TAKE CONTROL - What to Look For?   Home | Asthma Assistant | Glossary | Disclaimer   Is it Asthma | Society & Self | Take Control | Treatment or Cure | Quality Living

When you are monitoring your asthma at home, you will generally be looking for signs as to how well you are. Asthma is a very individual condition; this means that your signs of good or bad asthma may be very different from someone else with asthma. Your signs may also vary from time to time. This stresses the importance of getting to know your individual condition and working closely with your doctor or nurse who can help you understand and interpret your recordings. Good asthma control should mean that you can lead a normal life. General signs that your asthma is well controlled include few or no asthma symptoms, no restriction on daily activities, no time off school or work and a stable peak flow. Signs that your asthma is poorly controlled or getting worse, include an increase in your symptoms, increase in needing to use your reliever, a restriction on your normal activities, time off school or work, and an unstable peak flow. You do not have to have all these signs, just one can indicate that your asthma is poorly controlled or getting worse. Reasons why this may happen include poor inhaler technique, not taking your medication regularly, or contact with triggers. You can obtain more detailed information by going to the commonly asked questions below. What is meant by good asthma control? How can I tell if my asthma is well controlled? What should I look for when monitoring my asthma? Are there any common patterns to look out for? Why might my asthma get worse?

Topic "Take Control" Updated 14th August 2003

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