Five Tips for managing your asthma/COPD this winter

Many people with asthma and COPD experience more severe and more frequent respiratory symptoms during the winter months. The 380,000 people with asthma in Ireland, and further 380,000 with COPD, find that triggers such as cold air, air pollution, and viral infections cause them more problems at this time of year. 

With this in mind, The Asthma Society today launches its Winter Wellness Guide on asthma.ie.  It provides detailed information on steps people with asthma and COPD can follow to manage their condition better and to reduce their risk of suffering respiratory exacerbations. The Asthma Society’s Winter Wellness Guide is kindly supported by MSD.

The Asthma Society’s Winter Wellness Guide suggests Five Tips for people with Asthma and COPD to follow during the colder months:

1. Put an Asthma Action Plan/COPD Management Plan in place.
2. Get vaccinated against flu and pneumo.
3. Follow the HSE’s advice on preventing the spread of COVID-19.
4. Take your asthma/COPD medication as prescribed and carry your reliever inhaler with you at all times.
5. Remember; cold air can trigger your asthma/COPD – take precautions to reduce the risk of it triggering an asthma attack/COPD exacerbation.

Our Winter Wellness Guide includes advice from the HSE, input from our Medical Advisory Group, and hints and tips from both our asthma and COPD nurses as well as from patients on keeping well during cold weather. It is available on asthma.ie and I am calling on all people with asthma and COPD to visit this page.”

People who have questions about managing their asthma/COPD during the Winter months are encouraged to freephone the Asthma Society’s HSE-funded Asthma and COPD Adviceline on 1800 44 54 64 or to send a WhatsApp message to their Slaintecare-funded Asthma and COPD WhatsApp service on 086 059 0132. Both services are free and allow users to communicate directly with an asthma/COPD nurse specialist.

Anyone who would like more information about managing their asthma/COPD during the colder months should go to asthma.ie to access our Winter Wellness Guide or they can send me a message through the Asthma Society’s Asthma and COPD WhatsApp messaging service on 086 059 0132, and I will get back to them as soon as possible.”

The Asthma Society are hosting an Asthma Self-Management Masterclass on Thursday, 12th November at 5:30 pm.  Featuring Medical Director of the Asthma Society & Respiratory Consultant Dr Marcus Butler and Respiratory Nurse Specialist Ruth Morrow the masterclass aims to educate people with asthma, their carer’s, and healthcare professionals on how to stay well this winter. The free event will take place on Zoom, and registration can be completed via https://us02web.zoom.us/ webinar/register/WN_ Hjlm5hJlReOJ0frZREK-Qw.

For more information about the work of the Asthma Society of Ireland, and to access our  Winter Wellness Guide visit: https://www.asthma.ie/winter- wellness-guide