Asthma Symptoms Monitoring

The success rate of treating asthma depends on the person’s ability to monitor their condition. This is done through taking note of the severity and frequency of the asthma symptoms. These symptoms of asthma include shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing. Additionally, assessing the function of the lungs can help manage asthma.

This article will discuss about several ways on how to monitor the symptoms of asthma.

Creating Daily Journal for Asthma Symptoms Monitoring

The medical doctor will usually advise their clients to make their own regular asthma symptoms diary. This is done through writing down the symptoms which are not properly controlled or when new medications for asthma were started. In the journal, they need to jot down the reading of peak flow, symptoms of asthma and the time when medications are taken.

The periodic journal is often recommended by the medical doctor to people with stable symptoms of asthma. People who were not able to change their medications are advised to make periodic journal, as well. This type of journal must be completed prior to consultation with the medical doctor. This can help them and their doctor to identify the prescribed health plan that can suit their current condition. 

Monitoring of Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF)

It is used to measure the accurate rate wherein the person can exhale. It is usually dependent on the extent of airway constriction (narrowing). Monitoring of PEF is also used to assess the function of the lungs, how the person respond to the current treatments, evaluate the severity and extent of asthma, and provides guidelines in making decisions for the health care treatment plan. 

The PEF monitoring is affordable and simple to use. People with consistent asthma attack are using peak flow meter for 1 or 2 times a day. 

Reviewing of the Treatment Plan 

Adults and teenagers with asthma are required to visit their medical doctor at least once or two times a year. It is ideal to make an appointment with their specialist even if their condition is well-managed or uncontrolled. During the consultation, the medical doctor will assess the frequency and severity of the asthma symptoms and their response to treatment plan. 

If the asthma is well-controlled and adequately managed for the past three months, the prescribe medication and doses will be reduced by the medical doctor. However, if the condition is inadequate, the medication, route of administration and avoidance of triggering factor will be reviewed. In here, the possibility of increasing the doses for medications is highly significant. 

The extent of the condition will depend on how the people with asthma manage their treatment plan. Moreover, they need to understand the basic information related to the triggering factor of asthma. It is highly recommended that the family and other significant people should participate with the treatment plan. This is to help people with asthma to arrive with proper and positive outcome.

Identifying and monitoring of asthma symptoms will more likely help them to control the attacks independently. This will also give them with proper means on how to seek for immediate medical attention.

Teaching people to properly observe these clinical manifestations of asthma can also help them plan and implement the appropriate interventions for treating asthma attack. Furthermore, it is advisable that every members of the family or other significant person to learn the different signs and symptoms of asthma so that they will know what to do in case there is some who suffered from asthma attack.

The purpose of health education is to disseminate significant information to increase their health awareness level. This is the main reason why the World Health Organization (WHO) implemented the health education as part of promoting wellness -By Edterchelle Soriano