Living with Asthma

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease, characterized by narrowing of the airways and excess mucus production. People with asthma typically suffer from chest tightness/pain, shortness of breath, and episodes of coughing and wheezing.

Asthma Worldwide

While asthma is not curable, proper management and awareness allow most people to live a normal life. Unfortunately, many people do not perceive asthma as serious. Proper diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, and planning of your or your loved one’s asthma, can help protect them during an asthma attack.

Did You Know? 

  • As of 2016, over 339 million people around the world were living with asthma11
  • Asthma is the most common chronic disease in children1
  • Asthma is a noncommunicable disease, which means that it cannot be spread from one person to another11
  • In 2016, there was nearly 418,000 asthma deaths globally, and an estimated 24.8 million lost healthy years of life (DALYS)11
  • Up to 80% of people have poor inhaler technique, yet the majority do not even realize it4
  • Over 30 genes have been linked to causing asthma5a
  • There are more than 200 occupational substances that can trigger asthma5a
  • Women can develop asthma during menopause due to hormonal changes5a
  • Obesity can impact asthma and increase symptom severity5

The Anatomy of Asthma

diagram depicting normal bronchial tube next to inflamed bronchial tube of an asthmatic

Asthma severity and exacerbations vary between each person. For some people, asthma symptoms occur randomly, or only during periods of exertion/exercise or when exposed to certain triggers. For other people, asthma symptoms may present all the time. If asthma is poorly controlled or not taken seriously, this may mean that people are not able to enjoy the activities they love, such as hiking, playing sports, or gardening. In Canada, over 75% of people with asthma are reported as having poorly controlled asthma, many mistakenly believing their asthma is under control.3 Poor asthma control can lead to increased risk of asthma attacks and adverse effects.4

Asthma Deaths

It is estimated that 80% of all asthma related deaths could have been prevented with proper education and management. 

Signs, Symptoms & Triggers

Asthma can range in severity from a slight inconvenience at times to life threatening during severe asthma attacks. Regardless, it is important you are aware of the signs and symptoms of asthma and an asthma attack, so you can be prepared. Signs and Symptoms vary from person to person.5

Common Signs and Symptoms of Asthma 

  • Breathlessness
  • Chest tightness or pain
  • Persistent coughing
  • Wheezing (common symptom in children)
  • Lethargy
  • Worsened symptoms due to a respiratory virus

Asthma Triggers 

Various allergic and non-allergic triggers (or factors) can cause people to experience sudden asthma  symptoms. Triggers can vary widely from person to person.

Allergic triggers initiate an allergic reaction. This reaction leads to inflammation and/or tightening of the respiratory muscles, limiting airflow and producing common asthma symptoms.5

Non-allergic triggers do not cause inflammation but do cause bronchial muscle spasms.5

What is an Asthma Attack?

An asthma attack is a sudden worsening of your asthma symptoms caused by narrowing of your airways.5 Airflow may be severely limited, and people find it extremely difficult to breathe. An asthma attack may occur in response to exposure to a certain trigger or from poorly managed/controlled asthma.

Symptoms of an asthma attack include:

  • Persistent and worsening cough and wheeze
  • Trouble speaking 
  • Breathlessness
  • Intense chest tightness
  • Lips and nail beds turning blue due to lack of oxygen
  • No symptom relief following use of rescue inhaler
  • Anxiousness/fear
young girl using aero2go chamber

During an asthma attack/emergency, Asthma Canada urges the following steps:

  1. Sit up straight and remain calm
  2. Take your reliever/rescue medication as directed (use your Asthma Action Plan for reference)
  3. Call 911 or your local emergency number if symptoms continue or worsen
  4. If the ambulance takes longer than 15 minutes to arrive, repeat step 2

Asthma Action Plan

As recommended by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), if you or your child have asthma, you should speak to your Healthcare Provider about developing a personalized, Asthma Action Plan.

An asthma action plan includes information on how you can best recognize and respond to your changing asthma conditions.4 An asthma action plan should have information about your usual asthma medication, as well as which medication to take when you experience asthma symptoms and during an emergency, what dose to take, and how frequently.4

Research shows that incorporating an asthma action plan into your asthma management can help to better control your condition.5

Your Personal Action Plan

Print and take a copy of this Asthma Action Plan template to your next doctor’s appointment, so you can begin better managing your asthma.

Download Asthma Action Plan Template

Take Control of Your Asthma

How Can You Take Control of Your Asthma? 

One of the best ways to manage your asthma is by avoiding your asthma triggers. An allergy test administered by a specialist can help identify your allergic triggers so that you are more aware of what may be worsening your condition. 

Understand Your Triggers

Asthma management is more important than ever. As such, we would like to invite you to join Dr. Douglas Mack and Dr. Mariam Hanna as they discuss:

  • Environmental Allergies: A review of the diagnosis and steps the pillars to management ​
  • Asthma: Learn about the latest recommendations for the management of asthma
  • Eczema: Find out what's new for treatments, and differentiate facts from fiction in the management of this itchy condition
  • Food Allergies or Intolerances: Recognize the classic differences between IgE vs non-IgE mediated food allergies
  • Food Immunotherapy Developments: OIT 101
  • COVID Vaccine in Children: What you need to know to get your child vaccinated!

Avoid Environmental Triggers

Resources such as The Weather Network and Accuweather monitor and track various airborne allergens and air quality.

This information can be useful in helping to avoid your environmental triggers by minimizing time outdoors during peak seasons.  

yellow flowers in a field with pollen in the air

Understand Your Asthma Medication

Inhaler medication is often prescribed to help people manage their asthma. Two categories of medication are generally prescribed: controller medications and reliever/rescue medications.

blue reliever inhaler icon

A reliever, also called a rescue inhaler is generally used during asthma flare-ups or attacks to relax tightening airway muscles and increase airflow.6 This type of inhaler medication is typically used less frequently.

orange controller inhaler icon

A controller inhaler is often taken daily, as a long-term treatment for airway inflammation.6

If you find yourself needing to use your reliever inhaler multiple times a week, it may suggest that your asthma is poorly controlled, and you should talk to your Healthcare Provider.5

Is Your Asthma Under Control?

Asthma Canada has created a quiz to help you find out. 

Take the Quiz

Do you Know the Signs? 

Understand Your Medication

DPIs and MDIs

Both controller and reliever inhalers can come in different types of inhalers. The two primary types are metered dose inhalers (MDIs) and dry powder inhalers (DPIs).

woman in purple shirt using aerochamber device

Whether you are taking your controller or reliever MDI puffer, a spacer/chamber should be used with your puffer to help improve medication delivery.4,7 

What is a Spacer?

A spacer is a device that holds inhaler medication suspended, allowing you more time to breathe in your inhaler medicine so that you don’t have to coordinate pressing the inhaler with inhalation. The chamber also filters out the larger droplets of aerosol medicine that would have deposited in the back of your throat.7

Do you use your inhaler correctly?

The majority of people do not use puffers correctly and many don’t even realize it.4 This results in less medication getting to the lungs, where it is needed. The majority of people have difficulties using their inhalers correctly. 4,7 A chamber optimizes medication delivery to the lungs, so that you can best take control of your asthma.8 We offer a variety of spacers for at home and on-the-go use, for children and adults, that help to enhance medication delivery to your lungs.8

blue reliever inhaler icon

Up to 80% of people have poor inhaler technique, yet the majority do not even realize it.

Asthma in Kids

In Canada, Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children, with 850,000 children under the age of 14 diagnosed.1

Tips for Delivering Inhaler Medication to Children 

Ensuring proper medication delivery to your child’s lungs is important so that they can enjoy being a kid and you can be confident knowing their asthma is better controlled.

Below are some helpful tips and tricks to help improve the medication delivery experience when using the AEROCHAMBER PLUS* FLOW-VU* chamber, making it more enjoyable for both you and your child.

  • Make medication time fun: making it like a game or singing a song can create a more enjoyable time for your child 
  • Try to avoid giving medication when your child is crying – you do not want to associate with negative experiences
  • Use a teddy bear or plush doll to demonstrate how to use a chamber, especially when a mask is needed 
  • Talk to your child about their asthma so that they feel more comfortable and confident

Use a AEROCHAMBER PLUS* FLOW-VU* to see if your child is properly inhaling their medication

  • Ensures a proper seal
  • Coordinate the inhaler actuation with their inhalation
  • Practice breath counting
Helping Children Manage their Asthma

Download our printable activity booklet and help your children understand their asthma.

Download Activity Booklet

Managing Asthma at School

It is important that you and your child are both aware of how to take control and manage their asthma while at school.  Some of the most important actions are:

  • Make sure your child is using the correct chamber with their puffer
  • Meet with your child’s school to talk to them about your child’s asthma
  • Store an extra inhaler and chamber at school
  • Update your child’s Asthma Action Plan with their doctor
  • Practice proper hygiene

 

Get Ready for School

For additional information on how to protect your child this school year, see our Back to School Asthma Checklist!

Download Checklist

When Is the Right Time to Transition to A New Chamber?  

  • Ensure children under 5 years of age are using the correct mask size
  • Your child should begin transitioning from a masked chamber to a mouthpiece chamber around the age of 5, or once they are able to form a proper seal around the mouthpiece
  • Chambers should be replaced every 12 months for optimal medication delivery
AeroChamber family
Which is the right spacer for you?

One size does not fit all when it comes to chambers. Make sure your child is using the right chamber for them, use this chart to find the most appropriate chamber.

Download Chart

Managing Asthma During Different Seasons

Different seasons can bring different asthma triggers. Being aware of seasonal changes can help you stay prepared and maintain control of your symptoms.

A woman, wearing a winter hat and scarf, holds a tissue while coughing.

Managing Winter Flare-Ups

It is important to understand the measures that you can take to help mitigate the risk of flare-ups. Take charge of your respiratory health this winter!

Wildfire smoke turns the sky orange over a highway through a city.

Wildfire Smoke and Asthma

Throughout the past few weeks, Canada has been grappling with uncontrolled wildfires in Quebec and Ontario. While wildfire season in Canada typically occurs from May to August, as this is when the climate is at its hottest and driest, it has been uncommon to see so many devastating fires so early in the summer season1. When it comes to those living with asthma and COPD, smoke from these wildfires is a major concern when it comes to living everyday life. Click the button below to find out more about managing your asthma during wildfire seasons.

Child and parent playing in a field.

Managing Asthma in the Summer

Asthma is a common chronic respiratory condition that affects hundreds of millions of people around the world.1 During the summer months, individuals who suffer from asthma may experience a rise in symptoms. Click the button below to find out more about what is triggering your asthma in the summer and how to find relief. 

A child hugs her mom by a waiting bus.

Managing Asthma During the September Asthma Spike

The back-to-school season can be an exciting time for both kids and parents, but did you know that this time of year has been linked to a considerable increase in hospitalizations for children with asthma?1 Read the article below to find out more about the September Asthma Spike and how to protect your family. 

References

  1. Asthma Canada. Asthma Facts and Statistics. https://asthma.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Asthma-101.pdf
  2. Institute for Clinical Evaluative Services in Ontario (ICES) 1996. ICES Practice Atlas (second edition), June 1996
  3. Bellamy D, Harris T. Poor perceptions and expectations of asthma control: Results of the International Control of Asthma Symptoms (ICAS) Survey of patients and general practitioners. Primary Care Respiratory Journal. Vol 14, Issue 5, October 2005. Pages 252-258
  4. GINA Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention, 2020.
  5. Asthma Canada Website. https://asthma.ca/get-help/understanding-asthma/
  6. The Lung Association. Asthma Medications.
  7. Suggett, J., et al. Drug Delivery to the Lungs, 2017.
  8. Gillen, M., et al. Pulmonary and Therapeutics, 2018 Oct; 52:8-17.
  9. The Ontario Asthma Surveillance Information System (OASIS) and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), Ontario. Asthma statistics. http://lab.research.sickkids.ca/oasis/oasis-statistics/
  10. Government of Canada. Fast Facts about Asthma: Data compiled from the 2011 Survey on Living with Chronic Diseases in Canada.
  11. World Health Organization. Asthma Key Facts. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/asthma
  12. Pritchard, J.N. (2020). The Climate is Changing for Metered-Dose Inhalers and Action is Needed. Drug Design, Development, and Therapy. Volume 14, 3043-3055.