Asthma treatment: How to use inhalers right

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that affects people of all ages and genders across the globe. It’s estimated that more than 30 crore people are suffering from asthma worldwide. The societal and health problems of asthma cannot be swept under the carpet, as around 4 lakh people die from asthma every year, and lakhs of people are leading lives coughing and huffing. It may be noted that about three to five per cent of the Indian population is suffering from asthma.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), India accounts for 22 per cent of asthma-related deaths, and studies show that nearly 10 per cent of teenagers in Kerala are suffering from asthma. Asthma is a medical condition that can be kept entirely under check with the right treatment. Even patients with severe asthma attacks get instant relief a few minutes after bringing them to hospital.

Diagnosis important
Though asthma can be treated with ease, the sad part is that the majority of the patients are not getting relief from the disease. And it’s pretty difficult to explain why it is so. Asthma can be triggered by many factors such as genetics, environmental settings, allergy and respiratory infections. Things can take a turn for the worse with pollutants, pollens or change in climate. But many times these triggering factors go unnoticed. The use of incense sticks, mosquito coils, perfumes and even face powder can defeat the efforts to manage asthma. Passive smoking is one of the reasons for uncontrolled asthma, especially among children and women. Various studies have pointed out that asthma medicines are less effective in smokers and passive smokers compared to non-smokers. It’s important to find out whether these factors are triggering severe asthma, and if the grave conditions persist, it is always better to keep the causes at bay. And this would play vital role in diagnosis.

Inhalers are safe and effective
Inhalers help deliver medicines, in small doses, directly to the lungs in a safe and effective manner. But, unfortunately, this mode of treatment is misunderstood by many. You might have seen numerous advertisements that blare out –shun inhalers and return to pills. Many believe that high doses of strong medicines are administered through inhalers, and there is no going back once you take inhaled treatment. There are others who believe that inhalers can slow down a child’s growth. But these misconceptions are creating a lot of problems and can result in severe asthma conditions.Inhalers don’t have any wonder drug but they have effective asthma medicines in small doses, and this message should reach the common man to keep asthma under check.

Treatment must also be made available to all asthma patients to control the disease. It’s a reality that many can’t afford the costly inhalers. With this in mind, the Global Initiative for Asthma and WHO celebrated this year’s World Asthma Day, which is held on first Tuesday of May (this year it was on May 6), with the message ‘Make inhaled treatment accessible to all.’ It’s also equally important to take the right dosage of medicine to have a grip over asthma. You will only be inviting danger if you change the medicine or dosage without consulting the doctor. Don’t think that asthma had been cured when the symptoms are under control as this unwanted complacency would put patients at risk. Asthma can worsen if the prescribed medicines are not administered properly.

It is noteworthy that the market is flooded with many medicines in the form of inhalers and there are different types of inhaler equipment too. Those inhalers should be used following different methods and the patients should be given proper training on using them. An appropriate inhaler is recommended after taking into consideration factors such as the patient’s age, likes and dislikes and severity of the disease. If the inhalers are not used properly, the disease gets out of control, resulting in high dosages and spiralling expenses. Moreover, the patients and family members would get the impression that inhalers are not effective. The educational qualifications and social and financial status don’t have a bearing on using inhalers properly. Sometimes, highly educated people or health professionals, including doctors, would be at fault while using inhalers. So, it’s the responsibility of the doctor concerned to teach patients how to use inhalers properly.

Infection and asthma
It’s a fact that many diseases are associated with asthma. Allergic sneezing, sinusitis and gastro oesophageal reflux disease, among others, can derail the rhythm of combating asthma. A proper treatment plan should be chalked out after assessing the situation to give relief to asthma patients.

How to prevent worsening of asthma symptoms
Living conditions that aggravate asthma, lack of proper treatment, fear of inhalers, dearth of inhalers, asthma-related diseases, mental tension and shortcomings in diagnosis can paint a grim picture for asthma patients. ‘Right treatment, right way, right time’ will control asthma with great ease. An asthma patient can lead a normal life like any other person. Just remember that asthma reined in will not affect your health or lifespan.