Control Triggers, Control Asthma

Did you know that the way you clean your house or treat your pets can affect your asthma? If you or a family member has been diagnosed with asthma, changing some of your everyday habits to limit triggers might be key to better breathing.

“Triggers, like pet dander or dust, can cause asthma attacks. An important way to control asthma is controlling these triggers. Making small changes at home, like not letting pets sleep on your bed, washing bedding regularly, vacuuming without the asthmatic in the room, avoiding perfumes, and not using harsh cleaning agents can make a big difference,” says a TMH provider.

Every person with asthma has their own set of triggers that sets off their asthma. It might be dust, pet dander, smoke, air pollution, and allergens like weeds, trees and grasses.

“The best way to control asthma is knowing your triggers and actively avoiding them—as well as using prescribed medicine regularly, even if you start feeling better, keep taking it as scheduled,” advises a TMH provider.

TMH education sessions teach patients about asthma and what happens during an attack, and most importantly, how to control it through lifestyle habits and medicine. There are two types of asthma medication, control medicines (inhaled steroids) and rescue medicines (bronchodilators). Inhaled steroids are deemed safe and do not have the negative effects associated with other steroids.

“The goal is to only use rescue medicines occasionally. If you are using your rescue medicine more than four times a week, you likely need an inhaled steroid and/or a long-acting bronchodilator,” States a TMH provider. Asthma can show up at any age, and at any stage of life. TMH is seeing more and more elderly people with the disease.

Asthma can even be caused by acid reflux or nasal mucus that drains down into the lungs while sleeping. If a parent has asthma, a child has a 50% chance of having asthma as well.

“People complain that medicines are expensive, but an ER visit for an asthma attack is even more expensive,” says a TMH provider.

Most medicines are covered by private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare and CHP+. A TMH provider believes the physicians at TMH are good at figuring out which medicines are most affordable and effective for individual patients, helping to keep costs down as much as possible.

Besides asthma education, TMH also offers pulmonary function tests to diagnose asthma and other lung and breathing disorders. For more information, call respiratory therapy at 970-826-3150.

If you consistently have one or more of these symptoms, contact your doctor. TMH provides pulmonary function testing and asthma education. Call respiratory therapy at 970-826-3150 for more information or visit www.memorialregionalhealth.com.