Asthma is a condition which is so common that it’s often overlooked in terms of seriousness. The fact is that a good deal of people die from asthma related complications every single year and though we’ve got a lot of medication to help prevent this, not everyone has access to it. 80% of all asthma related deaths each year occurs in developing countries where their medical care simply doesn’t have the resources to supply inhalers and similar healthcare. Asthma is a massive cause of largely preventable death and it should never be considered to be anything other than dangerous. Even though we’re equipped to deal with it in the UK there are two or three preventable asthma deaths in schools each year. These are children who weren’t quick enough to act or didn’t have friends or teachers who knew what to do.
Education is paramount when it comes to treating conditions like asthma. Yes, the drugs are going to help but only if you and the people you spend your time with know how to use them. If you forget your inhaler one day and you have an asthma attack then that inhaler is useless to you. You’ll need to know how to best deal with an attack without the safety net of an inhaler, if you don’t then you could die.
In the event of an asthma attack the most important thing you can do is contact the emergency services. This is especially important if you don’t have your inhaler and may not be necessary if you have it. Take and hold deep breaths, the additional levels of CO2 in your blood will help slow down the inflammation. Steam from a shower can be helpful, as is getting out of range of whatever set off your attack in the first place. We’ve got a whole article dedicated to the best ways to combat an asthma attack without your inhaler, please read that for more information on keeping yourself safe from asthma!
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