Cold weather asthma attack

CEBU, Philippines – Cold weather is a major trigger for asthma symptoms. Here are five tips for keeping asthma at bay when ambient temperatures plummet.

Cold weather can have a serious impact on people with asthma. According to Asthma UK, three quarters of people with asthma say that cold air is a trigger for their symptoms and 90 percent reckon that having a cold or flu - which are common in cold weather - makes their asthma considerably worse.

Cher Piddock, a nurse for Asthma UK, says: "Hospital admissions for asthma traditionally peak during periods of particularly cold weather. This can be due to breathing cold air into the lungs, which can in turn trigger asthma, as well as picking up colds and flu.

"People whose asthma is well-controlled are more likely to be able to withstand the risks of cold weather," Nurse Piddock explains. "You can help keep your asthma under control by making sure you have a regular asthma review with your doctor or asthma nurse and that you have a personal asthma action plan."

Asthma UK has this advice on how to control asthma symptoms during the cold weather:

1. Keep taking your regular preventive medicines as prescribed by your doctor.

2. If you know that cold air triggers your asthma, take one or two puffs of your reliever inhaler before going outside.

3. Keep your blue reliever inhaler with you at all times.

4. Wrap up well and wear a scarf over your nose and mouth - this will help to warm up the air before you breathe it in.

5. Take extra care when exercising in cold weather. Warm up for 10 to15 minutes and take one or two puffs of your reliever inhaler before you start.

As the present rains also bring in cold weather, it's a good idea to make sure you and your friends and family know what to do if you have an asthma attack, including identification of the key signs of an attack:

. coughing more than usual

. getting short of breath

. wheezing

. feeling a tightness in your chest

. having difficulty speaking in full sentences

When these signs are observed, it's important to have presence of mind and do the following:

1. Take one to two puffs of your reliever inhaler (usually blue) immediately.

2. Sit down and try to take slow, steady breaths.

3. If you do not start to feel better, take two puffs of your reliever inhaler (one puff at a time) every two minutes. You can take up to 10 puffs.

4. If you don't feel better after taking your inhaler ten times, or if you are worried at any time, call or ask someone to call an ambulance.

5. If an ambulance doesn't arrive within 10 minutes and you are still feeling unwell, repeat step 3.

If your symptoms improve and you don't need to call an ambulance, you still need to see a doctor within 24 hours. The doctor can then discuss with you any changes that may need to be made to manage your condition safely. For example, the dose of your preventative treatment may need to be adjusted. Or if you feel a need to use your reliever inhaler regularly, the dose of your preventative treatment may need to be adjusted.

(www.nhs.uk)