World Asthma Day: Things to Know About Asthma

Last month, I had a really scary experience with asthma. Hence my decision to share this piece on things to know about asthma.

How It All Began…..

It all started at about 10am. I had just hired a new staff whom we did not take through the usual health routine check. This meant, I was not aware she had any health challenge. I knew that she would sometimes complain of having a headache but I do as well especially with my kind of job that requires me to either be looking at the laptop screen or my phone screen.

Anyway, on the said morning, she was going about her usual work routine when suddenly she asked if I had any form of menthol in the house. I had aboniki but she said that was too hot and requested specifically for Robb. I suggested that she went to the store across the house but then, I realized that she wasn’t making any move to go and her breathing had become faster than usual. It was at this point that I knew something serious was going on and asked what the problem was. Imagine my fear when she said, ‘I didn’t bring my inhaler’.

Huh? What inhaler biko? It cannot be what I am thinking.

I asked again and she said, ‘I forgot my asthma inhaler at home’. Oh boy, all that went through my head was my cousin who had just passed a few months earlier. He also had asthma. On the day that he passed, we hear that his inhaler ran out and they didn’t have a spare at home. His wife ran to the nearest pharmacy to get a new one but the pharmacy also did not have. By the time she got back home to rush him to the clinic, he passed away. That news is still fresh in my heart. Hence my panic.

I grabbed my bag, rushed to the road, picked a bike and headed to the pharmacy down the street and hoped that my staff was okay when I got back. Luckily enough for me, the pharmacy had the inhaler. So, I rushed back home, handed her the inhaler and hoped for the best. In fact, you should see me fidgeting with the inhaler cap that she had to take it from me, opened it herself and was better in no time.

The first huge lesson for any entrepreneur is to be aware of the health challenges that your staff may have. No matter how small the company is, we should take some notes from the big companies. There is a reason why they conduct medical tests when hiring a new staff. Secondly, get a first aid box. It is very important that every home, every office gets a first aid box. If you have any idea where I can get one, please let me know in the comment section.

Having said that, here are a few key things you need to know about asthma as compiled by my staff;

• Asthma is a medical condition in which a person’s airways becomes inflamed, narrow, swollen and produces extra mucus, making it difficult to breathe.
• Some of the key symptoms include; difficulty in breathing, chest pain, cough and wheezing.
• Causes of astma attack include; dust, smoke, anxiety, cold air, airborne substances, stress and fast breathing due to physical exercise.
• Once diagnosed with asthma, it is important that you always have your inhaler with you.
• In the event that the inhaler is not within reach, honey or robb can help. To use any of these, put the robb or honey on a clean handkerchief and place it directly on the person’s nostrils. He or she should inhale the substance 2 to 3 times. After which the person should be placed in a position where they can breathe freely.

As we celebrate World Asthma Day, please share this post with your network. If you have any more health tips that can help, please share in the comment section.