According to the NHS, more than 5.2million people in the UK suffer with Asthma and 1.1million go un-diagnosed. Asthma is a major health worry for sufferers, ranging from acute Asthma to severe. 3 people die every week in the UK from Asthma attacks and astonishingly, 90% of those could be prevented. With help and research, these numbers are hoping to fall.
Living with asthma can be challenging for the best of us. There are so many irritants in the air we breathe that monitoring air control is a simple fact of life.
Many things trigger attacks such as
smoking, pets, dust and the cold weather. These are every day occurrences so how can you start to help yourself with regards to the triggers. Well the first one is stop smoking; smoking has many adverse effects on your health and can seriously harm you and others around you. If you have Asthma and smoke, you could be making it worse.
Pets: Many UK households have pets; its contrary to belief that the pet hair is the cause of allergies or asthma attacks. Allergies are caused by the body's reaction to a protein found in the animals, though pet hair itself isn't the problem, this protein can cling to the fur when an animal licks itself. We are not suggesting re-homing your pets as we understand this could be a difficult decision; you could reduce the amount of time your child is exposed to the pet and ensure they wash their hands after coming in contact with them or try an allergy vacuum.
Temperature Change: Harvard University have conducted many studies into weather change and asthma attacks. They found that thunderstorms cause rye grass pollen to disperse and enter into the lungs easier. These grains penetrate the lungs and worsen asthmatic conditions. Winter time is also a bad time for asthma sufferers; make sure you wrap up warm to prevent the dry air entering your lungs. If possible speak to your GP about the possibility of having the flu vaccine.
Living with asthma doesnt have to mean you put your life on hold; you may just have to be more cautious in your daily life. Take extra care when going out in the cold and seek advice from your GP for other ways to prevent an attack.
If your child has asthma, then the
IDBandco has a range of medical ID jewellery that can be worn to alert care givers of your condition. This could save valuable seconds and save your life. The medical jewellery speaks for you when you are unable to notify emergency services that you are suffering an asthma attack.
