
Information for patients who suffer from Asthma.
The Practice Asthma Leads are:
Sister Gail Smith & Dr Woodhouse
Gail Smith is our new Practice Nurse specialising in Asthma and COPD. She has in-depth knowledge of both conditions having worked as Respiratory Nurse Specialist based at North Manchester General Hospital, providing early intervention, avoiding hospital admission and facilitating early discharge from hospital. She also provided education around COPD to patients.
She has successfully completed diplomas in Adult Asthma, Paediatric Asthma and COPD. She is fully competent in Spirometry (performing, diagnosing and interpreting).
Gail is looking forward to reviewing all our respiratory patients in her clinics and sharing her knowledge and expertise with you.
**************
Asthma is a very common condition and the usual symptoms are:
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Shortness of breath
- Tightness in the chest
Not everyone will get all of these symptoms. Some people experience them from time to time; a few may experience them daily. Most people with asthma who take the appropriate treatment can live normal lives, but left untreated can cause permanent damage to the airways.
Medicines are only a part of the treatment for asthma. You will also need to deal with the things (triggers) that make it worse. Having a regular annual review with your asthma nurse will help you to stay on top of your asthma ensuring you have the correct management and enable you to be confident in continuing with your normal activities of daily living.
Paediatric Asthma – Care of Children and Teenagers with Asthma
Stay on top of your child’s asthma symptoms. One day your child will be responsible for managing their own Asthma. Start early and encourage them to take the prescribed treatment on time and regularly. Make sure your child attends for regular reviews with the asthma nurse, this should be at least once a year. At this review the asthma nurse can help you and your child with any concerns about symptoms, medication or anything else that may be bothering them.
There are a few links below for asthma websites to give you some more information about asthma.
asthma.org.uk
NHS Choices - Asthma
Asthma.com