and I try to follow the recommendations of the pig breeders. Here’s what to look out for:

1. The animal was active, but now it is lethargic and constantly lies.
2. The pig has stopped eating or is eating only fresh and soft food. If the animal has stopped eating altogether, an urgent need to take it to the veterinarian: without food, the pigs die in a few days. And if the pig avoids hay and solid food, then it may have dental problems. But if the pig refuses only one type of food, then, most likely, she simply does not like this food.Once Krynka stopped eating hay, I got scared and took her to the clinic. It turned out that she simply did not like this type of hay, and everything was in order with her teeth.
3. The pig is lame or has difficulty walking. If you notice this, you need to take the animal and examine the feet: when the skin is irritated or covered with sores, it can be dermatitis from poor bedding.
4. Constantly sneezes, wheezes or sniffs. In general, sneezing is a normal reaction of a pig to dust from hay and sawdust, food crumbs and strong odors.Krynka sneezes two to four times a day. It’s another matter if the animal sneezes more often, and discharge appears from the nose – this may be a sign of a cold. Wheezing, wheezing and loud puffing can be either a congenital pathology or a symptom of pneumonia. In any case, if you have trouble breathing or you suspect a cold, be sure to show your mumps to your doctor. Rodents can die from illness in a few days.
5. The pig is constantly squinting, crusts or discharge flowing near the eyes.Normally, pigs have white tears every day that look like milk – they wash their face with this liquid. Other discharge from the eyes is a reason to show the mumps to the doctor.

Where to take the sick pig. Rodents are dealt with by special veterinarians – ratologists. It is better to take the pig to them, and not to the doctors who specialize in cats and dogs. A consultation with a ratologist costs an average of 1000-1500 R.

I took Krynka to the “Red Fox” – this is a small clinic that specializes in rodents.The appointment cost 700 R: the mumps did an ultrasound of the heart and kidneys, checked the teeth and cut the claws. They also explained to me how to feed the pig if she stopped eating: you need to take herbal granules, stir them in water and give them through a syringe.

It is allowed to come without an appointment, but the wait can take a couple of hours. Animals in critical condition are taken out of turn: for example, a girl came running in front of me with a rat who urgently needed mechanical ventilation. The girl was asked a couple of questions and immediately sent to the office.

What guinea pigs don’t need to buy

Ladders and swings. Unlike rats or hamsters, pigs don’t climb twigs, so they don’t need these things. If you are making a staircase for the second tier, make it without holes.

This ladder is not suitable for guinea pigs

Wheels for running. Pigs have fragile spines, so they can break their backs in the wheel. In order for the pig to have enough activity, you need an aviary or daily walk around the apartment.

Harnesses. They can break a pig’s back, like a wheel. If you want to take a walk in the fresh air, put up an aviary or some kind of fence.

Toys. In general, pigs are indifferent to balls, squeaks, bells and other things. I bought Krynka a bell, but she only shakes it when she begs for food. You can entertain them with something edible: a grass tunnel that you can chew on, or balls of hay.

An edible tunnel costs about 300 R, sold in pet stores.Judging by Krynka’s enthusiasm, she will lazily gnaw such a tunnel for a whole year. Krynka also liked these hay briquettes for 40-50 R. Sometimes she falls into a wild mood and begins to destroy this briquette furiously

What to buy for a guinea pig

Keep this list if you are purchasing a guinea pig. The minimum cost for new items is indicated.

The required minimum is 3500-7000 R

Container, cage or aviary

1190-4000 R

House or bag

600-800 R

Bowl and hay holder

300-400 R

Little Van Green Valley food

250-300 R

Nail clipper

260 R

Packaging of granules, 5 kg

150 R

“Prosto” disposable nappies for animals, 10 pcs.

82 R

Towels

75 R

Sawdust, 1 pack

70 R

What you can buy at will

Storage containers

500-2000 R

Reusable diaper for walking

500 R

Wooden bridge

200-300 R

Spray for rodents from odors

170-300 R

Wooden sticks or edible tunnel

100-300 R

Jar of dried vegetables or pea chips

150 R

Sawdust brush

70 R

90,000 10 causes of dangerous cough

The causes of cough can be the most unpleasant – from pneumonia to bronchial asthma.If you have been coughing for several weeks, this is a sure sign to see your doctor. It is possible to see a therapist, but it is better to go directly to a pulmonologist. Although, perhaps, to a cardiologist or even a gastroenterologist.

1. Viral upper respiratory tract infection

These diseases are caused by viruses transmitted by airborne droplets from sick people. However, if you take hold of the doorknob on which the virus has settled and don’t wash your hands, you can also get infected. Sore throat, runny nose and cough are the main symptoms of a viral infection.It is worthwhile to be wary if the cough is strong and, moreover, lasts more than two weeks: complications may have begun.

2. Bronchitis

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchi – the tubes that carry air to the lungs and back. In most cases, it occurs as a result of a bronchial infection, but it can also be triggered by non-infectious agents, such as, for example, the bronchitis of smokers. If you have a severe cough with phlegm, it is better not to run it, otherwise acute bronchitis may develop into chronic bronchitis.And with prolonged coughing, structural changes in the lungs can begin.

3. Pneumonia, or pneumonia

Pneumonia can be caused by a variety of reasons – from bacterial or viral infections to mold spores. Due to the effects of agents, the lung tissue becomes inflamed, and the alveoli – the lung structures in the form of bubbles – fill with fluid or pus. The result is a cough with thick mucus. Other symptoms of pneumonia are high fever, chills, and shortness of breath.

4. Whooping cough

This is an airborne bacterial infection characterized by paroxysmal spastic cough. Whooping cough is very dangerous for children under 2 years of age and the elderly. He is vaccinated, but with age, the vaccination must be repeated.

5. Bronchial asthma

Asthma is an allergic disease. Allergen (pollen, dust, mold and yeast spores) causes inflammation of the bronchi – they swell and narrow, therefore, with asthma it is difficult to breathe and it is difficult to cough up: both air and phlegm hardly pass through the narrow lumens of the bronchi.In addition to allergens, cough in asthmatics can be provoked by smoke, both cigarette and stove, cold air, viral infection and stress.

6. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis

This serious illness combined an allergy to spores of molds of the genus Aspergillus, most often Aspergillus fumigatus, and mycosis caused by the same fungus. Spores enter the respiratory tract, settle on the mucous membrane of the bronchi, germinate and begin to live their own life. The disease is manifested by coughing up phlegm, chest pains, and asthma attacks.In 90% of cases, the disease occurs in patients with atopic bronchial asthma.

7. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

COPD is an inflammation of the bronchi, bronchioles (terminal branches of the bronchial tree, passing into the alveolar passages of the lungs) and alveoli as a reaction to irritation by all kinds of pathogenic particles and gases. As a result, there is a cough, shortness of breath. The disease progresses rapidly, causing irreversible changes in the lungs, so treatment cannot be delayed.If COPD occurs with smoking, you should quit smoking as soon as possible.

8. Lung cancer

A symptom of this disease may be a cough, especially with blood, or a noticeable increase in the chronic “smoker’s cough”, accompanied by chest pain, headache, wheezing or shortness of breath. However, any cough is a sign that you urgently need to see a doctor.

9. Heart failure

This is a decrease in the pumping function of the heart when it does not deliver enough blood to the tissues.The right ventricle fills the lungs with blood, and the left does not have time to pump it out. As a result, fluid accumulates in the lungs, which irritates the nerve endings in the bronchi – hence the cough. It is similar to a cough with bronchitis, only without phlegm, but with bloody discharge in the form of pink foam. If this condition is not treated, serious complications, including pulmonary edema, are possible.

10. Gastroesophageal (gastroesophageal) reflux disease (GERD)

Reflux is the movement of undigested food from the stomach back to the throat.Reflux disease causes symptoms that are least similar to those of the stomach: sore throat, cough worse at night, shortness of breath, wheezing, difficulty breathing. There are two reasons for coughing with GERD: the ingress of the smallest particles of gastric contents into the respiratory tract or into the esophagus – all this activates the cough center. To get rid of reflux, sometimes it is enough to change the diet. Although sometimes you have to take medication or even agree to an operation.

Source: webmd.com

10 ways to beat a night cough

Night cough does not allow sleep, irritates, disturbs household members. How can I stop it?

1. Humidify the air

This advice is suitable for everyone, both those who simply experience a dry throat and those with serious illnesses such as asthma or bronchitis. If the humidity in the apartment falls below 40%, the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract suffer, which, in fact, causes a cough.A humidifier can help solve the problem, especially at night.

At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that the humidity does not exceed 50%, recalls Tatyana Mikhailovna Zheltikova, Doctor of Biological Sciences, head of the laboratory of ecological biotechnology at the Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums named after I.I. Mechnikov. Otherwise, intensive reproduction of microflora begins, including mold, and mold is a dangerous allergen that can make a cough even worse. So in addition to a humidifier, buy a hygrometer – a device that measures the relative humidity of the air. (See also 3 household appliances for allergy sufferers.)

2. Drink tea with honey

Hot tea with honey before bedtime reduces irritation in the nasopharynx, removes mucus, soothes the throat.

3. Gargle

Warm salt water helps relieve inflammation or irritation in the throat and removes mucus from the back wall.

Pour ⅔ warm boiled water into a glass and stir in a teaspoon of salt. Gargle with this solution before bed.

4. Rinse nose

Rinsing the nose with sea water helps to relieve swelling and inflammation, remove mucus, remove microparticles of pollen, dust and other allergens from the nasopharynx, wash off viruses and bacteria. This way you can not only beat the cough, but also protect the respiratory tract from infections.

“Aqualor”, “Aqua-maris”, “Marimer”, “Linakva” – the choice of sprays with sea water is huge today. Or you can make a “spray” yourself – for this, a third of a teaspoon of sea salt must be dissolved in a glass of warm boiled water.The resulting liquid should be drawn into the most ordinary syringe, insert the tip of the syringe into the nose and press the pump – that’s all!

5. Sleep on a high pillow

If you lie on a flat pillow, the cough is worse because mucus runs down the back of your throat and irritates the throat. A higher position of the head during sleep helps to reduce postnasal leakage, as well as the symptoms of GERD – gastroesophageal, or gastroesophageal, reflux (movement of stomach contents back into the esophagus), also associated with cough.Multiple pillows or a wedge-shaped headboard can be used.

6. Stop smoking

Cough is a smoker’s business card. Of course, if you quit smoking, you cannot get rid of it in one day, but over time it will completely disappear and even less will bother you at night. If you can’t quit with willpower alone, you can try nicotine patches, chewing gum, or even medication, which of course must be prescribed by your doctor.

7.Treat Asthma

Bronchial asthma is an allergic inflammation of the bronchi. They swell and narrow, so with asthma it is difficult to breathe and it is difficult to cough up: both air and phlegm hardly pass through the narrow lumens of the bronchi. At night, when a person lies down, phlegm clogs the narrowed bronchi and the cough begins to torment more. Some are even forced to sleep half-sitting.

There is only one way out – to use the inhaler as prescribed by the doctor. It is best to do this regularly to control asthma, rather than when the cough keeps you awake.

8. Monitor GERD

Reflux disease causes sore throat, shortness of breath, wheezing, cough, which worsens at night. To prevent GERD from interfering with sleep, avoid heartburn-causing foods and eat at least four hours before bed.

9. Destroy allergens

Cough is most often caused by pollen, dust, mold, pet dander. To get rid of these allergens at least partially help:

• Daily vacuuming with a HEPA filter;
• Disposal of dust collectors such as piles of books and magazines, as well as carpets and fluffy upholstery;
• weekly washing of bed linen in hot water;
• shower before bed.

10. Be sure to see a doctor

There are dozens of reasons for cough (see: 10 causes of a dangerous cough) : influenza, bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), whooping cough, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, heart disease lungs’ cancer. If you only have a mild cold or dry throat, you will most likely be able to cope with the cough on your own.But if serious symptoms occur:

• temperature is higher than 38.3 ° C;
• cough lasts more than a week;
• whistle when breathing;
• coughing up blood;
• chest pain;
• labored breathing,

It’s time to visit a specialist. Only a doctor will diagnose and prescribe the correct treatment.

Sources: tvojlor.com, medicalnewstoday.com, allergotop.com

Not mind.ru read online Andrey Vinogradov (Page 14)

It seems like my whole life I’ve been waking up to the merciless patter of this damn alarm clock. It’s embarrassing to admit how often I came close to pushing a little harder than usual on the frayed wings of a moth, trustingly spread out on the flat dorsal round. And the excuse was ready: he did not calculate his strength, he accidentally overdid it, it can happen to anyone. Every time at the last moment, I got scared and folded. It is not clear what exactly he was scared of.Let’s say: something. For which it is more painful to answer than for the conscious one. Moreover, this insidious porch was so touchingly begging for mercy! Inside its long-shining body, the incompatible converged muffledly, combined. Time and eternity. Whose will it take? And there was a humble wheeze, the breath of an asthmatic. And I, damn it, half a step away from villainy. Well, how can you cope with the conceived ?!

Coward?

Let me be a coward.

Moreover, I will say: “What a” cowardly “!”

But there is someone who will say: “What a compassionate and conscientious citizen.”He, a foundling, would also add in a positive enthusiasm: “Happiness to him, since he is so conscious!” And get down to work on the wish. Wanted – do it! But alas, people do not have such a skill. This is not “I wished you – have a drink!”, But you have drunk – quickly forget what you wished. Because insincerity is bad for the liver and karma.

So a sad conclusion about the natural inability of people to revelations in toasts entered the brain, and the former admiration for Caucasian feasts hastily left the pedestal.

What am I talking about? Well, yes, the alarm clock is asthmatic. So, the alarm wheeze had an incredible effect on me. I was chilled and ashamed. Most likely I was not destined to penetrate into the nature of this sound. Non-mechanical nature in an absolutely provably inanimate and at the same time unconditionally animate mechanism. But something else is much more important: I learned something about myself. Sentimental. A breeze that brings old age.

“Nice. Didn’t you guess before? ”

“Lie?”

“If it helps.”

I carefully return the alarm clock to the nightstand, feeling the blood pouring unbidden to the pads of my fingers – thumb and forefinger, among all my prudes. They are ashamed to be with me and at the same time separate from me. By itself. Additionally. Cause? They are incredulous and every time they doubt the sincerity of my repentance. Mostly completely in vain.

The alarm clock looks at us, at me and at my fingers, with sadness. He lowered the arrows to half-past six and, perhaps, no longer pity himself, but me, the unlucky one, who has not grown to understand that you cannot argue with the destiny, although it is very easy to screw him up.God willing, I will climb this peak in my next life. If He is merciful to me. Or, through an oversight, it gives happiness to live with an old alarm clock. I will serve, if it happens, I will count someone’s life, as this restless old man counts mine. Convincingly counts out: “Tick-Tock! Tick-Tock! ” Such an unconvincing life and so convincing. Indeed, is it really possible to entrust such an intimate affair with a soulless plastic soap dish on a battery? And their dead sound:

“Knock. Knock. Knock. ”

Complete hopelessness.

There is something else that makes me keep a perverted, as someone would think, loyalty to the mechanical dinosaur. Whatever weakness of nature I show, he is dependent on me. From me, not from the “Duraselian” miracle. Remember Bunny the rabbit with a battery on its back, making it like a plush terrorist? A pink rabbit with a martyr’s backpack … No, it’s not funny at all. In short, I can “forget” to start my alarm clock, and then emotionally watch how the completely weakened spring gives the last strength to the heavy arrows.Imagine the horror that engulfs cogwheels, wheels of various sizes and all the other sentries inside. They are perplexed: “What is going on?” – but guess – something certainly monstrous. Relentless. Irresistible. And they cling to each other harder than usual, believing that together they will not be so scared. Naive, the right word. Like people.

Okay, my conscience is clear, I have never stooped to revenge. I have enough imagination and … confidence that at least something depends on me in this life.The scale is not important.

“To hell with the scale.”

“Wrong. Because it is precisely that the number of people who are dependent on you determines the scale of your personality. ”

“And I say: to hell with the scale! I would rather be an insignificant person with only one thing depending on me than a shit on whom the lives of millions depend. This is a deliberate choice … But to some extent it is also a forced one. ”

“Who am I like that?”

“Yes, myself. Self-compelled. Himself to blame.In one word, it sounds like the name of some Indian province – SAMVINOVAT. My God, how many of us came from those places. Probably, Indians also meet. And by the way … I can wear shoes, sow a glove. Not only the alarm clock depends on me. ”

“You see: the personality has flooded into growth by leaps and bounds.”

All the same, you have to be a complete idiot to, in principle, love watches – the main witnesses of our irreplaceable waste. Alarm clocks, with their obsessive habit of reminding, are the worst in this army.

17

It is possible that the alarm clock is not the most controversial thing that sneaked into my house and settled in it to burden my life. A hamster and a toilet brush compete with him. The hamster is inherently intricate and ambiguous. To expect from this unbridled epicure a slightest indulgence is, in principle, extremely dubious. From him, from waiting a mile away, it carries infinity. I have this smell – the earthy spirit of unpeeled potatoes, poured into a hefty aluminum canteen tank with a heap.In the army, he often served for negligence and insolence in the kitchen. Over the years, negligence has gotten used to the place, but the insolence has moved out, did not take root. Yes, another brush … This … device? Item. This object, with its straightforwardness and limited area of ​​use, could very well be agreeable to itself, but no! Dead, dog, sticks in a plastic glass. And that one is filled with liquid, smelly muck, whose purpose is to fiercely kill bacteria, not shirts and jeans. The unexpected release of the brush from the glass captivity too often turns into a tragedy for my very modest wardrobe.There was a case, I left him hanging around in the jerk for the night. And you think something has changed?

18

A gorgeous dream happened. About the Yellow Sea. The sea gives a person hope, and dreams – dreams. Kind of like Christopher Columbus put it that way. He himself invented the words or borrowed from some less significant romantic – I won’t lie, I don’t know. After all, wisdom is not valuable by authorship. Who knows how many sayings, revered today for wisdom, were thrown by someone, in passing, in mockery, or even out of stupidity, and only then, picked up by an accidental witness, were they presented to humanity in exchange for their own immortality in the title of a sage.

What about a dream? What a dream … A dream is really a dream. Yes, and the sea did not disappoint, and how encouraging. Beloved feast for the eyes, my Korean girl … For a long time I have not been visited by such a playful, cheerful mood and the courage of fantasies that came up on him with yeast dough. This fact, emphasized by the changed relief of the cotton blanket, did not hide from the eyes of my small guest. What can you do, body language is the basics for all living things, “male”. Or maybe “male”?

The hamster froze and, as it seems to me, attentively, with an intent squint, watches me from the cage.To see into the distance without glasses in the last five years I have succeeded (like many other things) is very unimportant. Therefore, most likely, I think out the indiscernible, supplement the fuzzy with the once noticed and, as usual, with my own fantasies. I admit that the hamster is corny sleeping in the pose of a humble gopher. The muzzle is loyally turned towards me. For every fireman. The owner will call out – it will be enough to open your eyes. Minimalism of movements. As well as effort. A damn economical solution.

I often find a hamster in this warning state and am moved, remembering my service in the army …

The second time that morning I remembered the barracks.Not good.

I already saved up my strength on guard.

Third.

Third! After the third guardhouse, they threatened to be sent to the penal battalion, but then Afghan turned up on the order. And I was destined to be included by the commanding hand in the list of volunteers.