Asthma and Allergy

Asthma

When lungs are healthy, breathing is easy. With each breath, air goes down the windpipe into the lungs. There, it flows through airways (bronchial tubes). The airways make mucus to trap and help get rid of any particles that are breathed in. Muscles that wrap around the airways control how open or closed they are. Air is breathed in and out through the same airways.

How Asthma Affects the Lungs

● When airways are healthy and open, there is plenty of room for air to pass in and out of the lungs. ● When asthma is uncontrolled, airways are inflamed most of the time. The lining of the airway’s swells. Muscles around the airways may be tight. Air must go through a narrower tube. Inflammation makes airways oversensitive to things in the air that are breathed in. ● When sensitive airways become irritated, they become even more swollen. The bands of muscle around the airways tighten. More mucus forms. All of this narrows the airways even more. This causes breathing trouble—an asthma flare-up.

© 2020 Krames StayWell, 800 Township Line Road, Yardley, PA 19067. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.

Asthma Medications

Medications play a key role in controlling asthma. Some medications help reduce chronic inflammation. Other medications are used to treat symptoms when they occur. Always take medications as prescribed. Know the names of medications and how and when to use them.

Quick-Relief Medications

Quick-relief (also called “rescue”) medications work by relaxing the muscles that tighten around the airways. This helps ease symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Keep a quick-relief inhaler at all times. Quick-relief medications: ● Are inhaled when needed. ● Start to open the airways within a few minutes after used. ● Can help stop a flare-up once it has begun. ● Can help prevent flare-ups triggered by exercise.

Long-Term Control Medications

Long-term control (also called “maintenance” or controller) medications help reduce swelling and inflammation of the airways. This makes the airways less sensitive to triggers and less likely to flare up. Long-term control medications: ● Are taken on a schedule—for most people, every day. They are taken even when you feel fine. ● Help keep asthma under control to minimize asthma symptoms. ● Will NOT stop a flare-up once it has begun.

Using Inhaled Corticosteroids

Inhaled corticosteroids are safe for long-term use. They are not the “steroids” that you hear about athletes abusing. The usual prescribed doses of corticosteroids most often cause no side effects. That’s because they’re inhaled directly into the lungs, where they’re needed. So, they have little effect on the rest of the body. The chance of side effects can be lowered by: ● Always using a spacer when utilizing a metered dose inhaler. ● Rinse your mouth, gargle, and spit out the water after using the inhaler. ● Work with the healthcare provider to find the lowest dose that controls asthma.

© 2020 Krames StayWell, 800 Township Line Road, Yardley, PA 19067. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.

Asthma Symptoms and Triggers

Trouble sleeping, feeling tired or weak are early warning signs. Daily controller medicine can help prevent flare-ups. Quick-relief (or rescue) medicine will help stop a flare-up that has started.

Early Warning Signs

● Coughing, especially at night ● Breathing faster ● Feeling tight in your chest ● Feeling out of breath

Possible Asthma Triggers

Some things make asthma flare up. They are called asthma triggers. Here are some common asthma triggers: ● Pets ● Cold air ● Mold ● Pollen ● Perfume ● Dust ● A cold/flu ● Smoke ● Air pollution ● Grass ● Strong smells

© 2015 Krames StayWell, 800 Township Line Road, Yardley, PA 19067. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.

Asthma and Allergy Resources

● Asthma and Allergy Foundation of Kansas City: https://www.aafa.org/ 400 E. Red Bridge Rd Suite 214

Kansas City, MO 64131 816-333-6608

● Greater Kansas City Asthma and COPD Coalition:

Email: gkcacc@gmail.com http://asthmacommunitynetwork.org/node/1128

● Asthma and Allergy Association of Kansas City: https://www.kcallergy.com/

● Children’s Mercy Hospital Allergy/Asthma/Immunology Clinic: https://www.childrensmercy.org/departments-and-clinics/allergy-and-immunology/

Five days per week

Children’s Mercy Clinics on Broadway 3101 Broadway, 6th floor

Kansas City, MO 64111

Phone: (816) 960-8900

● American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology

AAAAI is a membership organization of allergists/immunologists around the world with advanced training and experience dedicated to allergy, asthma, and immune deficiencies and other immunologic diseases. This website also provides a good Physician Referral List. http://www.aaaai.org/home.aspx

● Partnership for Prescription Assistance

The Partnership for Prescription Assistance helps qualifying patients without prescription drug coverage get the medicines they need through the program that is right for them. https://medicineassistancetool.org/

● Asthma and Allergy Friendly Certification Program

The Certificate Program was created with the mission to empower consumers to make an informed purchase decision when choosing allergen-avoidance products. http://asthmaandallergyfriendly.com/

● American Lung Association, Plains-Gulf Region

Their focus is on healthy air, tobacco control and all lung disease, including asthma and

COPD https://www.lung.org/about-us/contact-us