Living with Asthma

Asthma is a serious chronic lung disease affecting more than 14 million Americans. People with asthma have sensitive airways that may react to things like smoke, dust, and pollen. These triggers are different for everyone, so it is important to know what triggers your asthma. When airways react the lining of the airways become swollen or inflamed and thick mucus starts to line the airways. As the airways swell, the muscles around the airways also tighten, narrowing the airways even more. This makes it hard to breathe.

People with asthma may experience coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. Asthma varies from person-to-person and symptoms can be mild or severe. Asthma can be controlled and most people with asthma can live full active lives. Asthma that is poorly controlled can cause missed days from school and work, ER visits, hospital stays or death.

Understanding and avoiding asthma triggers, following a simple asthma plan and using your asthma medications as your doctor tells you are all essential to controlling asthma. To find out how well controlled your asthma is, take an Asthma Control Test now and print the results to share with your doctor at your next visit.

Helpful Resources

Ledge Light Health District’s Putting on AIRS Program can help you identify things in your home that may be making your Asthma worse.
For more information on Asthma, visit the State of Connecticut’s Department of Public Health Asthma Program website.
Air Quality and Asthma
Air quality can affect your Asthma. Visit the DEP’s Air Quality Monitoring website to view the current air quality in our area.
Survey of Asthma Among School Students 2002 -2003 School Year, Southeastern Connecticut
This survey was carried out to determine the prevalence of asthma and details of medical and environmental care among students in the Asthma Shoreline Action Partnership region of Southeastern Connecticut. School nurses in eight school districts, two regional schools and seven private schools compiled data for the 2002-03 school year. All students enrolled in 62 schools are included in the survey, for a total student population of 25,385.
More useful links:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
US Environmental Protection Agency Tools for Schools program
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics
American Lung Association
Mayo Clinic
National Jewish Health has been rated by US News and World Report as the #1 hospital in the US for those with respiratory conditions since 1998.
WebMD

Healthy Living

Living with Asthma

Helpful Resources