Clem's Column

ASTHMA is a common problem in Australia with between 10 and 20% of the population having to deal with it at some stage of their lives. More than 700 Australians die from asthma each year. With proper management, asthma can be controlled.

Asthma is caused by a of narrowing of the airways of your lungs, making it difficult to expelthe air from the lungs. If the narrowing is severe enough, the attack can be life-threatening.

Treatment: There are three types of medications used to treat asthma: Reliever medications are convenient to carry and usually effective. They have been around for a long time and are safe. They work by causing the muscles around the airways to relax and so relieve the blockage in the airways.

Preventers: We now understand that a better way of tackling the problem is to use the preventer medications to stop the attacks from occurring. These are used every day and evening and work on the lining of the lung airways to reduce irritation from the triggers.

System controllers help to relax the tightened airways muscles. Their effect usually lasts up to 12 hours. The onset of the relief varies so they should be used for the immediate relief in an attack. Some people only experience mild asthma occasionally. It usually is not necessary for them to use preventers, but if they wheeze more than once a month, preventers are important. These controllers can help those people who have night-time symptoms or experience exercise induced asthma. Contact Clem or your Doctor for a Six Step Asthma Management Plan.