Don’t let asthma get in your way

Focussing on your breathing is important for your good health and especially important for athletes, singers, actors and people with asthma, as mentioned by Richard Rawbone. If you have asthma, you’re in good company. You have at least one thing in common with swimmer and Olympic gold medallist Roland Schoeman. You share a condition with David Beckham, Pink and Bonang Matheba. Asthma cannot be cured, but it can be managed so you can take a deep breath and go on with your life.

What asthma does

Asthma doesn’t have to slow you down even though this chronic condition makes breathing difficult and can be dangerous. Asthma is caused by swelling (inflammation) of the breathing tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. This makes the tubes highly sensitive, so they temporarily narrow. Typical symptoms are coughing, wheezing, being short of breath and having a tight chest.

Asthma is serious, but can be controlled with medication and by avoiding triggers (whatever sets your asthma off) if you can. Usually, a Healthcare Professional will prescribe two kinds of treatment:

• Medication in the form of a pill or an inhaler to prevent asthma attacks.
• An inhaler for asthma attacks. With an inhaler you breathe the medication directly into your lungs, so it works quickly.

Ask your Healthcare Professional about what treatment is best for you. As Roland Schoeman says, “Treatment must be tailored to the individual”.

Practice your breathing

People with asthma find it more difficult to breathe out than breathe in. You can try breathing exercises to improve your lung function. Breathe in, hold your breath for a while and slowly exhale. It’s calming as well.

Watch and learn

Managing chronic conditions is the key to success. This video gives a brief overview of asthma and some common triggers: