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The Minnesota Asthma Program |
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October News
Help prevent asthma flare-ups this fall!
Changes in weather, like colder temperatures and dry air in the fall, can trigger asthma symptoms. For adults and children with asthma, the fall season can be challenging.
Follow these tips to help manage your asthma and allergy care:
Know how your indoor and outdoor allergic triggers change in the fall. Check with your health care provider about how seasonal changes may affect allergies.
Receive your recommended vaccinations. People are spending more time indoors, which increases community spread of illness. Now is a good time to get vaccinated for Influenza (flu), COVID-19, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and pneumococcal disease.
Review your individual asthma action plan and keep your quick relief inhaler handy.
More resources:
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The Asthma Program is featuring personal asthma stories highlighting people with asthma, families with children who have asthma, and others impacted by asthma.
Asthma can be different for everyone, and symptoms, onset, and treatment plans vary from person to person. For questions about treatment and medical care, please consult a health care provider. MDH supports the 2020 Focused Updates to the Asthma Management Guidelines.
Born and raised in Iowa, Steve moved to the Twin Cities after attending Iowa State University in Ames, and has lived in the area ever since! Steve found that the Twin Cities reminded him of his hometown and there were many corporate headquarters where he could look for new opportunities after graduating. Steve will be 80 years old next year!
When do you remember experiencing symptoms of asthma?
[Steve]: My asthma symptoms started in a strange way – they came almost instantaneously. I didn’t know what the symptoms of asthma were, only that asthma affects breathing. I remember enjoying Thanksgiving with friends and family. We had just finished the meal. I didn’t feel well and went to the Emergency Room (ER). There was no diagnosis of asthma; rather, the doctors were able to eliminate other possible conditions. I wasn’t having a heart attack or a stroke, but even so, I was having trouble breathing. I recall using a nebulizer to open my airways and that helped with my breathing.
I had a total of three visits to the ER within about eight months. Between the ER visits, I saw my doctor and was prescribed an inhaler and medication with a nebulizer with instructions on using both twice a day and as needed to assist my breathing. During this time, I was very concerned about my breathing and my lungs, and I was frightened. I had always enjoyed excellent health and was still active; now, I had trouble even walking fast. We were moving, and I had a very hard time lifting boxes. It was more than difficult to breathe, and even got to a point where I was gasping for air. Some nights I would wake up struggling to breathe.
How were you diagnosed with asthma?
[Steve]: I still wasn’t feeling my absolute best, so I scheduled a first-time appointment with a pulmonologist. This was during COVID, so I waited about six months for an appointment, and the only way I could see the doctor was through a virtual telehealth visit using video. Before the visit, my lungs and lung capacity were tested, and I had a considerable amount of blood work done. The results from the blood work were a complete surprise. At the time, I was 76 years old and had never had any allergies. The bloodwork results came back with two pages worth of allergies – I am seemingly allergic to everything - dogs, cats, dust, etc. – and I was really confused. When I think about being allergic to something, I think about watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and coughing, and I’ve never experienced any of these symptoms or reactions from those types of allergens and irritants.
At the time of my first appointment with the pulmonologist, I was so amazed because she invited in another specialist – an allergist. This was the first time any doctor had brought in another expert to take a broader look at my situation. I was prescribed two controller inhalers for asthma, and I take two puffs of one in the morning and two puffs of the other at night. The one at night includes a corticosteroid in it and I know to rinse my mouth with water after I use it to help prevent infection.
The doctors prescribed two daily controller inhalers, and I am not exaggerating, instantaneously, they made me feel better and how I felt before I had my first asthma attack. I can now do everything I did before, like ride my bike and walk up the stairs. I am no longer gasping for air and my life is back to normal. Experiencing asthma was a complete shock to me, and it seemed to happen suddenly. I’ve been using my daily controller inhalers for about two to three years. I meet with my pulmonologist every six months, and she hasn’t changed my medications since my original diagnosis.
How do you manage your asthma triggers and control your asthma on a daily basis?
[Steve]: I follow the directions of my prescriptions very consistently. I find that environmental asthma triggers and seasonal allergies don’t seem to affect me as long as I use my inhalers every day as prescribed.
Learn more about asthma in adults and asthma management practices:
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Strategic Framework Survey: open until October 24, 2023, 5 p.m. CST
REMINDER: The Minnesota Department of Health’s Asthma Program is conducting a survey on the 10-year State Plan, Asthma in Minnesota: A Strategic Framework 2021-2030.
The health of Minnesotans with asthma can only be improved through collaborative action across private, public, and government sectors. Successful implementation of this plan will increase collection and analysis of asthma-related data, provide opportunities for equitable access to asthma education and care, and lead to development of policies to reduce environmental exposures.
The survey will take about 5 minutes to complete, and we especially encourage partners in healthcare and in the areas of transportation, housing, schools, government (city, county, state levels) and workplaces to complete the survey.
Again, your input matters. Thank you!!
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Save the Date: What is SMART Therapy? Webinar with Dr. Gail Brottman
November 30, 2023, 2 to 3 p.m. CST
Join Dr. Gail Brottman in a discussion on the Asthma Management Guidelines: Focused Updates 2020 that includes Smart Therapy. This presentation will be tailored for School Health Services staff who care for students.
The webinar will be offered via Microsoft Teams and will be recorded. No registration required
One CEU will be offered for attending the webinar.
Access the webinar's link and find more information here: What is SMART Therapy? (PDF)
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The American Lung Association will be holding a full day, in-person spirometry training at the American Lung Association Minnesota Office (490 Concordia Ave., St. Paul). Attendees can choose from either a half-day training or a full-day training. Implementation of Spirometry will be covered in the morning session and Interpretation of Spirometry will be covered in the afternoon.
Participation costs:
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$120 for half- day registration (morning only or afternoon only)
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$200 for full day registration
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Asthma Basics Workshop
November 9, 2023, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 12:30 p.m. CST
The American Lung Association's Asthma Basics program is now being offered as a live, virtual workshop. The program is ideal for frontline healthcare professionals, such as school nurses or community health workers, as well as individuals with asthma, parents of children with asthma, and co-workers, friends and family who want to learn more about asthma.
Older Adults with Asthma – A Different Disease (Video)
Join the Allergy and Asthma Network in hosting Dr. Alan Baptist in this previously recorded webinar. The video discusses asthma care for older adults and how asthma symptoms may differ compared to younger populations.
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Wood Smoke and Asthma: Breathe Easier (Video)
Wood smoke from wood stoves and fireplaces can be harmful to your health. To help protect your health and to avoid asthma triggers, consider U.S. EPA's best burn tips.
Watch the video here.
For more information about wood smoke, go to http://www.epa.gov/burnwise.
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