THURSDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Have asthma or think you
might? Then May is the month for you to get a handle on this common
breathing disease.
Free asthma screenings are scheduled to be held at 250 locations
across the United States as part of National Asthma and Allergy
Awareness Month. The American College of Allergy, Asthma &
Immunology sponsors the annual effort, and this year the emphasis
is on helping those already diagnosed with asthma to get it under
control as best they can.
In recent months, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
(NHLBI) put out new guidelines highlighting the importance of
asthma control, including daily monitoring and proper medication
use to treat symptoms and prevent severe attacks from occurring.
This came in light of research showing that many people with asthma
are suffering more than they need to from the disease.
"The government guidelines emphasize that undiagnosed or
inadequately treated asthma worsens the severity of the disease,"
allergist John Winder, chairman of the Nationwide Asthma Screening
Program, said in a prepared statement. "The screening program gives
patients who are still having breathing problems a chance to meet
with an allergist, discuss their symptoms and learn how to feel
better."
More than 22 million Americans, including 6.5 million children,
have asthma -- a chronic inflammation of the airways in the lungs.
Asthma attacks, which claim nearly 4,000 lives a year, are often
triggered by allergens -- these include pollen, dust, animal
dander, certain drugs and food additives -- lung infections, or
even physical exertion. While the disease's exact cause remains
unknown, many treatments are available to keep it in check.
"An asthma 'attack' isn't the only sign of trouble. A cough that
bothers you at night, shortness of breath, colds that go to your
chest -- these can all be symptoms of asthma. But few people
recognize them or that they are a sign of under-treated disease,"
Winder said. "No one with asthma should have to suffer. Anyone who
is experiencing breathing problems or making compromises to live
with their condition should attend a free screening and find out
how to take control."
The screenings will be overseen by allergists, who are asthma
specialists, and done in coordination with local doctors and allied
health professionals. During a screening, participants will answer
several questions about their breathing issues, take a lung
function test that involves blowing into a tube, and meet with an
allergist to determine whether a more thorough exam and diagnosis
is needed.
The program has screened more than 108,000 people over the
years, and more than half of those were referred for further
diagnosis.
A list of free asthma screening locations and dates, online
versions of the breathing questionnaires, and more information on
treating and controlling asthma are on the ACAAI Web site at
www.acaai.org.
More information
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more
information about
controlling and treating asthma.
