Do you know someone who suffers from Asthma? Perhaps you have a friend who has asthma? It is likely that you know someone who has asthma, as a reported one in five households are affected by it. In literal terms there are 5.4 million people in the UK who have asthma.
Seeing as so many people are suffering from it, it’s a good idea to ask ourselves what causes Asthma. The BBC has an article online which goes into detail on this. In brief, asthma is caused by an inflammation of the airways. Scientists aren’t too sure what causes this, but they see that asthmatic and allergic tendencies do run in families.
Asthma is serious; it is not merely an excuse to sit out cross country in a PE lesson. If you have a friend with asthma then it is a good idea to be aware of what could cause an asthma attack and how to help them. Advice on living with asthma is available courtesy of the NHS. Although you may not suffer from asthma personally, you can support your friend by being aware of the additional measures they have to take in day to day life.
You have probably noticed your friend has an inhaler. Inhalers are usually bought at Pharmacies and are manufactured by companies such as Presspart. The aim of these inhalers is to keep the asthma under control, assisting your friend to lead a full and unrestricted life. Although treatments keep asthma under control, there could be an occasion when your friend has an asthma attack. If this happens carry out the following actions:
Stay calm and try to help your friend relax
Have your friend sit upright
Take your friend away from possible asthma triggers
Get their inhaler
Call 999 if the inhaler doesn’t help
You will be their first line of defence; it is always a good idea to be prepared. As a friend, understanding and appreciating living with asthma is very important. Of course there are different severities of asthma and reactions vary from person to person, but educating yourself and being ready for possible incidents is always a good idea.
