Heroes Home Doctor: Keeping healthy with asthma

WITH HEROES HOME DOCTOR

With winter clearly in the air, that bitter chill is a reminder to assess how well you are.

Having optimal health during winter ensures you are best prepared for any bugs that fly your way.

This year has been one in a million with that added threat and unknown continuing impact of COVID-19 and with that in mind I highly recommend you put your current health status at the forefront of your mind.

Heroes Home Doctor is really keen to educate our community on achieving optimal health and provide you with continuing health education. Our focus health topic this month is asthma.
Asthma is a chronic condition of the airways. Known triggers such as, exercise, cigarette smoke, colds, flu, and allergens in the air (e.g. grass pollen) can cause the airways of those with asthma to narrow resulting in difficulty in breathing.

Asthma can usually be treated with medications known as inhalers but severe attacks of airway narrowing can require emergency help and be life-threatening.

Asthma cannot be cured but the condition can be managed to reduce the risk of asthma attacks and reduce the severity. Winter can be troublesome for those with asthma due to high number of colds and flu’s around.

In regards to COVID-19 all that is known so far is that those with asthma may be at risk of a more serious COVID-19 infection compared to those without a chronic medical condition.

With this in mind, Heroes Home Doctor recommend you do the following:

• Avoid illnesses: wash hands regularly, maintain social distancing, avoid others who are unwell and be vaccinated for flu
• Ensure your asthma is well controlled: make an appointment with your GP to discuss your asthma, understand your triggers and symptoms, check your inhaler technique, ensure you are on the correct medication for optimal control and review your Asthma Management Plan
• Ensure those around you know you have asthma and they know asthma first aid: head to nationalasthma.org.au/asthma-first-aid.

To find out more about asthma, follow our Facebook and Instagram page, look out for our blog each month and our monthly webinar, which we would love you to submit questions for.
Our webinar on asthma will be live on Facebook on July 27 or via Zoom.