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Take Control of your Asthma

How Can You Take Control of Your Asthma?

One of the best ways to manage your asthma is by avoiding your asthma triggers. An allergy test administered by a specialist can help identify your allergic triggers so that you are more aware of what may be worsening your condition. 

Understand your Triggers

Asthma management is more important than ever. As such, we would like to invite you to join Dr. Douglas Mack and Dr. Mariam Hanna as they discuss:

  • Environmental Allergies: A review of the diagnosis and steps the pillars to management ​
  • Asthma: Learn about the latest recommendations for the management of asthma
  • Eczema: Find out what's new for treatments, and differentiate facts from fiction in the management of this itchy condition
  • Food Allergies or Intolerances: Recognize the classic differences between IgE vs non-IgE mediated food allergies
  • Food Immunotherapy Developments: OIT 101
  • COVID Vaccine in Children: What you need to know to get your child vaccinated!

Avoid Environmental Triggers

yellow flowers in a field with pollen in the air

 

Resources such as The Weather Network and Accuweather monitor and track various airborne allergens and air quality.

This information can be useful in helping to avoid your environmental triggers by minimizing time outdoors during peak seasons.  

Understand your Asthma Medication

Inhaler medication is often prescribed to help people manage their asthma. Two categories of medication are generally prescribed: controller medications and reliever/rescue medications.

blue reliever inhaler icon

 

A reliever, also called a rescue inhaler is generally used during asthma flare-ups or attacks to relax tightening airway muscles and increase airflow.6 This type of inhaler medication is typically used less frequently.
orange controller inhaler icon
A controller inhaler is often taken daily, as a long-term treatment for airway inflammation.6

If you find yourself needing to use your reliever inhaler multiple times a week, it may suggest that your asthma is poorly controlled, and you should talk to your Healthcare Provider.5

Is your Asthma Under Control?

Asthma Canada has created a quiz to help you find out.

Take the Quiz

Do you Know the Signs? 

Signs of Good Asthma Control
  • You don’t have any breathing difficulties, cough or wheeze most days
  • You sleep through the night without awakening due to asthma symptoms like cough, wheeze, or chest tightness
  • You can exercise without having any asthma symptoms
  • You don’t miss any work or school due to asthma
  • You have a normal lung function (spirometry) test
  • You do not need to use your reliever (rescue) inhaler more than 3 times per week (except for exercise)
Signs of Poor Asthma Control
  • You have frequent breathing difficulties and find yourself coughing or wheezing most days
  • Your asthma impacts your sleep; if your asthma symptoms wake you up or keep you up at night your asthma isn’t controlled
  • You can’t exercise or exert yourself physically without experiencing breathing difficulties
  • You frequently miss work or school due to asthma
  • You use your reliever medication more than 3 times per week

References

1. Asthma Canada. Asthma Facts and Statistics. https://asthma.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Asthma-101.pdf

2. Institute for Clinical Evaluative Services in Ontario (ICES) 1996. ICES Practice Atlas (second edition), June 1996

3. Bellamy D, Harris T. Poor perceptions and expectations of asthma control: Results of the International Control of Asthma Symptoms (ICAS) Survey of patients and general practitioners. Primary Care Respiratory Journal. Vol 14, Issue 5, October 2005. Pages 252-258

4. GINA Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention, 2020.

5. Asthma Canada Website. https://asthma.ca/get-help/understanding-asthma/

6. The Lung Association. Asthma Medications.

7. Suggett, J., et al. Drug Delivery to the Lungs, 2017.

8. Gillen, M., et al. Pulmonary and Therapeutics, 2018 Oct; 52:8-17.

9. The Ontario Asthma Surveillance Information System (OASIS) and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), Ontario. Asthma statistics. http://lab.research.sickkids.ca/oasis/oasis-statistics/

10. Government of Canada. Fast Facts about Asthma: Data compiled from the 2011 Survey on Living with Chronic Diseases in Canada.

11. World Health Organization. Asthma Key Facts. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/asthma

12. Pritchard, J.N. (2020). The Climate is Changing for Metered-Dose Inhalers and Action is Needed. Drug Design, Development, and Therapy. Volume 14, 3043-3055.