Is Your Asthma Under Control?

This post was sponsored by the American Lung Association. All opinions are my own.

More than 25 million Americans have asthma and I am one of them.

I was diagnosed when I was very young after having constant respiratory infections, pneumonia, and allergic reactions to various environments. 

Luckily it is totally possible to get asthma under control. I have learned how to avoid certain triggers and I know when I need to take medication so that I don’t have a problem. Most days, I hardly remember that I have asthma and on the days when it won’t let me forget, I know what to do.

No one should struggle to breathe, which is why I wanted to share some fabulous resources with you so that you know where to go for help with living with asthma.

What is Severe Asthma?

According to the American Lung Association, about 5-10% of people with asthma have daily severe symptoms even though they take high doses of asthma medications. It can affect their ability to go to work or school and often leads to depressions and other illnesses.

Click here to get more information about severe asthma: diagnosis, testing and treatment.

What are Signs That Your Asthma is Not Under Control?

If you’re not sure if your asthma is considered under control or not, the Lung Association has a quick seven question assessment that will help you figure it out.

It asks questions about the frequency of asthma symptoms:

• Daytime asthma symptoms (shortness of breath, chest tightness, and more)
• Waking up in the middle of the night with symptoms
• Limiting your activity because of asthma symptoms

Click here to take the My Asthma Control Assessment.

If the assessment tells you that your asthma is not well controlled, you can talk with your doctor about how to improve things.

For me, it’s important that I avoid my personal asthma triggers (dust, hay, and leather). I also make sure to take my inhaler before I exercise so that I don’t have breathing problems. Now that I know what works for me, management is truly not difficult!

What Should You Ask Your Doctor?

The Lung Association also has a resource of questions you’ll want to be sure to ask your doctor. They’re important questions that will help you work out the best treatments for you and what you can do to avoid asthma triggers.

When I was diagnosed I remember my doctor spending a lot of time making sure I was using my inhaler and nebulizer correctly. If you don’t do it right, you might not get the full effect of the medication, so I love that a question about using medication correctly is on this list of questions!

In fact, I have addressed every one of the questions on this list with my doctor at one point or another, so it’s a great list!

Take a look at the Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Asthma here.

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If you or someone in your family has been experiencing asthma symptoms, please please make a doctor’s appointment. It is very possible to get these symptoms under control.

No one should struggle to breathe and there are ways to help even the most severe asthma cases.