Asthma
Learn how to control your asthma today
Asthma
Asthma is a health condition which affects a person's breathing. Asthma is a large problem in Australia and globally. People with asthma have sensitive airways in their lungs which react to certain triggers. 1 in 12 people are affected which is 25 million people worldwide. It is more common among people aged 0-14.
What is asthma.wmv
Symptoms of Asthma
Asthma can be fatal especially if you don't have a written asthma action plan. The best way to avoid fatal accidents is by recognizing you have asthma.
The symptoms of asthma are as follows:
- Coughing, especially at night, during exercise or when laughing.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Chest tightness.
- Shortness of breath.
- Wheezing
Prevention of Asthma
There is no way to prevent asthma however there are multiple ways to control your asthma. The key way to manage your asthma is with inhaled medicine, there are different asthma puffers for different occasions and it is advised that you go and see your local doctor for prescribed medicine.
Another way to manage your asthma is to be careful when playing sports and other physical activities. Sports are the most common trigger for asthma attacks and it is advised to always have your asthma puffer with you when doing sports
Asthma Medicines
The most commonly used asthma medicines is a 'preventer' and a 'reliever'. Preventer medicines make your airways less sensitive and reduce the chances of an asthma attack. Preventer medicines need to be taken everyday and take a maximum of 2 weeks to reach full effect. Reliever medicines are fast acting medicines that have an immediate effect, they relax the muscles that are around the airways to prevent swelling.