Signs your asthma treatment plan needs an update

You follow your asthma treatment plan by the book and take every medicine on time. But still have persistent symptoms? Maybe it’s time to re-evaluate your asthma treatment plan.  To do that effectively, let’s understand asthma deeper.

With asthma, your airways get swollen and inflamed. Consequently, your airways produce more mucus causing a cough and cold.

Signs that your asthma is worsening

When your symptoms worsen in less than three days, you should know that your asthma is getting aggravated.

Some of the most common asthma symptoms are:

• Shortness of breath 
• Pain or tightness in the chest
• A whistling or wheezing sound while exhaling 
• Persistent cough
• Increased mucus 

Read more at: https://www.drbatras.com/what-to-expect-when-you-suffer-from-asthma

Signs that you need a new asthma plan

• Your treatment causes side-effects: Some of the corticosteroids you inhale via the asthma inhalers can mix in your blood stream. This ends up giving you a hoarse voice, sore throat and mouth along with fungal infection of the throat.
• You’re taking your medications too often: If you find yourself taking asthma medications more often than normal, your treatment plans need reconsideration. 
• Symptoms come back as quickly as they go: Antibiotics and steroids suppress your symptoms but don’t heal them. If you experience asthma symptoms more than three times a week, you need to reconsider your treatment plan. Additionally, if you undergo prolonged bouts of coughing, wheezing, tightness in the chest or shortness of breath on a daily basis, your treatment isn’t working well enough. 
• You can’t sleep well at night:Sometimes, you may wake up coughing or wheezing at night. This is because you lie on your back while gravity puts excess pressure on your chest. It becomes harder for you to breathe as well. If you experience these late-night symptoms more than thrice a month, it’s a sign to switch your treatment plan.
• Excess use of asthma pump: If you use your short-term inhaler more than thrice a week, your condition is poorly controlled. If you find yourself using it multiple times a day, you definitely need a treatment re-check. 
• Your peak flow readings drop: The peak flow readings are to gauge how well your lungs are working. Naturally, every patient’s reading differs. Ideally, your peak flow readings should be 80% of your personal best score. (Source: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of America) If not, then it’s a red flag for you to change your treatment plan.