How to Keep Asthma Under Control

Asthma is a chronic lung condition which affects your ability to breathe. During an asthma attack it is harder to exhale than it is to inhale. If you have asthma, your illness may be related to allergies, stress or chronic inflammation, which is bronchitis. Asthma never goes away. It can only be controlled with medication, knowledge of your triggers and common-sense management of your daily symptoms.Babies, children and adults can all be diagnosed with asthma. Parents of children who are so diagnosed must learn what triggers their children's asthma and teach their child to handle those triggers.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Doctor's diagnosis and diagnostic test results
• Knowledge of symptoms and triggers
• Peak flow meter
• Inhaler(s)
• Nebulizer, if medically necessary
• Strong desire to stay healthy
• Exercise

1. Call your doctor. When you notice that you are experiencing symptoms, such as difficulty in breathing, especially during the fall or spring, increased coughing, sometimes with phlegm or mucous production, and feelings of tiredness or exhaustion, call your doctor and make an appointment. Your doctor will perform several tests, such as the lung function test, to determine the percentage at which your lungs are functioning. He may also order allergy testing to find out if your symptoms are related to allergies. If he determines that you are suffering from asthma, he will prescribe at least one medication, which will be an inhaler. This will be your "rescue" inhaler, usually Albuterol. Depending on how serious your condition is, you may also be prescribed a long-acting inhaler like Symbicort or Advair. These medications may contain corticosteroids which will reduce the inflammation and swelling in your lungs, which will help you to breathe better.
2. Listen to your doctor and use your new medication(s) as he orders. If he prescribes a peak flow meter, use it. A peak flow meter is a small device which measures how much air you are able to force out of your lungs in one exhalation. If you score a high number, you're doing well. If you score a low number, get your inhaler and use it. If your symptoms persist after using your inhaler--or if your numbers go even lower--call your doctor or go to the emergency room right away.
3. Depending on what you have been prescribed, use it precisely as your doctor orders. If you find you are using your inhaler more often then he prescribes, let him know. You may need other medications. Do NOT use the Albuterol more than is prescribed. This medication stimulates your cardiovascular system, which causes your heart to beat harder and more rapidly. This can cause a potential cardiac arrest. Children with asthma who use their inhalers without adult supervision sometimes spray way too much medication into their lungs.
4. Monitor your lung capacity daily or as often as your doctor orders. To do this, use your peak flow meter. Inhale until your lungs are as full of air as you can breathe in. Place your lips around the mouthpiece of your meter and FORCEFULLY blow the air out of your lungs. Keep blowing until you've emptied the air fully out of your lungs. Write down the measurement and repeat this process two more times. Write down each result. Your doctor will tell you which numbers indicate you are doing well, which numbers indicate you need to increase your medication and which numbers indicate you need to call him right away or go to the emergency room or urgent care. You will eventually become comfortable and know from the numbers you get, and by how you feel, when you need to call your doctor.
5. Report occurrences. If you experience any unusual or sudden symptoms when you use your medications, let your doctor know right away. You may be experiencing a side effect which may be simply annoying; or you could be experiencing a life-threatening side effect. This cannot be stated often enough--use your medications exactly as ordered by your doctor!
6. Exercise, which is beneficial to asthmatics. There are some precautions you should know about and use before you exercise. First, use your rescue inhaler about 45 minutes before beginning exercise. Take your inhaler to your exercise session, because you may need it. Stop your exercise session if you don't respond to your rescue inhaler.Bicycling, swimming and walking are all good forms of exercise which help to increase your cardiovascular endurance. You will have more energy; you will also breathe better. If you need to lose weight, your weight loss will result in more comfortable breathing.

Tips & Warnings

• If you maintain a daily record or diary of your symptoms and how your medications relieve them, this will make it much easier for you when discussing your asthma management protocol with your doctor. There will come a time when you will be able to remember most things without having to write them down; however, it is best for you to do so in order for your doctor and you to know more accurately how you are responding to treatment.
• Learn to monitor your condition daily at home--what are your triggers? Animal dander? Outdoor pollen or dust? Cold, dry air? Extreme emotion or stress? Illness, especially respiratory?
• If you are ordered by your doctor to use a nebulizer, use it as ordered. A nebulizer is simply an air compressor which assists in delivering your medication in a mist form directly to your lungs through a mouthpiece and medication cup. Delivery to your lungs is faster and you will feel the effect more powerfully. You may get shaky hands and your heart may beat harder.
• Your medications are powerful. Respect them and use them precisely as ordered. Do not overdose on them because they could potentially cause cardiac arrest if used in too high a dosage.
• Do not ignore your respiratory symptoms, especially if you have been sick with a cold or the flu. Flu can be deadly to asthmatics, which is why you should get an annual flu shot. If your symptoms get worse, call your doctor right away or go to the emergency room/urgent care.