|
|
||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
Asthma is a chronic lung disease. It can be life threatening. Asthma causes breathing problems. These breathing problems are called attacks or episodes of asthma. During an asthma attack, the airways get narrow, making it difficult to breathe. Symptoms of asthma include wheezing, shortness of breath, and coughing. Asthma can even cause death. Asthma is the most prevalent chronic disease among children in California, and 2.3 million Californians suffer from the debilitating disease, 20 million nationwide. The prevalence of asthma has been increasing since the early 1980s for all age, sex, and racial groups, but especially among children. |
 |
How Can You Control Asthma?
Asthma can be controlled. When you know how to control asthma, it no longer controls you.
Find out what triggers your asthma. Usually symptoms get started or “triggered” by irritants that bother your lungs. These things are called asthma triggers.
There are many kinds of triggers. They can range from viruses (such as colds) to allergies, to gases and particles in the air. Given this range, you may find it hard to figure out what starts your asthma attacks. You may even think your attacks “just happen.” But this is generally not true. Something usually triggers an attack.
With help from your health professional, you can find out your triggers, and you can do something to prevent your asthma attacks. With education, medication, and an asthma treatment plan, you will be more likely to have control over your asthma.
What is the Sonoma County Asthma Coalition doing to help the community breathe easier?
The Sonoma County Asthma Coalition is working to examine and root out local environmental asthma triggers, like air pollution and poor indoor air quality in homes and schools. We are also supporting health care providers in working with people with asthma to provide the best possible tools and information to help the community breather easier.
Please explore the following links for more information about asthma or email us with any questions.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology:
http://www.aaaai.org/
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America:
http://www.aafa.org/
American Lung Association of California.
http://www.californialung.org
The EPA’s Asthma and Indoor Environments page
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/asthma
Global Initiative for Asthma:
http://www.ginasthma.com/
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
Asthma In Children
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/10/1660_51093.htm?lastselectedguid={5FE84E90-BC77-4056-A91C-9531713CA348
