Asthma and hayfever - the ills of spring

Asthma is a disease that affects the lower airway, causing symptoms such as wheezing, coughing and a tight chest. According to Dr Corli Gravett, who manages an asthma and allergy clinic in Gauteng, 80% of asthmatic patients also suffer from allergic rhinitis (AR) - a condition often referred to as hayfever, which causes itching, swelling and mucus in the upper airway. Although they affect different parts of the airway, these two afflictions are considered part of the same disease process.

If one has AR and asthma concomitantly, there is more associated resource utilisation and mortality. Untreated, AR can increase your asthma symptoms and increase your risk of hospitalization. Fortunately, it has been proven that there is an asthma medication which simultaneously treats AR, allowing you to deal with both conditions in one step.

Asthma can be effectively treated and controlled. If your asthma dampens the joys of spring, it may be due to one of the following misconceptions. Dispelling these myths could greatly improve your quality of life.

First, because allergens such as pollen can trigger asthma attacks, people often assume that asthma is caused by the trigger, and goes away when the symptoms subside. Not true. Asthma is a chronic condition, which means your airway is inflamed even when you feel well. If you treat this underlying inflammation every day with controller medication, you experience few if any asthma symptoms.

Second, as regards exercising, if you experience asthma symptoms as a result of physical activity, don't just give up or avoid exercising. First, check with your doctor that your medication regime is working for you, because when asthma is properly controlled, exercise should not be a problem.

Research shows that failure to control asthma can be three times more expensive than the price of achieving control. Remember that asthma can be life-threatening, , and those few rands you think you're saving on controller medication could cost your pocket - and your health - far more if you end up in hospital.