What is the treatment for asthma?
Patient: Dear Doctor,  Nice to meet you and I stay in Bangalore and my sister is 28 year old and she is suffering from Asthma, many local doctors have said she is allergic to dust and certain smell etc. In the morning when she wakes up finds very much difficult to breath and it sounds a lot while breathing.   So can you please which doctor should I consult. Please guide me.  And we dont have health insrurance, but if i go to hospitals in bangalore they ask about insurance and charge based on it. So I am bit scared, due to my financial position. So please guide me with a good hospital where i can get a better service.  Look forward to hear from you.  My email ID is  YYYY@YYYY  and  YYYY@YYYY Doctor: Hello.Thank you for asking at HCM.I went through your sister's history and would like to make suggestions for her as follows:1. To reply your main query, I can understand your concern about finance. I would suggest her to consult an Allergist-Immunologist who may suggest her some tests like spirometry, allergy testing, etc.There are many good allergists in Bangalore. I would suggest you to consult the one who is easily approachable and who is experienced. I cannot violate terms & conditions of HCM by naming a particular doctor, but I would suggest her to visit an institute like KIMS hospital, which has a good department dealing with allergies-asthma.2. For your sister, I would suggest her regular montelukast and levocetirizine for at least 2-3 months.3. I would also suggest her to use salbutamol inhaler on as-and-when-needed basis for asthma symptoms/wheezing/breathlessness.4. Allergy testing will help her identify the substances she may be allergic to and also to know the measures to avoid them. Common substances causing her early morning symptoms are house dust mites and indoor molds. 5. In general, I would suggest her avoidance of dusts, smokes and air pollution as much as possible.6. I would also suggest her regular breathing exercises like Yooga & Pranayam and a healthy diet rich in vitamins & minerals (adequate amounts of green leafy vegetables, fruits, sprouts, etc) which will improve her lung capacity and immunity respectively in a long run.Hope above suggestions will be helpful to her.Should you have any further query, please feel free to ask at HCM.Wish her the best of the health.Thank you & Regards.