4 Ways to Manage Your Springtime Asthma

If you’re one of the 25 million Americans who suffer from asthma, the allergens of spring can make it difficult to breathe.

Asthma is a chronic condition in which the airways of the lungs become inflamed and narrow, often due to one or more triggers in the environment. Up to 80 percent of children and half of adults with asthma experience attacks when they come in contact with specific allergens.

During the spring, tree pollens, mold spores and grass all have the power to inflame and narrow the air passages of people who are sensitive to these natural triggers. Wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and coughing are some of the common symptoms that occur during an asthma attack.

Among the most common triggers for asthma are:

• Outdoor allergens
• Indoor allergens, including pets, dust mites and smoke
• Cold air
• Exercise
• Reflux disease (heartburn or acid indigestion)

Make a Plan to Manage Your Asthma

It’s important to recognize what your triggers are, then you can create a plan of action with your health provider. It is important to develop habits that will help you breathe better and make physical activities more enjoyable.

Here are some tips for managing asthma in the spring or anytime:

1. Take a preventative stance.

If you’re especially sensitive to springtime allergens, use air conditioning in the house and car to limit your exposure. If you’ve been outdoors, wash your hair and clothes when you get home to get rid of those allergens. Clear your nasal passages with a Neti pot or other nasal irrigation method. Indoors, try to clear your house of allergens that trigger you.

2. Ask your doctor about effective medicines

If you know you have allergies, over-the-counter antihistamines and nasal sprays will help minimize your allergic reaction. Start your allergy medicines a week or two before allergens are due to come out. Our physicians also recommend prescription medicines like Singulair — with your doctor’s consent — to prevent both asthma and allergy attacks.

3. Be familiar with your inhaler.

For those times when you can’t breathe, knowing where your inhaler is, how much medicine it contains and how to use it properly can greatly relieve your breathing distress. Using your inhaler properly is really important for getting the medicine into your lungs. If you’re not sure how to use it, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Common-sense guidelines for optimal inhaler use include:

• Shake the canister for 10 seconds and take off the cap.
• Attach a spacer device to the inhaler to get more medicine into your lungs.
• Take a slow, deep breath just after you press down on the canister and inhale through your mouth, not your nose. Hold your breath for 10 seconds. After 30 seconds, repeat with a second puff and a third, if needed.

Know when to seek medical attention.

If you’re using two to three puffs of inhaler medicine every 10 to 15 minutes and are still struggling to breathe, seek immediate medical attention. Despite all of the medicines we have available, 3,000 people die each year from asthma. Don’t wait to get help.

For additional information on asthma and its treatment, check out the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, acaai.org, and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, aaaai.org.

Article written by Sandy Weiskittel