CHAPTER 4: Breathing Problems or Asthma

Contents

CHAPTER 4: Breathing Problems or Asthma

About 1 in 10 adolescents say that they have asthma or breathing problems "often or always". Asthma is one of the most common problems that make adolescents short of breath or cough a lot. Of course, a "cold" can cause cough or shortness of breath. However a "cold" will last only several weeks at most. So if you have felt short of breath or had a cough lasting more than a few weeks, you should contact a doctor.

What is Asthma?

You may have asthma if:

You feel short of breath.
You wheeze.
You have tightness in the chest.
You have a cough lasting more than a week.

These problems are called symptoms (sim-toms).

What Happens During An Asthma Attack?

The lining of the airways becomes swollen.
The airways produce a thick mucus.
The muscles around the airways tighten and make the airways narrower.

These changes block the flow of air, making it hard to breathe. It is important to treat even mild asthma so that you can keep it from getting worse.

Why Does Asthma Happen?

A trigger makes a gun shoot. Triggers and allergies are things that sometimes "shoot off" or cause an asthma attack. Triggers and allergies can make your asthma worse. If you stay away from triggers, your asthma will bother you less of the time. Common triggers are: dust, mold, pollen from trees and grasses, cold air, smoke, cats, dogs, some chemicals, and exercise.

How is Asthma Treated?

There are a lot of ways to treat asthma so that you can be active without having asthma bother you. With asthma you can still exercise, play sports, and sleep through the night without coughing. You don't need to feel sick from asthma medicine and you can cut down on the frequency and fierceness of attacks. But to keep asthma from bothering you, you have to know what you are doing.

Know what your asthma triggers are and plan ways to avoid them. If

you can't avoid a trigger, treat it before it causes problems. (See the check list at the end of this chapter). For example, many persons with asthma have trouble breathing when they start to exercise. Ask your doctor which medicine you might use before you exercise.
Develop a medicine plan that keeps you from having problems. Don't

wait too long before beginning your treatment. Asthma can get out of control.
Know what to take when you have asthma problems.

Types of Medications for Asthma

Some medicines are taken as a pill and some are inhaled into the lungs directly. If you are already getting treatment for asthma, you should bring your medicines to the office so that your doctor can explain which you are taking. There are two types of asthma medicines:

Relaxers (bronchodilators) are medicines that relax muscles in the airways, making it easier for you to breathe.

Other (anti-inflammatory) medicines reduce the swelling in your airways that cause asthma symptoms. They also prevent swelling from happening in the future, which keeps asthma symptoms from starting. Most of these medications or forms of “steroids”.

Most doctors will tell you to take your relaxer (bronchodilator) medicine at the earliest sign that your asthma is getting worse. Watch for early signs so that the asthma medicine can be started right away. An asthma attack is easier to stop if you take your medicine as soon as your symptoms start, then you won't have to take as much medicine.

Remember: Relaxers (bronchodilators) relieve symptoms, but they cannot reduce or prevent the swelling that causes the symptoms. When you have to use a bronchodilator a lot, or if you use it more than 3 or 4 times in a single day, your asthma may be getting much worse. You probably need another kind of medicine and should talk to a doctor right away.

Take your other (anti-inflammatory) medicines exactly the way your doctor recommends, even if you are feeling well. This will reduce airway swelling and will keep asthma attacks from starting. This medicine must be taken regularly for it to work well. This medicine does not work as quickly as the bronchodilators, but don't be fooled. The anti-inflammatory medicines work slowly, over time. But they are very powerful.

Some persons are afraid that if medicine is taken all the time, it will no longer work. This is wrong. Asthma medicines do not quit working over time. Asthma medicines are safe, if taken as directed. But sometimes asthma can change. If this happens your asthma medicines may also have to be changed.

Managing Your Asthma Well

If you add a Home Diary you can really begin to keep track of your asthma. Medications can be changed depending on how you feel. It is very easy to write in your diary.

What are the Ways YOU Treat Asthma?

You already know about staying away from triggers and allergies, so now you need to think about the other two ways to treat asthma. One of the most important ways to keep your asthma under control is to have a written plan. You take different medicines depending on how well you are breathing each day. Most doctors use the Zone System to help you follow your plan. The zones are set up like traffic lights:

GREEN: Great! Keep up the good work!
YELLOW: Not too good. Watch out! Take the right medicines to get yourself back in the green zone.
RED: Emergency! Call your doctor and take your bronchodilator medicine.

Your medicine plan will tell you what kind of medicine to take every day when you're feeling well and are in the Green Zone. It will also tell you what kind of medicine you need to take when you are feeling badly and you are in the Yellow or Red zone.

Your doctor will help you with this plan, but it is up to you to keep track of how you are feeling, and then FOLLOW THE PLAN! As time passes, you will be the best person to manage your asthma.

What about Asthma Treatments at School?

What about Asthma Treatments at School? Your school needs to know about your asthma. Ask your doctor or your parents to give copies of all your asthma prescriptions or written medicine plans to your school. Make sure you take care of your asthma while you are in school just as well as you take care of it while you are at home.

Other Ways to Treat Asthma

You now know enough about how to take care of your asthma so that you should be able to do almost anything you want to do! However, if you are still having some problems, here are some additional treatments you might be given.

Your doctor may ask you to use a Peak Flow Meter. A peak flow meter

shows how well you are moving air. After you have used a peak flow meter a few times during days that your breathing is good, you will know the highest peak flow number you can get. It's a good idea to measure your peak flow at least once a day. If you want, you can write down your peak flow numbers in Your Home Diary.
Allergy shots. These shots may make the dust, pollen, mold, and pet

"triggers" less of a problem for you.
Your doctor may have to refer you to a specialist for special

testing if the asthma is causing a lot of problems.

Other Tips That Can Help

Do you have a plastic sheet over/ on your mattress and pillow?
Do you keep your pets out of your bedroom?
Do you keep away from smokers?
Do you stay inside when pollen and mold counts are high?
Do you adjust your medicines before exercise?
Do you put a scarf over your nose and mouth when you first step into very cold air

We have tried to make the How's Your Health error-free. However, those involved in its preparation can not warrant that all of the information is accurate and complete. When you use How's Your Health as a guide for your health and medical care, be sure to discuss any questions about it with your doctor, nurse, or other health care worker.

To choose another chapter, click the 'BACK' button.