Getting Care for Asthma

Visit your doctor and discuss your particular symptoms.  You and your doctor can determine if you have asthma.

Your doctor may ask you questions about:
 

• Your symptoms, (such as what seems to trigger attacks; how often do you have flare-ups) and what medications you take
• History of asthma in your family
• Your work and home environments
• Your participation in various activities

Your doctor will listen to your breathing and heartbeat, and check your nose, ears, eyes, and throat for signs of allergies.

Lung function tests will measure how well your lungs are working.  You may be asked to blow into a spirometer, which measures how much and how fast you breathe out air.  Lung function tests can tell your doctor how open or narrow your airways are and whether certain medications will make your asthma better.

Special allergy tests may be performed to determine if you are allergic to such things as pollen, dust, and animal dander that can trigger asthma attacks.  These may be skin tests or a blood test.

    
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• You are unsure about how to take your medicines.
• You are coughing up mucus.
• Your attack does not respond to your reliever medications.
• You are unable to sleep because of wheezing and/or coughing.
• Your peak flow volumes have dropped to less than 80% of your personal best.
• You are short of breath more often than before.
• You are breathing faster than usual.

    
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• Symptoms worsen despite reliever medications.
• Your peak flow numbers are half your usual numbers, you have taken your prescribed medication, and your peak flow number does not return to the yellow or green zone (reference the Asthma Self Management Card) and stay there.
• Your lips and/ or fingernails turn gray or blue.
• You are rapidly getting worse over a few hours.
• You can’t say four or five words because you are so short of breath, wheezing, gasping for air, and hunched forward.

Sources:  DoD/VA Clinical Practice Guidelines
and National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute