Asthma is one of the most common diseases in the world, affecting
as many as 1 in 10 children and 1 in 20 adults. Because of this, it's
also relatively well understood; although there is no cure for the
condition and doctors aren't entirely sure what is behind inflammation
of the airways, methods of managing asthma so that it doesn't disrupt
day-to-day living have improved dramatically.
However, many patients still suffer on a regular basis. This is because many asthma sufferers don't understand their condition or have simply never bothered to get in touch with their doctor to discuss it properly. Many will have their inhaler and that's about it.
The result of this approach is inevitably an asthma attack down the line and poor general health. How well you manage your asthma is directly related to how ill asthma makes you feel; therefore, it is vital that you learn how to manage your condition and what to do in case of diagnosis.
The first step to effective asthma management is to recognise that you have the condition, and identify the form your condition takes. Keep an eye out for the telltale symptoms of asthma, including breathlessness and tightness of the chest on a regular basis. Consult your doctor, who will confirm you have the condition and work with you to manage it as well as is physically possible.
Once diagnosed, you will be prescribed with various medications to help you control your condition - predominantly inhalers. Asthma drugs come in the forms of preventers (which prevent asthma attacks through reducing inflammation of the airwaves), relievers (which relieve the symptoms of asthma) and combination inhalers, which combine the two. For more severe cases of asthma, steroid tablets may be prescribed. Your doctor will advise you as to how to use your drugs.
Knowing your triggers is an important part of managing your condition. Asthma triggers refer to certain things that make your condition worse - these can include cigarette, the weather, exercise, pollution and other common allergens. Your doctor will be able to carry out various tests to determine some of these, although it's important to keep a diary of when and where your condition gets worse in order to pinpoint more obscure triggers.
You should also use your diary to monitor your condition overall. Use a peak flow meter at various points during the day to measure how much air you can exhale - these results can help your doctor (and you) make correlations between certain occurrences and thus help you to understand your condition properly.
A better understanding of your condition leads directly into drawing up a management programme that works for you. No two asthma sufferers are the same and a treatment plan that works wonders for one may be ineffective for another. In consultation with your doctor, work on an all-encompassing plan for managing your condition - this could be avoiding certain places at certain times, altering your behaviour during certain seasons and how often you use your medication. This plan won't be set in stone as your condition may worsen or improve, so make sure to continue monitoring your condition.
Finally, keep in regular contact with your doctor. It's easy to forget about them once you're condition seems to be under control, but a visit to the doctor may pick up on something that needs to be addressed that you may have missed yourself.
However, many patients still suffer on a regular basis. This is because many asthma sufferers don't understand their condition or have simply never bothered to get in touch with their doctor to discuss it properly. Many will have their inhaler and that's about it.
The result of this approach is inevitably an asthma attack down the line and poor general health. How well you manage your asthma is directly related to how ill asthma makes you feel; therefore, it is vital that you learn how to manage your condition and what to do in case of diagnosis.
The first step to effective asthma management is to recognise that you have the condition, and identify the form your condition takes. Keep an eye out for the telltale symptoms of asthma, including breathlessness and tightness of the chest on a regular basis. Consult your doctor, who will confirm you have the condition and work with you to manage it as well as is physically possible.
Once diagnosed, you will be prescribed with various medications to help you control your condition - predominantly inhalers. Asthma drugs come in the forms of preventers (which prevent asthma attacks through reducing inflammation of the airwaves), relievers (which relieve the symptoms of asthma) and combination inhalers, which combine the two. For more severe cases of asthma, steroid tablets may be prescribed. Your doctor will advise you as to how to use your drugs.
Knowing your triggers is an important part of managing your condition. Asthma triggers refer to certain things that make your condition worse - these can include cigarette, the weather, exercise, pollution and other common allergens. Your doctor will be able to carry out various tests to determine some of these, although it's important to keep a diary of when and where your condition gets worse in order to pinpoint more obscure triggers.
You should also use your diary to monitor your condition overall. Use a peak flow meter at various points during the day to measure how much air you can exhale - these results can help your doctor (and you) make correlations between certain occurrences and thus help you to understand your condition properly.
A better understanding of your condition leads directly into drawing up a management programme that works for you. No two asthma sufferers are the same and a treatment plan that works wonders for one may be ineffective for another. In consultation with your doctor, work on an all-encompassing plan for managing your condition - this could be avoiding certain places at certain times, altering your behaviour during certain seasons and how often you use your medication. This plan won't be set in stone as your condition may worsen or improve, so make sure to continue monitoring your condition.
Finally, keep in regular contact with your doctor. It's easy to forget about them once you're condition seems to be under control, but a visit to the doctor may pick up on something that needs to be addressed that you may have missed yourself.
Christopher Joseph Smith is writing on behalf of Pure O2, specialists in oxygen concentrators.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_Joseph_Smith
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