The aim of World Asthma Day is to raise awareness, care and support for those affected by asthma. Whilst the main focus is supporting the people with asthma, support can also extend to family, friends and caregivers.
Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs which causes breathing problems. Symptoms of asthma include breathlessness, coughing, wheezing and a feeling of tightness in the chest. These symptoms vary in frequency and severity. When the symptoms are not under control, the airways can become inflamed making breathing difficult. Whilst asthma cannot be cured, the symptoms can be controlled enabling people with asthma to live full lives.
World Asthma Day is supported by the organization GINA, the Global Initiative for Asthma which works with health care groups around the world to help raise awareness. World Asthma Day is also supported by the World Asthma Foundation.
World Asthma Day was established in 1998 and over 35 countries were involved. Over time, World Asthma Day has grown and is widely recognized as the world's most important asthma awareness event.
People with asthma can follow these positive steps to help them cope with their condition.
Positive Steps for Coping with Asthma
- Prepare a personal asthma management plan with the help of doctor. The management plan is tailored to the person with asthma and will cover which medications should be taken at certain times during the day and which risk factors of asthma to avoid.
- Take relevant medications prescribed by your doctor which relieve symptoms of asthma and control related inflammation and swelling of the airways.
- Educate yourself about the risk factors of asthma which can bring on symptoms and make the condition worse.
- Learn to recognize when the symptoms are becoming worse.
- Be prepared in case you have an asthma attack. This could include carrying a card which informs others about your condition and gives instructions on what to do when you have a severe asthma attack.