May-Asthma is a fact of life, and beautiful May brings a select group of people some tough problems. It is true that May is a month of reawakening nature. In May, our beautiful roses, orange blossom flowers and our most gorgeous foliage come to life. And all of them potentially make our asthma patients breathless and ill.
One of our young patients says, on her mother’s calendar, Mom had printed “asthma” beside the word “May.” In the youngster’s mind, that was the name of the month: May-asthma. To this day, it’s an inside joke with the child and her mother.
Tribute to Asthma Awareness: Day, Week and Month
May-Asthma Comes Only Once a Year, But it Last for Spring and Summer
As the old saying goes: “April showers bring May Rains.” There is still another version that reads, “April showers bring May flowers.”
Unfortunately, May brings some of the most serious cases and symptoms of May-asthma and allergies.
According to Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America, over 25 million adults in the United States suffer from asthma. The foundation defines asthma as “a chronic disease that causes your airways to become inflamed, making it hard to breathe.”
May is Asthma Awareness Month
The American Lung Assoc. reminds us that “May is Asthma Awareness Month.” “Never too early, never too late,” is the 2018 theme and it highlights the importance of managing asthma year-round. It’s never too early to learn how to manage the chronic lung disease and it’s never too late to create asthma-friendly environments.
American Lung Association also reminds us that there is no cure for Asthma. But, with “with proper attention and management, those living with asthma can live an enjoyable, healthy life.” True even in May-asthma times.
Have You Been Diagnosed with Asthma?
Do you know that you have asthma? Have you been diagnosed with asthma? If so, FLASS has the expert physicians and staff to show you how to begin living a more normal life. Do you have symptoms of Asthma? If you don’t know, take one of the shortest test your ever likely to see. And make an appointment with FLASS. Our physicians can help you.
Quiz: Do You Have To Worry About May-Asthma?
In honor of “Awareness Month,” Florida Lung, Asthma and Sleep Specialists invite you to take the world’s quickest asthma quiz—Answer “yes or no” to just four questions:
1. Do you need to use a quick-relief inhaler more often than twice a week?
2. Do you awaken during the night with asthma symptoms more than twice a month? Waking at night with asthma symptoms more than two times per month.
3. Are you getting refill prescriptions for a quick-relief inhaler more often than twice a year?
4. In the past 4 weeks, did your asthma symptoms keep you from getting work done at work, school, or at home?
Surprisingly, you may not have answered “Yes” to all four. And yet you may still be considered a less-than-controlled asthmatic.
The American Lung Association states, “If you answered yes to any of those questions, see your health care provider to learn the steps to better asthma management.” And they add, “this includes “reducing exposure to asthma triggers.”
Asthma Attacks: How Serious Are They?
Associated Asthma Symptoms can be as minor as the “sniffles” when you first wake up in the morning. Or they could be as traumatic as suddenly losing consciousness because your lungs are denied oxygen.
A Sample Mini-Case Study
Asthma Can Strike at any Moment in the Pollen Ridden Days of May
An attractive 35-year-old blond, Laura, has suffered many extremes of asthma and allergy her entire life. She has learned some certain situations she can avoid. And some she cannot. A typical day for Laura might be seen like this:
She awakens and finds it is difficult to see. Laura’s eyes are swollen almost closed. The nasal passage makes it almost impossible to breathe, and she feels a heavy weight on her chest. And She has no idea what may have caused any of it but accepts it as you would a rainy day. It was, after all, a very ordinary morning.
Laura is excited and thrilled as she almost always is. This morning, she and a friend are going shopping for a new party dress.
A May-Asthma Shopping Disaster
Shortly after entering a favorite store, Laura smells something odd and a little sickening. She begins to choke and cough. It becomes very difficult to breathe and suddenly, she finds herself lying flat on the floor. Her friend saved her from a bad fall when she passed out. It seems the store had recently been sprayed with insecticide. And Laura is one of those unfortunates that is sensitive this irritant. It caused her windpipe to close and everything went black for a few moments.
Fortunately, her friend knew she carried special drugs for such unhoped-for occasions. And thanks to a quick-thinking friend, an Epi-pen and a puffer, the consequences were not serious.
So, for Laura, the day was ruined. And the remainder of the day was spent in bed, recovering from allergy and asthma drugs and the insecticide. But because Laura is on a customized Asthma Action Plan from Florida Lung, Asthma and Sleep Specialists, she has trained herself to take her asthma challenges in stride. She has the tools to control her asthma and the good sense not to let it control her.
You Can Control Your May-Asthma
At FLASS, doctors and staff teach patients every day to lead active, invigorating and healthy lifestyles in spite of their asthma. This goal is carried out, not just in May, but every day.
Being able to manage May-asthma means:
1. They have learned the conditions that trigger attacks. They are aware.
2. And they participate in their treatment plans which lead to fewer attacks, a higher quality of life, and an optimistic outlook. They don’t despair.
Asthma Trigger Review: Awareness
There are many common asthma triggers that have the potential to destroy your day, put you in bed or even in the hospital. Protect yourself by reviewing these common triggers.
Research Your Own Triggers Because Everyone is Different
1. In spring and summer months, we know that allergens like pollens, grasses and molds are particularly bountiful. For some of us, these triggers are the most dreaded.
2. Busy streets in towns and cities increase air pollution. Much of this occurs from high traffic conditions and can trigger an abrupt asthma attack. Locally, you will find this especially true in Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville and all of Florida’s gleaming metropolitan vacation escapes.
3. In May, bunnies, puppies and kittens abound, but so does fur and dander. Be aware. Household pets can be a particularly serious problem in triggering reactions.
One young lady kept two cats in her home which slept on her bed and sometimes on her head. Asked why she has pets while enduring such severe allergies, she replied, “I love them too much to be without them.”
More Outdoor Cautions
4. Ozone levels generally increase in summer months.
Be Aware of Your Triggers if You Take a Walk in the Park in Asthma Season
5. If there is a tobacco smoker in the home, it becomes a 365-day job to avoid the threat. And it can instigate an attack.
6. A sudden blast of cold air from air conditioners as well as nature can also become a trigger.
7. As the spring and summer draw us all into outdoor activities, the very act of exercise can stimulate an asthma attack in you or your child.
Mayo Clinic also points out that, “The same substances that trigger your hay fever symptoms, such as pollen, dust mites and pet dander may also cause asthma signs and symptoms. This is called allergic asthma or allergy-induced asthma.”
If you or someone you love is suffering from asthma, you may need additional information on triggers. More details are available in one of our previous articles.
Florida Lung, Asthma and Sleep Specialists: Arming you against May-Asthma Attacks!
You might not be aware of some of the online resources that can help you learn about better managing the disease, its symptoms and its triggers. Check out the study tool at the online resource American Lung Society.
Meanwhile, Florida Lung, Asthma and Sleep Specialists are arming you against asthma, not only in May-asthma times but every day. These are the three simple rules to protect you against the chaos of asthma attacks.
1st Avoiding Your Asthma Triggers. Know what makes you sick and stay away from it. That might sound simple, but here at FLASS, we know it isn’t.
2nd Initiate your Action Plan from your asthma care providers at FLASS. In other words, be sure you know the steps you need to take when an attack happens. You can check out a generalized American Lung Society example of an asthma action plan at this convenient online resource.
3rd Understand your medicines. If you take daily doses or emergency rescuers, you must understand how your medicine works. For example, do you know if you are using your inhaler correctly? Are you getting the optimum dose of medicine with every puff?
Mother’s Day Magic on May 13, 2018
We teach our patients how to prepare for exactly that traumatic situation. We work with the goals of both the American Lung Association and the European Lung Foundation to make the world aware of the dangers of asthma.
Thanks for reading the FLASS blog.
Mother’s Day: Remember
One Take Away: A very Special Reminder:
Next Sunday is Mother’s Day in Sarasota, Florida. It is also Mother’s Day in the U.S., the World and the entire Known Universe.
Remember to reserve some shopping time and find her something special.