What To Do To Help Asthma

Follow Up With Your Gp Or Asthma Nurse

Your GP or asthma nurse should arrange a follow-up appointment with you six to eight weeks after you start taking your new medicine or using a new inhaler. Dont forget to take along your medicines, your symptom and peak flow diaries, and your asthma action plan.

This appointment is to see how youre getting on with the change, and if theres been any improvement or if youve noticed symptoms getting worse. You can also talk about any side effects youve noticed.

• If your new medicines or inhaler are working well, you can carry on with them, and see your GP or asthma nurse again at your routine annual review.
• If youre not getting on well with your new medicines or your new inhaler, your GP or asthma nurse can consider other treatments or an easier device.

See your GP or asthma nurse urgently if

your symptoms are getting worse, or youre using your reliever inhaler three or more times a week. Don’t wait for your follow up appointment.

Get answers to your concerns about changing your medicines and inhalers.

You can also get advice and support about your asthma medicines by calling a respiratory nurse specialist on our Helpline, 0300 222 5800 . Or you can WhatsApp them on 07378 606 728.

Next review due November 2024

Will Medicine Help Me Sleep Better

Yes, if you have nighttime asthma symptoms. Many people wake up with asthma symptoms such as coughing or wheezing. You can control nighttime symptoms by taking asthma medicines as directed by your doctor.

Removing triggers where you sleep may help you sleep better. Many people are allergic to dust mites and mold found in bedding materials. Using mattress or pillow encasements can help contain those allergens. Dehumidifiers can also be helpful to reduce the humidity in your home that dust mites and mold need to exist. Using air cleaners in your bedroom may also help reduce your exposure to allergens and irritants .

Why Asthma Management Is Important

Medication is essential to manage asthma well. Good asthma care also involves treating other conditions that can affect asthma, such as hay fever.

A healthy lifestyle can help you stay in control of your asthma symptoms and feel well.With good asthma management, you can lead a normal, active life. Following your personal written asthma action plan, developed with your doctor, is the best way to keep your asthma under control.

An action plan provides simple instructions for routinely managing your asthma, plus advice on what to do if your asthma symptoms flare up.The main aims of asthma treatment are to:

• keep symptoms under control
• keep lungs as healthy as possible
• stop asthma from interfering with school or work
• help you or your child enjoy a full and active life.

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Can Asthma Medications Harm My Child

If the doctor recommends that their child take corticosteroids, many parents worry about possible side effects. For people with severe , though, asthma attacks are much more dangerous than the side effects of controller medication. Most asthma medications, including corticosteroids, can be inhaled. When inhaled as a spray or powder, these drugs have far fewer side effects than when used as tablets or injections.

There are concerns that long-term use of corticosteroids in children could impair their growth. But steroid inhalers are very unlikely to permanently affect children’s height. Research has shown that they grow a little more slowly in the first year of treatment, but develop normally after that. This suggests that they grow to the same final adult height as other children with who don’t inhale corticosteroids. Still, to be on the safe side, young patients are usually only prescribed the lowest possible doses of steroids and, if possible, only steroids which are inhaled.

Can You Get Asthma At Any Age

Wendy Bass | Answered August 10, 2020

While most people develop the condition in childhood, adult-onset asthma is also possible. In fact, asthma symptoms can develop at any age and stage of life. Some people who have asthma as children age out of flare-ups as they get older, while others first experience the condition well into adulthood.May 20, 2022

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Fresh Fruits And Vegetables

If youre looking for a way to improve your diet while living with asthma, incorporating more fresh fruits and vegetables is a great place to start. Not only are they low in calories to promote a healthy weight, but they also contain essential nutrients that can support a healthy lung function.

Fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants like beta-carotene and vitamins C and E. Studies have shown diets high in fruits and vegetables, especially apples and oranges, can reduce the risk of developing asthma and reduce wheezing.

Bananas may also decrease the incidence of wheezing in children due to their antioxidant and potassium content, which can improve lung function.

Other important fruits and vegetables to include in your diet include broccoli, berries, leafy greens, melon, and avocado.

What Are The Different Types Of Delivery Devices For Asthma Medicines

You take most asthma medicines by breathing them in using an inhaler or nebulizer. An inhaler or nebulizer allows the medicine to go directly to your lungs. But some asthma medicines are in pill form, infusion form, or injectable form.

Inhalers

There are four types of asthma inhaler devices that deliver medicine: metered dose inhalers , dry powder inhalers , breath actuated inhalers, and soft mist inhalers.

• Metered dose inhalers have medicine plus a propellant. The propellant sprays the medicine out of the inhaler in a short burst.
• Dry powder inhalers do not have a propellant and do not spray the medicine out of the inhaler. The medicine is released from the inhaler when you breathe it in.
• Breath actuated inhalers have a dry powder or aerosol medicine. The medicine does not spray out of the inhaler. The medicine is released from the inhaler when you breathe it in.
• Soft mist inhalers do not have propellant, but they do spray the medicine out of the inhaler. They create a cloud of medicine that sprays out softly.

Different types of asthma devices

For inhalers to work well, you must use them correctly. But 70 to 90% of people who use inhalers make at least one mistake when using their inhaler.1 Inhaler mistakes can lead to uncontrolled asthma. Ask your doctor or nurse to watch you use your inhaler to make sure you are using it correctly.

Spacers and valved holding chambers

Nebulizers

Injectables

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Preventing Asthma Symptoms From Worsening

When it comes to controlling asthma symptoms, prevention can go a long way. Since asthma may be life-threatening, its critical to identify your triggers and avoid them.

Tobacco smoke is an asthma trigger for many people. If you smoke, talk to your doctor about quitting. If someone in your household smokes, talk to them about quitting. In the meantime, make sure they smoke outdoors.

You can take more steps that may help prevent asthma attacks if you:

• Create an asthma action plan with your doctor and follow it.
• Get a pneumonia and flu shot each year to avoid illnesses that could trigger asthma attacks.
• Take your asthma medications as prescribed.
• Track your asthma and monitor your breathing to identify early warning signs that your asthma is worsening.
• Use an air conditioner to reduce your exposure to dust mites and outdoor pollutants and allergens such as pollen.
• Use dust covers on your bed and pillows to reduce dust exposure.
• Reduce pet dander by regularly grooming and bathing your pets.
• Cover your nose and mouth when spending time outside in the cold
• Use a humidifier or dehumidifier to keep humidity in your home at optimal levels.
• Clean your house regularly to eliminate mold spores and other indoor allergens.

The Basics Of An Asthma Attack

An asthma attack occurs when your body overreacts to something that triggers an asthma response. The airways that bring oxygen to your lungs become swollen and clogged with mucus as a result of this overreaction. This can make breathing difficult and lead to a medical emergency.

There are many different types of asthma, including allergic and non-allergic asthma. Allergic asthma is the most common type of asthma, accounting for about 60% of cases. Non-allergic asthma is less common, but it can be life-threatening, too. An asthma attack can happen suddenly, at any time.

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Eat A Banana With Black Pepper

This remedy might sound odd, but if you eat a banana sprinkled with black pepper, it can help stop wheezing and relieve congestion and coughing, enabling you to breathe more easily.

Why? Black pepper thins the thick mucus in the airways and the banana contains nutrients that relieve inflammation, helping you to breathe. The next time you have an asthma attack without your inhaler, head to the kitchen and try this remedy. If you dont have black pepper on hand, ground cinnamon, ginger root, and red cayenne pepper are alternatives that have the same healing powers of black pepper.

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Create An Asthma Action Plan

An asthma action plan is a written treatment plan that describes the following:

• How to identify allergens or irritants to avoid
• How to know if you are having an asthma attack and what to do
• Which medicines to take and when to take them
• When to call your doctor or go to the emergency room
• Who to contact in an emergency

Watch the video or download a sample Asthma Action Plan.

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Preventer Medication For Children With Asthma

Some children with asthma need to take a regular preventer. This can be an inhaled corticosteroid .

There is also non-steroid medication available, including a tablet.

Talk to your doctor about the best type of medication for your child this usually depends on the childs symptoms and age, as well as how easy it will be to give properly.

What Is Asthma Attack And What To Do When It Happens

An asthma attack is a sudden worsening of asthma symptoms. Asthma attacks can range from mild to severe, and in some cases, can be life-threatening.

During an asthma attack, the airways narrow and air cannot move easily in and out of the lungs. This can cause wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Other symptoms of asthma attack include:

• Rapid breathing
• Pulse rate that is higher than normal
• Anxiety or panic

If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms, it is important to call 911 and seek medical help immediately. Asthma attacks can be very dangerous, and it is important to get the help you need right away.

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Can My Child Go On School Trips

A child who has will also want to do everything that other children do, including going on school trips or to summer camps. It is important that teachers, friends and your child are all well-informed about asthma, and know how to prevent asthma attacks and what to do in emergencies. That will help your child to deal with difficult situations when you aren’t there too.

If your child has allergic , you probably won’t be able to prevent him or her being exposed to triggers on school trips. You can talk with the doctor about whether it would be a good idea for your child to use steroids on school trips to prevent asthma. A child who already uses controller medication regularly may forget about it while on a school trip. Then it can help if the adults accompanying your child are informed and can remind them, or if symptoms occur ask them whether they took their medication regularly.

Always carrying their treatment and emergency plan on them, with information about the disease and the medication they need, will make it easier for people to help your child in an emergency.

How To Prevent Asthma Symptoms At Night

Using your preventer inhaler every day, as prescribed, will build up protection in your airways and keep your asthma symptoms under control, so theyre less likely to wake you at night.

Its very important to:

• use your written asthma action plan to help you understand how to manage your symptoms and what to do if they get worse.
• go for regular asthma reviews with your GP or asthma nurse. They can check youre using your inhalers correctly. Its also a chance to talk about any triggers that might be affecting your sleep.

Does your child wake up at night from asthma symptoms? Read our advice on asthma and your childs sleep.

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When To Call 999

Dont delay getting help if you have an asthma attack. Call 999 if your reliever isnt helping, or lasting four hours, or youre worried at any time.

An asthma attack is a real emergency, and could be life-threatening, says Asthma + Lung UKs in-house GP, Dr Andy Whittamore.

Getting help when you need it is so important, to make sure youre treated quickly. Never think youre wasting anyones time.

Who Can Get Asthma

Anyone can develop asthma at any age. People with allergies or people exposed to tobacco smoke are more likely to develop asthma. This includes secondhand smoke and thirdhand smoke .

Statistics show that people assigned female at birth tend to have asthma more than people assigned male at birth. Asthma affects Black people more frequently than other races.

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Contents Of An Asthma Action Plan

An asthma action plan includes:

• how to care for your day-to-day asthma
• key things that tell you when your asthma is getting worse or a flare-up is developing, and the steps you should take to manage it
• symptoms that are serious enough to need urgent medical help .

Review your asthma action plan with your doctor every 6 months, or after a severe asthma flare-up.

Diet To Follow For Asthma

The importance of a healthy diet cannot be contested. Incorporate fresh and organic fruits and vegetables in your daily diet and see the difference. Food rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals will ensure healthy functioning of the respiratory system. Some foods that are good for asthmatics are given below:

Fruits apples, cantaloupes, bananas, kiwi, pineapple, and berries.Vegetables carrots, garlic, avocado, Broccoli sprouts, spinach, sweet potatoes, ginger, tomatoes, kale, and Swiss chard.Juices make a healthy concoction by using any of the fruits and vegetables listed above.

Steer clear of junk food and fried fatty food that can act as a trigger for an asthma attack.

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How To Use An Asthma Inhaler

Asthma inhalers are hand-held portable devices that deliver medication to the lungs. They must be used properly to help achieve the best control of asthma.

If you are using a puffer, you may benefit from using a spacer a plastic container with a mouthpiece or mask at one end to ensure the asthma medication gets into your lungs.

Go here for more information on how to use an asthma inhaler.

Asthma Uk Is Here To Support You

We have expert advice on how to manage your asthma well and what to do if you have an asthma attack.

We also have lots of tips on living with asthma, from doing sports and going on holiday, to studying with asthma and having relationships.

Explore our health advice web pages and . The more you know about your asthma, the better youll be able to work with your GP or asthma nurse to manage it well.

Speak to someone about your asthma

You can also call our Helpline on 0300 222 5800 to speak to a respiratory nurse specialist. Or you can WhatsApp them on 0307378 606 728.

You can ask them anything from symptoms and treatments to living life without asthma getting in the way.

Next review due February 2024

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Know Where The Closest Hospital Is

Not to sound dramatic, but knowing where the closest hospital is could literally be life-saving. Most people with asthma are prepared with their inhaler and other medications, but going to the hospital may be necessary in the case of a collapsed lung or lung infection.

Luckily we have Google Maps on our phones nowadays, but what if youre out of service or its dead? It is especially important to know where a hospital is when you’re traveling somewhere new!

Safety And Extra Preventer Medication For Asthma

People who use a regular preventer , but still get regular asthma symptoms, may need to step up their medication.

These stronger preventers are called combination therapies because they include a second medicine and the inhaled corticosteroid. Asthma preventers should be prescribed at the lowest strength that works for you or your child. There is no extra benefit in taking medication that is stronger than you need.

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How To Help Someone Having An Asthma Attack Without An Inhaler

Trying to help a person struggling through an asthma attack without an inhaler can be a frightening experience, but the most important thing you can do to help is to stay calm. Aside from breathing slowly, staying calm is crucial for the person experiencing an asthma attack and you dont want to add to the stress he is experiencing.

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