Asthma Society of Ireland warns Monaghan locals to get their asthma under control and manage their hayfever too!
1 in 10 adults and 2 in 10 children in Monaghan suffer from asthma
Free public asthma management clinic takes place in Monaghan on 23rd March
- 1 in every 10 adults in Monaghan suffer from the condition
- 2 in every 10 children under 14 years of age in Monaghan have asthma
- 14% of people with asthma in Monaghan attended the Emergency Department last year, with 8% needing to be admitted to hospital
- One third of people with asthma in Monaghan missed school or work last year because of their illness
- Monaghan Asthma Clinic to take place in Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan on Saturday 23rd March, from 1-4pm
11th March 2013: Ireland has the fourth highest prevalence of asthma worldwide and 470,000 people in Ireland sufferwith the condition₁. In Monaghan alone, 1 in 10 adults suffer from asthma. Asthma cannot be cured, but it can be managed. Yet nearly 60% of Irish asthma sufferers do not have their asthma under control, and more than one person a week dies from asthma in Ireland.
The Asthma Society of Ireland, the national charity which provides services to thousands of people with asthma every year, is providing a freeasthma clinic in Monaghan on Saturday 23rd March, from 1-4pm in the Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan Town. The clinic will help educate local asthma sufferers and parents of children with asthma in the county to take control of their asthma for the benefit of their health.
Asthma is a serious condition which affects peoples’ quality of life and can result in hospitalisation or, in the worst cases, death. 14% of people with asthma in Monaghan attended the Emergency Department last year, with 8% needing to be admitted to hospital. One third of people with asthma in Monaghan missed school or worklast year because of their illness. The most recent statistics from the CSOindicate that 10% of people in Monaghan have asthma. This figure is almost double that in children under the age of 14 years, with 19% of children in Monaghan suffering from the condition.
The Asthma Society of Ireland’s Asthma Clinic will offer Monaghan patients the opportunity to have an individual consultation with a specialist nurse about their asthma management. All services are offered free of charge and places can be reserved online by logging onto www.asthmasociety.ie or by calling 01 – 817 8886.
Frances Guiney, ASI Director of Patient Service and asthma nurse specialist will give a general talk on asthma and hay fever at 2pm and 3pm, for approximately 20 minutes.
People attending the Asthma Clinic will have their asthma management reviewed, and their inhaler technique checked. Asthma specialist nurses will be on hand to answer questions and give expert advice during a confidential, one to one consultation. Topics covered will include asthma advice for children and adults, allergy avoidance and what to do during an asthma attack.
Spring and summer focus on hayfever
Asthma sufferers in Monaghan are also being advised to be prepared for their hayfever this spring and summer, as hayfever is a key trigger for asthma. The AsthmaSociety recently launched a national information campaign on hayfever.
Hayfever is very common in Ireland and between 60 – 80% of people who have asthma aslo have hayfever (allergic rhinitis). Both conditions are caused by an allergic reaction and many of the same allergens are known to trigger both conditions. If you have asthma, hayfever can make your symptoms worse, so it is important to manage your hayfever.
Sharon Cosgrove, CEO of the Asthma Society said:
“As part of a strategic plan to tackle asthma we are providing a national programme of free Asthma Clinics to provide the public with the most up to date information on asthma and asthma care. This is an excellent opportunity for people with asthma or parents of children with asthma to speak directly with an asthma nurse, to learn more about their own asthma management and to avail of a variety of services free of charge.”
The Monaghan Asthma Clinic is part of the Asthma Society of Ireland’s Asthma Clinic Programme, which has been ongoing since 2008. As part of the programme, the Asthma Society is holding Asthma Clinics throughout the country in 2013 with Dublin and Wexford to follow in the coming months. For further information on upcomingAsthma Clinics, including dates and venues, visit www.asthmasociety.ie or call 01 8178886.
For further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Emily Maher, Insight Consultants
Tel: 087 788 7880
Anne Kearney, Asthma Society of Ireland
Tel: 01 817 8886
References:
- The Asthma Society of Ireland
Notes to editor
About Asthma
Asthma is an inflammatory condition that affects the airways – the small tubes that carry the air in and out of the lungs. People with asthma have airways that are extra sensitive to substances (or triggers) which irritate them. Common triggers include cold and flu, cigarette smoke, exercise and allergic responses to pollen, furry or feathery animals or house-dust mites.
When the airways come into contact with an asthma trigger, the muscles around the walls of the airways tighten so that the airways become narrower. The lining of the airways swell and produces a sticky mucus. As the airways narrow, it becomes difficult for the air to move in and out. That is why people with asthma wheeze and find breathing difficult.
Whilst there is no cure, asthma can be controlled by avoiding triggers and by the use of ‘reliever’ and ‘controller’ medication. Relievers are medicines that people with asthma take immediately when asthma symptoms appear. Controllers help calm the airways and stopthem from being so sensitive.
Talk to your GP or asthma nurse about which treatment is most suitable for you.
About the Asthma Society of Ireland
The Asthma Society of Ireland is the national charity representing more than 470,000 adults and children with asthma in Ireland. Every year we help hundreds of people to get their Asthma under control. The Asthma Society’s mission is to achieve the best possible asthma care for people in Ireland.
We support people with asthma and their families by providing a wide rage of high quality information and educationservices free of charge. We raise awareness about asthma and the importance of good asthma management with people who avail of our services and with the wider public too. We actively engage with healthcare professionals, government departments and third party organisations to keep asthma high on the agenda. The Asthma Society also supports research and innovative projects which investigate the causes and treatment of asthma.
Further information on the Asthma Society is available by visiting www.asthmasociety.ie or following us on www.facebook.com/asthmasociety or www.twitter.com/AsthmaIreland.
