Living with asthma

Identifying and avoiding, or reducing exposure to triggers is an essential part of controlling your asthma. Some steps that will help to eliminate triggers in the home include:

• Animal dander: keep pets outdoors as much as possible
  
  
• Dust mites: cover bedding with special mite-proof covers and vacuum regularly using allergen-controlling bags.
  
  
• Indoor mould: kill mould and mildew and take steps to prevent them returning

Active asthma management (looking after your asthma)
The more informed you are about your asthma management and triggers, the less likely it is that asthma will interfere with your daily activities. Taking your medicines as prescribed and avoiding your triggers are important. Your doctor may ask you to keep a daily symptom diary and/or a peak flow chart. This will help your doctor to monitor your asthma and to decide on the most suitable treatment for you.

Importance of taking your medicines as recommended
It is very important that you take your asthma medicines as prescribed. If you don’t take your anti-inflammatory medicine as prescribed, your asthma may get worse and your symptoms may return.

Stopping smoking
Smoking may trigger attacks and make your symptoms worse and harder to control. Smoking may also cause long-term damage to your lungs and airways. You should also try to avoid breathing in other people’s cigarette smoke (passive smoking). Smoking while pregnant also increases the risk that your baby will have asthma.