Can People With Asthma live normal lives?

Hi Shania,

Absolutely! And that is the main message that both the National Asthma Education Program and the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) have been trying to advocate for the past couple of years.

There is NO reason why someone with asthma can not achieve good control over asthma. And with control comes a life without limits.

Achieving control, especially if have severe asthma is not always easy, but it IS possible. Control comes through changing things in your environment to help reduce your exposure to your asthma triggers, as well as taking the right combination of medicines. If you are not able to avoid your triggers, then control will be harder. Likewise, your control is dependent on taking your asthma medicine (preferably at least an inhaled steroid) exactly as it is prescribed.

Do those 2 things and you should be able to live the same kind of life someone without asthma can. If you're not getting the control you want, think about seeking a consult with an asthma specialist, either an allergist or a pulmonologist, who can set you up with the best treatment plan for you.

To your health,

Kathi

Dear Shania:

ABSOLUTELY!!!

Asthma should not control you - you should always control asthma.To do this, some of the things you should do are educate yourself about asthma, know your medications, know what causes your asthma to get worse (triggers) and work with your provider to create a written asthma action plan.

Breathe Easy!

Gerri Rivers, AE-C