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What is asthma?
By AJ Murphy
Asthma is a common disease that makes it hard for you to breathe. You should call your primary care physician (PCP) if these symptoms affect you or start to worsen:
- Difficulty breathing
- Shortness of breath
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Shortened tolerance for exercise
What causes an asthma attack?
It can be hard to predict an asthma attack. An asthma attack can be caused by allergens and other irritants in the air, like:
- Tree, grass or weed pollen
- Dust mites
- Animal dander
- Smoke
- Strong odors
- Chemical fumes
Asthma can change over time. You’ll need to make changes to your treatment plan to keep your asthma under control.
Dealing with asthma
Asthma affects people in different ways. Don’t worry — we’re here to help you. Some people are considered low-risk, while others have a harder time breathing. If you’re low-risk, we’ll give you information to help you take care of yourself. If you’re high-risk, a care manager will call you to talk about your care. It’s important to learn as much as you can about your asthma. Your care manager will talk to you about things like:
- How to take care of your asthma at home
- Why taking your medicine is important
- What causes asthma attacks
- How to get the most out of your doctors’ visits
- Which habits you can change to help you feel better
You should seek emergency medical treatment right away if you:
- Have severe breathlessness or wheezing, especially early in the morning
- Can’t speak more than short phrases, due to lack of breath
- Have to strain your chest muscles to breathe
- Get low peak flow readings when you use a peak flow meter
- Feel no improvement after using a quick-acting (rescue) inhaler
About the author
AJ Murphy is an evocative young writer who grew up in Boston's Charlestown neighborhood. AJ began his writing career at Alaska Ice Rinks Inc. in Anchorage, AK, where he also drove a Zamboni and took care of outdoor hockey rinks.
If you’ve ever had the flu, you know how bad it can be. Getting the flu shot is one way to help prevent against the flu, and it's covered by your health plan. The other way is to understand flu myths and facts, so you can stay healthy.
Be prepared for flu season
A flu vaccine (shot) is your best chance to avoid the flu. It’s best to get a shot each year, as soon the flu shot is available in your area. This can be done at your doctor’s office or a health clinic.
The flu vaccine is available in several forms. Most are given in an arm muscle with a needle. Talk with your doctor about which form is best for you.
Myth vs. Fact
M: You can catch the flu from the flu shot
F: A flu shot cannot cause the flu virus.1 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccine for just about everyone ages 6 months and older. If you're not sure if you should get the flu shot, check with your doctor first.
M: The flu shot is expensive.
F: The flu shot is covered by your health plan. If you're enrolled, make sure you get your flu shot at no extra cost.
M: The flu shot shouldn't be given at the same time as other vaccines.
F: The flu shot can be given at the same time as other vaccines,2 including the pneumococcal vaccine.
M: Getting the flu shot is all you need to do to protect yourself from the flu.
F: Getting the flu shot is one way to protect yourself. Make sure you also avoid contact with people who have the flu. And remember to wash your hands often.
M: Antibiotics help with the flu.
F: Antibiotics don't necessarily treat the flu. They only help with infections caused by bacteria. Antiviral drugs like TAMIFLU® can fight the flu virus, so you can feel better faster.
1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). Misconceptions about seasonal flu and flu vaccines. September 25, 2018. Available at: cdc.gov/flu/prevent/misconceptions.htm?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fflu%2Fabout%2Fqa%2Fmisconceptions.htm. Accessed May 20, 2019.
2Georgia Department of Public Health. Adult influenza and pneumococcal vaccines FAQ.
Available at: dph.georgia.gov/sites/dph.georgia.gov/files/Immunizations/Flu-Season-Flu-Pneu-FAQs.pdf. Accessed May 20, 2019.
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