The National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP, a project of the National Institutes of Health) recommends that your health care provider give you a written asthma action plan that outlines several peak flow zones. Each zone is based on a percentage of your own personal best peak flow rate, and each specifies which medication (or other action) to take when your reading is in that zone. It might help you to do the math ahead and jot down the range of readings for each zone.

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You’re enjoying an evening out with friends when your chest suddenly tightens. You cough. Then the wheezing begins. These warning signs are all too familiar: they signal an impending asthma episode. Knowing your early warning signs helps you reduce the severity of an asthma episode. But wouldn’t it be better if you could spot trouble earlier?

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The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 17 million Americans have asthma. If you’re one of them, you may be wondering what comes next after an asthma diagnosis. In the best case scenario, you and your health care provider will form a partnership in order to design and execute an asthma management plan — the tool you need to lead a normal, active life.

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Along with an asthma management plan, your health care provider will probably give you a written asthma action plan. What’s the difference? Your asthma management plan is the tool you use to control and prevent asthma episodes. If an asthma episode occurs, your asthma action plan will take over and help you get through an it safely.

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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) calls asthma one of the most underdiagnosed and undertreated health problems. Why? It’s a complex disease, and no simple blood test or x-ray can conclusively say that you have asthma. In their 1997 Expert Panel Report 2, the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP, a project of the NIH) identified these three key components of an asthma diagnosis: a detailed medical history, a physical examination, and a spirometry test.

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Before you take off on this year’s vacation, take time to prepare yourself for the trip. With a few phone calls and a bit of planning, you can pack some security into your bags along with everything else.

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In 1995, the United States saw nearly 2 million emergency room visits for asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Once people with moderate to severe asthma were seen by an allergist, however, their hospital admissions rate decreased 67%. Why? Because when asthma is diagnosed and an asthma management plan is in place, the chance of needing emergency care drops sharply. With an asthma diagnosis, you can start treating the underlying disease, not just the symptoms. You can also regain control of your body and your life by working with your health care provider to create your own personal asthma management plan.

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In 1997, the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP, a project of the National Institutes of Health) refined the system that health care providers use to classify “types” of asthma. The new labels help clarify how asthma is treated. The change from “mild” asthma to “mild persistent” asthma may seem small, but it reflects an important difference in what you can expect from asthma treatment.

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“Try these herbs. They helped my sister stay out of the hospital…”
“Have you heard of the Buteyko technique?”
“You don’t need medicines. You need acupuncture…”
“Are you taking vitamin C?”
“You ought to try homeopathy instead.”

Advice. Brace yourself for an avalanche of it, the minute your asthma goes public. You may even go looking for it yourself — as you should. Asthma education is one of the four components of the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. Whether from your own research, from your health care provider, or from well-meaning friends, you’re going to hear a lot about alternative therapy and complementary care.

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In the past, people with asthma avoided most physical activity, in part because vigorous exercise can trigger an asthma episode. But with today’s asthma treatment, most everyday activity, and even all-out exercise, won’t get in the way of your good health. The bottom line: exercise is great for the heart, lungs, and overall health (not to mention your love handles), even if you have asthma.

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