You have asthma symptoms less than once a week,
maybe even once a month or just three to four times a year. You have night-time
symptoms less than once a month, maybe even only once or twice a year.
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What is happening in your lungs?
You
probably do not have chronic inflammation in the inner lining of the bronchioli,
or it is very mild.
But the circular muscles around the bronchioli sometimes
go into spasm, probably triggered by some or other allergen or event, and this
can narrow the inner lumen of the airways. This narrowing will make your chest
feel tight, you will feel as if it is diffucilt to breathe, and you may have a
dry, chesty cough and symptoms of asthma.
When to use your medication
Whenever
you feel these symptoms, you need to use your bronchodilator inhaler. This
medication will relax the constricted circular muscle and the whole muscle wall
will relax, opening the lumen wide again.
It is best and safest to use the aerosol inhaler.
Beta-2-agonists can also be taken as a dry powder inhaler, or orally for
patients who cannot manage the inhaled route, or as nebuliser solutions (with
quite a risk of exceeding the dosage and which should be avoided if possible),
or intravenously only in severe asthma attacks.
Useful tips for an action
plan
People with intermittent asthma should carry their
bronchodilator inhaler with them, and use when they need it.
If they get
no relief from the prescribed dosage, or if you need it more frequently,
consult your doctor as soon as possible. You may be advancing to the next
category, but with correct and diligent treatment, your asthma may soon be
well controlled.
Try to identify the specific cause of your asthma - the
allergen, an infection, air pollution, occupational allergens, animals or food
allergens. This can be done by elimination, keeping a diary, and by skin
prick (SPT) or blood tests (RAST). Then try to avoid it.
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