There is no one test which will confirm if your child has asthma. However the main things to look out for are: Wheezing Cough Breathlessness Noisy or difficulty breathing Chest tightness Symptoms of asthma may come and go. In children asthma symptoms often happen at night or after exercise.
You may feel breathless getting washed, climbing stairs or going for a walk, but this is normal breathlessness for someone with COPD. Many people with COPD tend to be more breathless in the morning and you may want to limit tasks that make you breathless to later on in the day, and spread things out […]
Think back to the Olympic athletes or other sports people you have seen. Do they look breathless at the end of a race or a football match? Do they look worried about this? This was normal breathlessness. This kind of breathlessness does not cause harm. When we sit still, our breathing is quieter, slower, gentler. […]
Think back to when you were at school, think about running around in the playground, playing ‘tag’, skipping or racing your friends. Did you notice that you were breathless? Did you stop because you were feeling breathless? Did you worry about feeling breathless? This was normal breathlessness.
When you have been diagnosed with COPD, breathlessness is one of the main symptoms you will notice. You will experience breathlessness at different times of the day and sometimes it will vary in severity from day to day. Breathlessness varies with each person. It is important to know what is your usual or your “normal” amount […]
For more information please see: Help to stop smoking Your mood and anxiety Pacing and overcoming fatigue Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland factsheet: Breathlessness [.pdf] If you live in Scotland and would like to get free text alerts on your mobile phone text WEATHER to 66777 for air quality and weather alerts. If you have any […]
If you are suffering from shortness of breath at mealtimes you may wish to try the following: Clear your airways one hour before eating. Eat while sitting up to ease the pressure on your lungs and help them expand more easily. Eat more slowly. Take small bites and chew your food slowly. Breathing deeply while chewing. […]
Why do you need food? Food is converted by oxygen into energy for your body, A waste product of this process is carbon dioxide which you then breathe out. People with COPD can find breathing out harder to do. If carbon dioxide builds up in your body it can make you feel weaker. A good […]
Fatigue means extreme tiredness. Fatigue and breathlessness, what helps you? Have you tried relaxation? Have you tried breathing control techniques?- if not speak to your healthcare team. Do you need some help to manage difficult or heavy tasks? Recharge your body “battery” and allow your self to slow down for a while. Save some energy […]
If you have been in the Amber Zone for 24 – 48 hours and are not feeling any better – its time to alert your GP/Respiratory Nurse. You may need to start your Rescue Medication (antibiotics and steroids) which your GP/Nurse can provide. If you have Rescue Medication at home use it when: Your sputum […]
