ASTHMA DEATHS PREVENTABLE
from The Blue Mountains Gazette
One hundred and thirty nine teenagers in the fifteen to nineteen year old age group died of asthma in N.S.W. in 2002. Most of these deaths could have been prevented if personal asthma control programmes had been followed. As a Buteyko Breathing Practitioner and Pilates instructor I have been conducting stress management/relaxation classes for senior high school pupils. I have become aware of asthma sufferers in this age group who have not been back to their doctor for review in several years but need to take reliever medication daily whilst ignoring their need for prevention. This can be a recipe for disaster.
It is imperative for asthma sufferers to have an action plan to control and/or prevent asthma attacks.
Steps you should take are to go to your family doctor and discuss appropriate prevention. As our famous medical Professor Konstantin Buteyko said “people die of asthma because of too much dilation and not enough prevention”. These two processes require totally different medications. Your doctor will also prescribe a dilator. You must follow asthma foundation guidelines and take the preventer as prescribed by your doctor and the dilator on an as needed basis only. If you need the dilator more than twice a week you need a preventer.
Know what “triggers” the asthma and take action to avoid the triggers. Triggers are stresses that our bodies would like to run away from. For example, poor breathing habits, emotional upsets, air pollution, illness, grief, poor breathing whilst exercising, inappropriate foods, smoke, animal hair etc. The “fight or flight” reaction to these stresses or triggers induces an increase in the respiratory rate (hyperventilation) causing a drop in carbon dioxide which in turn results in bronchospasm (asthma).
If you are breathing correctly, avoiding all avoidable triggers, and, know how to employ remedial breathing techniques and have a good action plan from your doctor asthma can become a minor concern in your life.
There is no magic “cure” for asthma. Learning to breathe healthily may well mean that you will never have another asthma attack but you still need to avoid those triggers that cause stress on your body. You also must go back to your doctor for regular review and always carry appropriate emergency medication.
If you have any enquiries about breathing or Pilates, please phone Jennifer Harris BIBH FATD on 0414 833 857 or visit Jennifer’s website at www.pnc.com.au/~breatheasy or email breatheasy@pnc.com.au.