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Seniors and Asthma
Is asthma affecting your quality
of life? How to find out. Is asthma affecting your quality of life? This is an important question to consider. The answer lets you know how well-controlled your asthma is and whether you might need changes in your treatment. Sometimes people with asthma are not aware that they have asthma. If you experience symptoms of wheeze, cough, shortness of breath or chest tightness with exercise or vigorous activity, smoke exposure, strong odors, weather changes and in other situations, you might have asthma. The diagnosis of asthma can be made by your doctor with the help of some simple testing. To know whether your quality of life is being affected, you need to know what should be expected in relation to your asthma. Our goals for people with asthma include being able to participate in activities fully, having uninterrupted sleep, avoiding emergency room visits and hospitalizations and being on the fewest medications that control asthma with a minimum of medication side effects. For activities, you should be able to enjoy walking, sports and other fitness pursuits without limitation from your asthma. If you experience wheezing, shortness of breath or chest tightness with vigorous activity, you may want to use your rescue inhaler 15-30 minutes prior to exercise. If you are not able to exercise without difficulty, you may need a change in your medications. Certain activities such as snow skiing, ice skating or running in cold weather may not be the best for people with asthma, while swimming and riding an exercise bike or using a treadmill may be good substitutes. Scuba diving is generally prohibited in asthmatics. It is not normal for asthma to awaken you at night. If asthma awakens you, particularly if it occurs often, then your asthma is probably not well-controlled. Your asthma may likewise not be optimized if you have had to be seen in the emergency room or for an acute visit at your doctor's office for asthma in the past year. The recent need for hospitalization for asthma is another indicator of asthma not optimally controlled. Asthma may indirectly affect your quality of life if you are having side effects from your medications. We have available very good medicines which are generally safe to keep asthma controlled. Inhaled steroids are the mainstay and very effective. It is important after you take your dose to use water to rinse your mouth and gargle to avoid thrush, which is easily treatable if it occurs. Bronchodilators, or airway openers such as albuterol, can cause rapid heart rate, nervousness and shakiness, particularly if taken frequently. A different bronchodilator with potentially less side effects could be substituted. If you think your asthma medicines may be affecting your quality of life, discuss your concerns with your physician. With the help of your physician and the good treatments currently available, asthma should not adversely affect your quality of life. Asthma specialists such as allergist/immunologists can also help optimize your asthma. If you would like more information, resources include the web site of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, www.aaaai.org. Andy Nish, MD, FAAAAI, is a board-certified Allergist and Fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, in private practice in Gainesville, GA. |
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