<human>: hi im 26 and i have had asthma since i was 6 month old asthma has become better over lazt 10 years. but for the last yr or so i keep getting chest infections every month or so. today om coughing up phlem my voice is going and my chest hurts when i breath and my throat hurts a little. i also work in a bakery for the last 12 years and flour and stuff has never bothered me. i go to the doctors every time and they just give me the same antibiotics / amoxycillin,prednisolone etc but they cant pin piont why it keeps happening. im going back today to see them can you help?? thank you
<bot>: Hello. Thank you for asking at Chat Doctor. I went through your history and from your history I would like to suggest you as follows:1. Were I treating you, I would suggest tablet montelukast and levocetirizine daily at least for 2-3 months.2. I would also start inhaler formoterol and budesonide in low dose daily for at least 2-3 months.3. Simultaneously, I would suggest you regular steam inhalation and warm saline gargles to hasten the healing process.4. Once you have no longer episodes of cough & chest complaints, I would plan to reduce your medications gradually.5. As you are working in a bakery, I would specially suggest you to cover your nose and mouth with a mask while working. If possible, you could take steps (like keeping window open) to improve ventilation in the area where you work.6. In general, I would suggest you to avoid exposure to dusts, smokes and air pollution. Regular breathing exercises and a healthy diet rich in vitamins and minerals (e.g., adequate amounts of green leafy vegetables, fruits, sprouts, etc.) will definitely help you in a long run.7. I would suggest you allergy testing, which will help you to identify substances causing troubles to you and also measures to avoid them.8. If above measures do not help, personally I would suggest you spirometry to know your lung capacity and identify type of lung problem you have. Hope above suggestions will help you. Regarding your main question, I would say, Asthma, if you cannot be cured, can be very well controlled by regular medications without affecting your daily life. If allergy testing identifies some allergen, you may be prescribed specific allergen immunotherapy, which can change your immune system to improve your asthma. Also, if daily exposure to bakery dust (including yeast, wheat flour, egg, other dusts) is the cause of your symptoms, avoiding bakery dust will help you a lot. I must also mention that it takes long time to develop allergies and asthma. So no matter you have tolerated bakery dusts so far, maybe it is now increasing your symptoms (its known as Bakers asthma, you can read on internet). Should you have any further query, please fell free to ask at Chat Doctor. Wish you the best of the health. Thank you & Regards.