HealthInfo Waitaha Canterbury
Self-care for asthma
Tāu ake whakaora i mate huangō
There are several ways you can help keep your asthma under good control.
- Build a relationship with your GP. Working together to develop a self-management plan has been shown to improve asthma. It's important that you talk to your doctor if you feel your asthma isn't improving or is getting worse.
If you need to find a general practice team, you can search on this map.
A self-management plan lists your medications and tells you what to do when your asthma gets worse or severe. Here are some examples of self-management plans for you to print and complete with your GP or practice nurse.
- Learn about your medications and the best technique for using your inhaler and spacer.
- If you're recovering from an asthma attack, consider asking your doctor to help you complete an asthma attack recovery plan.
- You may like to keep a peak flow diary to record when your asthma gets better or worse. This can help you and your doctor work out how well controlled your asthma is. There are several apps you can use to record your peak flow readings. Search in your app store to find one that suits you.
- Find out if you have any triggers and take steps to avoid or reduce them if possible. A trigger is something that can bring on your asthma. Common triggers include infections, colds or flu, exercise, cigarette smoke, pollen, dust mites and animals. Find out more about asthma triggers on the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation page Common asthma triggers.
- Be smokefree. There is help available to stop smoking.
- Keep active, as this can help your asthma and keep you healthy. You might like to read some tips about keeping active when you have asthma. If your asthma gets worse with exercise, speak to your doctor. They will help you get the right treatment so you can keep active without getting symptoms.
- Consider learning breathing techniques from a physiotherapist or through the Buteyko method, both of which have been shown to help asthma symptoms.
- Learn about keeping your home warm & dry. Housing that is cold, damp or mouldy may cause you to have asthma or make your asthma worse. You might be able to get help with reduced costs for insulation and efficient heating.
- Have a flu vaccination each year.
- Keep up to date with COVID-19 booster vaccinations.
- Contact CanBreathe. CanBreathe is a local organisation that can provide advice and support with managing asthma.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ
The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ has information, resources and management plans for people with respiratory disease. It aims to improve the lives of those living with respiratory disease.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed June 2021.
Review key: HIASA-39947
