WELLBEING CORNER

ASTHMA and ALLERGY NEWS:

Spring is just around the corner so if you suffer from Asthma or pollen allergies, now is a good time to review your medical plans and understand your triggers.

HOW DOES POLLEN IMPACT PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA?

Pollens from trees and grasses are a common trigger for people with asthma that can worsen or flare-up asthma and hay fever symptoms, especially on windy days.

Major thunderstorms during spring can make things even worse because the combination of pollen, moisture, and changes in air pressure leads to the bursting of pollen grains. This creates much smaller particles carrying the allergens that can be inhaled deep into the lungs. Pollen itself is too large to be inhaled into the lungs, but the burst pollen can lead to dramatic and serious asthma attacks in those who have not taken their asthma or hay fever medications or may have undiagnosed asthma and hay fever.

HOW DO I KNOW IF GRASS AND POLLEN AFFECTS ME, AND WHAT DO I DO?

If you find you have symptoms of: 

• Wheezing or other symptoms of asthma (cough, shortness of breath, and a tight chest) during spring and/or summer with no reason you can think of 
• Runny, itchy, or blocked nose 
• Irritable, itchy, watery, and red eyes 
• Itchy ears, throat or the top part of the mouth called the palate 

Have a discussion with your doctor. Your doctor can help you to manage these symptoms or refer you for testing or to a specialist if needed. 

HOW DO I AVOID REACTING TO POLLEN?

It is important to continue to take your preventer medication for asthma and hay fever medication, to reduce the likelihood of hay fever and asthma flare-ups and minimise the impact of pollen on seasonal asthma and allergy.  

Other tips include:

1. You should also carry your reliever medication with you at all times, even when you are feeling well  
2. Make sure your written Asthma Action Plan is up to date and you have read it and understood your doctors’ instructions, so you know what to do if your asthma starts to get worse
3. Be aware of high pollen days 

Need more information or support?

www.asthma.org.au

Doctors In Schools Program-Red Cliffs Secondary College, Thursdays 9:30-1:30 pm

(free appointments made through school reception).

Wear it Purple Day

August 26th 2022- wearitpurple.org

Wear it Purple was founded in 2010 in response to global stories of real teenagers who took their own lives following bullying and harassment resulting from the lack of acceptance of their sexuality or gender identity.

Wear it Purple developed into an international movement to show support and acceptance to rainbow young people.

WHY PURPLE? We chose to use purple as it is not a primary colour. This means it is a colour that takes on many other colours to mix together to become what it is, purple. This idea embodies what Wear It Purple stands for – being made from a diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community and coming together to make something amazing.

This year the theme they have decided for Wear It Purple Day 2022 is ‘Still me, still human’. The message being that people tend to focus on labels, the news story, the target or data and forget what we truly are – human.

Everybody has the right to be proud of who they are.