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When you have a condition such as asthma, it is important to plan ahead and be knowledgeable about what to do in case of an emergency. When an asthma attack occurs, it can happen suddenly and escalate quickly. As such, you don’t always have enough time to figure out what the next step should be at that exact moment. Furthermore, if you have asthma, it is important to stay on top of managing the condition and ensuring everything is done to decrease the likelihood of an attack occurring.
This is where an asthma action plan can come in handy.
What is an Asthma Action Plan?
An asthma action plan consists of information about your specific asthma condition. It tells you exactly what medications you need to take on a daily basis and what you need to take when an asthma attack occurs, along with specific dosing requirements. It is important that you create your asthma action plan with the help of your provider to ensure your plan is correct for every situation that could occur.
The plan details the symptoms you should look out for and what to do in the event of an asthma attack. The asthma action plan can help in the event you’re having a serious asthma attack. Your loved ones should know exactly what to do in the event you can’t breathe, and they can get that information from this plan. It’s also beneficial to have an asthma action plan for your child for this reason. You should share the asthma action plan with your child’s school to ensure it is followed wherever your child goes.
Three Parts of an Asthma Action Plan
There are three recommended parts to an asthma action plan according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The three parts are:
Doing Well
You should use this part of the plan when you are not experiencing any asthmatic symptoms. It involves you taking your regularly prescribed medication and employing long-term asthma control techniques as prescribed by your doctor. You can think of this part of the plan as your day-to-day guide.
Asthma is Getting Worse
You should use this part of the plan when you experience some trouble breathing, wheezing, and chest tightness. This part of the plan is used to get your asthma under control quickly. For most people, this is where the use of an asthma inhaler or distancing from an asthma trigger comes into play. Typically, after about an hour of employing the techniques in this portion of the plan, you should find relief and be able to employ your routine medication and management techniques from the Doing Well section.
Medical Alert!
This the part of the asthma action plan you or a loved one will use when you are having a serious asthma attack and are having a lot of trouble breathing. It includes steps to take when you are having an emergency and cannot self-manage your condition.
Why Is an Asthma Action Plan Important?
Nothing in life is handled well on a continuous basis without well thought out planning, especially when it comes to your health and well-being. It is important to be organized and educated for emergencies. An asthma action plan helps you be prepared in cases of emergency but also helps you manage your condition on a day-to-day basis. This means you’ll be able to better take care of yourself, reduce asthma-related incidents, and live your best life.
Asthma Management in Downers Grove, Naperville, Elmhurst, and Plainfield, IL
At Oak Brook Allergists, we routinely treat patients of all ages with asthma. Our goal is to help you live a normal life with the least symptoms possible. We can help you create an asthma action plan that will guide you through various stages of asthma symptoms.
Contact Oak Brook Allergists, serving many Illinois regions, for an asthma action plan that’s specifically designed for you. Call us at (630) 574-0460, or use our online appointment request tool.
