If you have asthma—a chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways—you know how important your asthma action plan is.
If you have asthma, you may have days when your asthma is mild, or you may have days when your asthma exacerbations are more intense. Chest tightness. Coughing. Shortness of breath. Asthma symptoms can be unpredictable and sometimes frightening.
In order to help maintain the best possible control of your asthma, you may want to keep an asthma journal. Not only will an asthma journal allow you to look back and see how often and when your asthma flared up, but you can also share your asthma journal information with your doctor so that he or she can adjust your asthma treatment accordingly. Some things you may want to keep track of in your asthma journal include tracking your symptoms, e.g., shortness of breath, moments when your asthma has disrupted exercise, sleep, or work; jotting down results of breathing tests; and things that seem to trigger your asthma, e.g., animal dander, pollen, cigarette smoke, etc.
When it comes to asthma management, asthma awareness is a big key in helping to control your asthma and avoid asthma triggers. Your asthma journal will be a big help for you and for anyone who may need to reference it in case you need to be hospitalized for a severe asthma attack.