Asthma is a lung disease that makes breathing difficult for millions of Americans. In fact, 26 million people have asthma and 71% of them are adults. People with asthma experience shortness of breath, tightness in their chest, wheezing and/or coughing. Asthma can be a life-threatening disease, but is manageable by working with a doctor. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should schedule an appointment with their doctor. If you’ve already been diagnosed, you can follow these six steps to help keep your asthma under control.
- Make your medical visits more productive by getting educated and being able to ask your doctor the right questions about asthma.
- Create an asthma management plan with the help of your doctor.
- Assess and monitor your symptoms, including keeping records.
- Understand your medication.
- Identify and reduce your asthma trigger exposure.
- Learn asthma self-management skills.
For more resources on asthma, go to http://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/ or https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/.