Asthma rarely occurs without warning so it's best to keep a diary of symptoms to assess your condition. Your asthma diary should be small enough to fit into your purse or pocket so you can take it everywhere. Make it a habit to record everything that happens before an attack. Put the date and the time when the symptom started.

Early warning signs of asthma include persistent coughing, chest tightness and tiredness. Others may experience sneezing, a sore throat, or runny nose. Mild asthma is characterized by occasional symptoms that occur up to two times a week. In moderate asthma, these symptoms may be present more often and episodes may last for several days. In severe asthma, the above symptoms are continuous to the point that you can't talk, walk or sleep without being bothered by asthma.

Your asthma diary should also include possible triggers. These are things that cause an attack. Pay attention to your surroundings and take note of the things you did to determine what caused your attack. What was the weather like on that day? What were you doing prior to the attack? Who were you with at that time? What were you eating then? What medicines did you take? How often did you take them?

If you feel your bronchodilator isn't working as effectively as before or if your symptoms are getting worse even with medication, that could be a sign that you're not using them properly or you probably need another type of medicine. Discuss this with your doctor. He or she may recommend changes in your treatment. To help you monitor your condition effectively, your doctor may ask you to use a peak flow meter.

A peak flow meter is a small, inexpensive, hand-held device that tells you how well your lungs are functioning. More specifically, it measures the peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) - the highest amount of air that can be forced out of the lungs. Used each morning and evening, it allows you to measure changes in the air flow out of your lungs, discover breathing problems, warn you of a coming asthma attack, identify your asthma triggers, tell you if your medicine is working, and determine when to seek medical help.

In effect, the peak flow meter will tell you what's wrong and give you more time to act. Your peak flow readings should be recorded in your asthma diary.

Peak flow meters come in a variety of shapes and sizes but they all work the same way. How are they used? Learn about this in the 9th part of our series.

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