VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 1 • JANUARY 2017
Refreshing Your Health
ADDRESSING ASTHMA • Causes and triggers • Asthma symptoms • Diagnosing asthma • Asthma treatment • Managing your asthma • Seek medical help
Addressing asthma LEARN HOW TO MANAGE THIS ‘BREATHTAKING’ CONDITION Asthma is a chronic (long-term), non-infectious lung disease that inflames and narrows your airways. This condition affects people of all ages, but it often starts during childhood.
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Your airways carry air in and out of your lungs. When the airways get inflamed, like as a reaction to allergens, they swell up and the passageways become narrower. This causes less air to flow into your lungs, which, as you can imagine, could be a serious problem.
A SLICE OF ORANGE
VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 1 • JANUARY 2017
Inflamed airways
Causes and triggers
• Air irritants such as smoke, chemical
No one knows exactly what causes
fumes and strong odors
asthma to develop, that is, why some
• Weather conditions, such as cold
people have it and some people don’t.
air or extremely dry, wet or windy
It’s likely a combination of genes (for in-
weather
stance, if your parents have asthma) and
• Certain drugs and food additives
environmental exposure to allergens (see
• Exercise (but people with asthma
list below), cigarette smoke, chemical irri-
should not avoid exercise completely)
tants and air pollution – all of which may
• Stress and extreme emotions
make your airways more reactive, especially if you are prone to allergies.
Asthma symptoms Treating symptoms when you first no-
GETTING WORSE IF:
• Your symptoms occur more often, are worse, or bother you at night
vent the symptoms from worsening and
and cause you to lose sleep
causing a severe asthma attack. Severe
• You need to skip or lessen
asthma attacks may require emergency
your daily activities or you need
to miss work because of your
care, and they can be fatal. The main symptoms are: • Wheezing (a whistling sound when breathing) • Breathlessness
trigger asthma is extensive. It includes:
YOUR ASTHMA MAY BE
tice them is important. This will help pre-
The list of things and activities that can
Seek medical help
• Chest tightness • Coughing
asthma • Your asthma medicines don’t
seem to work well anymore
• You have to use your short-
acting/quick-relief inhaler more
often (>2 days a week)
• You have to go to the
• Outdoor allergens, such as pollen
Symptoms usually come and go, but
emergency room or doctor
from grass, trees and weeds
some people experience them more fre-
because of an asthma attack
• Indoor allergens, such as pet dander, quently than others. When asthma symp-
Your doctor may need to change
dust mites and mold
toms get worse, it’s called an asthma at-
your medicines or add other
• Colds, the flu or other illnesses
tack, flare-up or exacerbation.
measures to control your asthma.
A SLICE OF ORANGE
VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 1 • JANUARY 2017
Asthma treatment
Some asthma patients will also need
There is currently no cure for asthma
tablets to reduce inflammation in the air-
but there are drugs that can control the
ways if inhalers are not enough to control
symptoms well. Your doctor will prescribe
symptoms.
at least one inhaled medicine. Some inhalers are for quick relief – these are
When your asthma is well controlled,
called short-acting inhalers. You will also
you can:
likely need a long-acting inhaler, which
• Prevent disturbing symptoms, such as
is used every day to prevent attacks. Ask
coughing and shortness of breath
your doctor how to use your inhaler cor-
• Reduce your need for short-acting
rectly to make sure you are getting the
inhalers
right dose of medicine.
• Engage in more activities • Sleep well through the night • Prevent asthma attacks that could lead to an emergency
Diagnosing asthma Sometimes, asthma can be diag-
Managing your asthma
nosed from just your family history and
• The first and most important thing
symptoms. Lung function tests, like spiro-
to do when diagnosed is to avoid
metry, can also help confirm your asth-
asthma triggers as much as possible.
ma. Spirometry measures how much air
• Take your meds regularly and
you can breathe in and out, and how fast
properly.
you can blow air out. Your doctor might
• Stop smoking.
also need to conduct allergy testing to
• Exercise regularly, eat healthily and
identify your triggers.
get enough sleep.
Benefits Made Better
ActiveLink is an employee benefits management firm focused on corporate healthcare benefits. We believe in building the nation through a healthy and empowered work force. Healthy people do more, give more, live more. Email us at inquiries@activelinkbenefits.com or call us at 8174606, and let us know when we can share our strategy. Let us help you make your benefits better!
Looking to enhance your corporate healthcare benefits? E-mail us at benefits@activelinkbenefits.com. The information in this newsletter is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Consult a doctor for all matters relating to your health, particularly for symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention. © 2017 ActiveLink
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A Slice of Orange
is a newsletter designed to help clarify basic health information and offer juicy tips on uplifting your health.
Editorial team Alvin Delfin Christine Llenes-Delfin Anna de Guzman, MD