Tips for managing your lung condition this year
The New Year is a time for change and new beginnings, so why not resolve to manage your lung condition a little better? Kathy, a Respiratory Nurse for our Helpline, tells us how we can do this.
It might be easy to brush off the significance of your lung condition and become used to symptoms like chest tightness, coughing, wheezing, or breathlessness. But I often tell callers that the New Year is the perfect time to overhaul their lung condition management because the cold weather, combined with cold and flu season, can seriously impact your lung health.
Why are my symptoms getting worse?
We’ve had a lot of helpline call-ins recently, who’ve told us that they’re finding it harder to breathe or manage their lung condition. This is quite common at this time of year, because the cold weather makes you more vulnerable to illnesses or flare-ups, though it’s still always best to make an appointment with GP or specialist to discuss your symptoms in more depth.
We know it can be a bit tricky to get a GP appointment in the UK right now, so we’ve made sure to include some important self-management tips too! Although, it’s always best to talk to a health care professional about any concerns you may have as soon as possible, especially if you’re struggling with your symptoms.
Self-management tips
If you have to wait for an appointment, or if your symptoms are less severe, there are still plenty of straightforward things that you can do to help yourself at home. If you don’t need urgent care, you can:
make sure you are taking your medicines as prescribed (if you use inhalers, make sure you’re using the correct technique)
get any vaccines that you are eligible for (including your COVID-19 and booster vaccines, your flu jab, and your one-time pneumonia vaccine)
quit smoking, if you smoke
keep active (if you need somewhere to get started, we’ve made exercise videos for people living with long-term lung conditions)
Take care of your general wellbeing, including your mental health
eat a nutritionally balanced diet
keep warm by having hot drinks regularly and wearing layers (you might be able to get help with your central heating costs too)
wrap a scarf loosely around your mouth and nose before going outside, to warm up the air you’re breathing in.
Making a plan
If your symptoms aren’t easing, try and book a same-day urgent appointment with your GP. You also have the option of booking a virtual appointment if that is easier, or if makes you feel more comfortable. Whichever way you go about it, don’t put off seeking help, as it can be harder to manage your symptoms if you leave them for too long.
When people call in and ask for advice on flare-ups, I tell them that one of the best things you can do to help keep your long-term condition under control is to create a personalised plan with your GP or specialist. This plan should include clear guidance on what to do and who to contact if you have a flare-up.
As part of this plan, your health care professional might encourage you to keep some medicines at home in case of an emergency – this is sometimes called a rescue pack. They should tell you when to start using each pack and when to contact somebody if your symptoms don’t improve.
If you’re worried about your condition and wish to talk things through with one of our helpline nurses, you can call us on 0300 222 5800 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
We empower people with lung conditions to make changes that can be transformative.
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