If you have recently been diagnosed with asthma, know that while asthma cannot be cured, it can be controlled by taking medicine according to your doctor’s plan and avoiding the triggers that can cause an acute episode or an asthma flare up.
Here are a few steps you can take right now to decrease your symptoms and begin the process toward successfully managing your asthma.
Create an Asthma Action Plan with your doctor and follow it. This plan can help you to notice initial symptoms before they get worse and become harder to control.
Know your symptoms and take your medicines correctly. Keep track of your symptoms and medicines use in a journal. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor or health care provider.
Get to know your asthma triggers and avoid them. Common triggers include allergens such as pollen or mold and irritants such as tobacco smoke, air pollution or exercise. An Allergist can help you pinpoint your triggers with an allergy test.
Get a flu shot. People with asthma are more likely to have asthma symptoms or flare-ups when they have the flu. If you get the flu, it may also lead to pneumonia or other acute lung diseases. Protect yourself by getting a flu shot every year.
Avoid all smoke. Tobacco smoke makes asthma symptoms worse. If you are or if you know someone who is a smoker, get help to quit. Call the New Hampshire Tobacco Helpline at 800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669) or go to https://quitnownh.org for free quit smoking help. Other sources of smoke to avoid include burning wood and car exhaust.
Are you a caregiver? See our caregiver page for tips on how to help someone newly diagnosed with asthma. Tips for Caregivers
Learn how to use your medication properly: http://use-inhalers.com/