May is Asthma Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness and teach people how to lessen their asthma symptoms. Floridians diagnosed with Asthma are more common than you might think – according to the Florida Asthma Coalition 1 in 9 children and 1 in 8 adults live with this disease. While these numbers may sound alarming, asthma is a manageable condition, and there are many different resources people with this condition can use to keep themselves healthy.
A starting point for living well with asthma is having an action plan that you can use to help stay active and experience fewer asthma-related problems. Part of this plan is taking daily medications, as appropriate, to reduce the chances of having an asthma attack and limit long-term lung damage. A good strategy is to watch for patterns in your symptoms by using an asthma diary to record this information; if you have an asthma attack, you can use this diary to write down what triggered it, your symptoms, and the medicine you took to relieve it. This will prepare you for similar situations in the future.
Also,you should become familiar with the three different asthma zones. These are part of an asthma action plan, and knowing what zone you’re in can help determine if your asthma is under control. The first is the green zone, the safest and healthiest of the three. You’re in the green zone when you don’t have any symptoms, you can participate in usual activities and sleep through the night without symptoms, and your peak flow percentage is 80% to 100%. Next is the yellow zone, which may mean you’re having an asthma attack or your medicine needs to increase. Symptoms include reduced lung function, shortness of breath/wheezing, and a peak flow is between 50% and 79% of your personal best measurement. The last zone is the red zone, which can be highly dangerous. In this zone, you may experience shortness of breath, an inability to do usual activities, and wheezing, your quick-relief medicine (often a rescue inhaler) is not helping, and your peak flow is below 50%. If you’re unsure how to tell these zones apart, talk to your health care provider.
If you need help being prepared to deal with your asthma, work with your doctor. You can make an asthma action plan together to help control your asthma in the long run and outline the steps you can take to treat asthma attacks. Seeing your doctor regularly can also help with answers to any questions you might have or to change your asthma action plan if necessary.
If you suffer from asthma, you can improve your quality of life by taking advantage of these resources. Even though asthma is a long-term condition, there are plenty of ways to help you continue to live a fun and adventurous life. Managing your symptoms can keep your asthma in check, so you won’t have to miss any of life’s special moments. For more information about asthma or other diseases, go to https://capitalhealth.com/.
Sourced By: Healthwise
Reviewed By: Capital Health Plan Physicians Group