Help to Understand Asthma

Asthma is a lifelong non-curable common lung disease in which a persons's airway becomes swelled, causing sensitivity and narrowing, in results makes it hard to breath. Swelling and the production of excess mucus also make it more difficult to pass air through.Other symptoms may include tightness in the chest, wheezing or coughing and fatigue. If your asthma is left untreated, your symptoms may worsen. 

As part of your treatment, you may need daily medications an a rescue inhaler. It is important to take these medications as prescribed, even if you don't feel symptoms or notice any changes immediately. It may take up to 2 weeks or longer for your medications to start taking effect for you to feel the benefits. 

Everyone has different asthma triggers that can make their symptoms worse. Although, asthma cannot be cured, by working with your health care provider, you can learn how to manage and keep it under control. Your doctor, pharmacist and nurse will do their best to make a treatment plan that works best for you. You should have an open communication about how well or poorly your treatment is working throughout your prognosis to help you feel in control. 

Provided on the right side of the screen is a list of external links to help in researching and finding the right treatment and care for yourself or your loved one. 

Staying Connected Through a Personal Health Record

Having a personal health record is beneficial to help you better manage your care by collecting, tracking and sharing past and/or current health information, if desired. Information such as lab results, immunizations records or even screening due dates. Having access to this information can save you time and money by bypassing labs and procedures that may need to be repeated from lost records. It can also be helpful in times of travel, chronic disease management, care coordination and family health management. In many cases you can review your results before your provider calls you with the information, making it valuable for you to be able to clarify or come up with questions to ask in present time.

Some personal health record systems offer a secure way for you to communicate with your provider over the internet. However, keep in mind those systems that are not secured because sharing information can result in a violation towards the Heath Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA). The federal law mandated that health information is confidential per HIPPA privacy and security requirements. 

Online Patient Communities

When an individual is diagnosed with any chronic disease, there are often life changes that must take place in order to cope. Online patient communities can play a big role in the way an individual with a chronic condition can find hope and connect with people who understand what they are experiencing. In this way, these communities can provide emotional support. They can also be a way for patients with the same condition to share information they have learned as well as available resources regarding the condition they share. This can be a way for patients to play an active role in their treatment, as they are able to be more aware of possible options for treatment. Online patient communities are also a way for patients to participate in online forums with healthcare professionals as well as other patients or caregivers who are personally familiar with the same condition. There are terms of service that by joining a chat, you are agreeing to follow. 

These guidelines are in place to help provide a safe environment for patients to ask questions, and participate in conversations regarding topics related to asthma. Some examples of terms listed prior to entering a chat include: no foul language, attempts to steal passwords, attempts at hacking, advertising, harassment, abuse, impersonation of an administrator, and participants must be sixteen years of age, or older. By entering the chat, the participant is agreeing to comply with the terms listed on the website. 

Some people may be concerned about their own privacy when participating in an online patient community. These are generally closed groups, that are accessed by invitation only. However there is no way to fully prevent another person from sharing information shared in the group. It would important for the person sharing to keep in mind that they may want to avoid sharing personal information they do not want to have shared beyond the group. They could still ask questions, and participate in chats without sharing their own detailed personal health information.  These communities allow for patients suffering from asthma to discuss concerns or idea related to the condition. Also, parents or family members of patients with asthma can participate for ideas regarding symptom control and medication or treatment questions or concerns. 

See the list of online patient communities we recommend, for patients who suffer from asthma, at the right side of the screen.

Review Basic Computer Information

Computer based support groups/communities are becoming more and more common, as well as patients accessing their personal health information online.  With the increased frequency of patients accessing health information online, it is important to review some basics.  The following are some definitions to remember:

• Internet Service Providers- Provide services for accessing the internet. Internet providers can be commercial, local, privately-owned or community-owned. Some options include: Comcast, AT&T, Century Link, Qwest, and Utopia.
• Browser- the software application that provides access to the internet.  Some examples are Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Firefox.

• Broadband- the word for high-speed internet.  This is what allows for patients to meet with a physician, regardless of their proximity to the physician’s office.  It also allows patients to upload their information online to a patient portal, in order for a physician to review.
• Wireless Access- Also known as Wi-Fi, is a way of getting broadband without having to connect to actual wires. It also allows multiple computers or devices, in the same area, to connect wirelessly to the internet at the same time.
• Bandwidth- describes the amount of information that can be transmitted in a certain amount of time. When multiple devices are downloading or streaming at the same time, they can both slow down, however, with more bandwidth this can be avoided.
• Random Access Memory (RAM)- short-term memory for a computer.  It allows for programs to be activated on a computer.  The more RAM a computer has, the faster it processes data and the better the ability of the computer to multitask.
• Cloud Computing- Computer services that are used over the internet, rather than through a server.  Data is saved and managed online.  This allows for health information to be saved on a file that can be accessed or edited from any location where the internet can be accessed.