How to Lessen the Risk of Asthma

You can lessen your risk of asthma by working closely with your asthma specialist to develop an individualized asthma action plan. Your asthma action plan should detail what asthma or allergy medicines you should take and when you should take them. It should also list all of your asthma triggers and how you can avoid them.



In conjunction with following your asthma action plan, you should do peak flow monitoring to assess your breathing and prevent asthma episodes before they occur. By following your asthma action plan, monitoring your peak flow daily, and avoiding asthma triggers, you can lessen your risk of asthma.

Things You'll Need

• Materials
• Asthma action plan
• Peak flow meter and diary
• Asthma medications

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Instructions

How to Lessen Your Risk of Asthma

• 1

  Ask your doctor to develop an individualized asthma action plan that explains what medicines to take to lessen your asthma episodes. Your asthma plan lets you know: when to take short-acting medicines (bronchodilators) and long-acting medicines (anti-inflammatory medicines); if your asthma episodes are triggered by allergies, when to take your allergy medicines, and how to avoid asthma triggers; and should remind you when your asthma medicines are running low.

• 2

  Lessen your risk of asthma by using a peak flow meter each day to assess your breathing. A peak flow meter is a small, hand-held medical device that measures how well air moves out of your lungs. Ask your doctor which type to purchase and for specific instructions on how to use it in conjunction with your asthma action plan. He should help you determine your personal best peak flow score. When your peak flow readings go down, this can indicates an asthma attack may be coming. Your doctor should write in your asthma action plan what medicines you should take when your peak flow declines. This way you can take the medication needed to lessen your chance of experiencing an asthma episode.

• 3

  Record your peak flow readings in an asthma diary every day. If your readings decrease, write in the column next to the reading what symptoms you may be experiencing and what you think may have caused them (i.e., a virus, exposure to an allergen). Include your asthma diary in your individualized asthma action plan and take this information with you when you visit your doctor. He can alter your asthma medication plan if needed, and add this information to your plan.

• 4

  Know what triggers your asthma episodes. Your doctor may advise allergy testing to determine what specific substances you are allergic to. You may need allergy shots to desensitize you from these allergens. Or you may need to have certain allergy medicines added to your asthma plan. If you are sensitive to perfumes or colognes, ask the people you know if they would abstain from wearing them around you. And always stay away from smoke and other pollutants that can irritate your airways. Colds and flu viruses can also be asthma triggers, so be sure to get your flu vaccines regularly to lessen asthma episodes. All of this information should be included in your asthma action plan, along with any updates as they occur.