TAKE CONTROL - Introduction   Home | Asthma Assistant | Glossary | Disclaimer   Is it Asthma | Society & Self | Take Control | Treatment or Cure | Quality Living

Many people with asthma feel it controls their life. Frequent symptoms, restrictions on daily activities, or the constant nagging fear that an asthma attack may come on at any time. The good news is that the majority of people with asthma can take control; in most cases this comes with knowledge and time. There are a number of different things you can do to help yourself. Regular visits to your doctor or asthma clinic can be beneficial even if you are well. A small amount of time each day spent monitoring your asthma can help you to learn about and understand your condition. It can also help your doctor assess how well you are and form the basis of a self-management plan. Having such a plan can give you much more control over your asthma on a day to day basis. It can enable you to safely increase or decrease your own medications and tell you when to get help if things worsen. Most asthma attacks are preventable; learning about those things which trigger your symptoms can help prevent an attack and keep your lungs healthier now and in the future. If you do have an attack, it is essential to know how to deal with it and when to seek help: people still die from asthma today because they do not seek help early enough. If this all sounds a little daunting, don't be put off! A little knowledge goes a long way. Some initial groundwork will pay huge dividends in the long run. It is worth putting in the time to get to know your condition. This can help you lead a full and rich life, confidant of dealing with any situation which may arise. The following pages look at some of these areas in more detail. Visiting Your Doctor and The Asthma Clinic Getting to Know Your Asthma Having a Self-Management Plan Getting to Know Your Triggers Getting Information and Support Coping with an Asthma Attack

Topic "Take Control" Updated 14th August 2003

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