Lorraine, our Practice Nurse is always on hand to offer you essential advice for looking after your lungs. In this section they will give you practical advice on related asthma and COPD issue.

We offer an annual check-up to all patients with asthma, no matter how mild. Lorraine and Caroline the Practice Nurses are able to do this check-up for you.

If you haven’t had an asthma check up for sometime it may help to ask yourself these questions:

• Have you had difficulty sleeping because of your asthma (including coughing)?
• Have you had your usual asthma symptoms during the day (coughing, wheezing, tight chest or breathlessness)?
• Has your asthma interfered with your usual activities (e.g. housework or work)?

If you are saying ‘yes’ to any of these three questions, you should make an appointment to see Lorraine soon.

At Your Asthma Check Up

We will:

• Look at the ways your asthma is affecting your life…
• Help plan what to do to prevent your symptoms from getting worse…
• Check that the inhalers or medicines you use are the best ones for you…
• Check your inhaler technique.

Please also bring inhalers and spacer devices with you if you use them.

If you have any further questions or to book an appointment, please call us today on 01706 658905.

Useful Websites

Asthma UK
www.asthma.org.uk

BTS/SIGN British Guideline on the management of Asthma
www.brit-thoracic.org.uk/sign/index

COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and is a term we use for a number of conditions including chronic bronchitis, emphysema and small airways disease. These conditions make it harder for people to breathe.

We offer an annual COPD check up for people with this condition.We will discuss the treatment you are using and how we can make changes to help your breathing improve.

You should see Lorraine – one of the Practice Nurses for your annual review.

You will be offered a lung function test (spirometry) to check the condition of your airways every year. We will check your inhaler technique – please bring any inhalers and spacer devices you use with you to the COPD Check Up.

As smoking is the main cause of COPD, stopping smoking is the most important step to help prevent further problems. We are here to help you to stop smoking when you are ready to quit.

Please make an appointment with Lorraine, Caroline, Lizzie, or Luke (Primary Care Technician) for smoking cessation advice. Your initial appointment will take approx 30mins. You should ideally be really motivated to stop and be prepared to set a ‘quit date’ within the following 2 weeks.

Breathe Easy Rochdale is a group offering support to anyone living with a lung condition, their family, friends and carers.

They invite guest speakers to inform and advise on lung disease and related topics of interest. They meet at Castleton Community Centre on the first Wednesday of every month. For more information please contact Carole Hoyle (Chairperson) on 01706 861886.

Useful Websites

The British Lung Foundation
www.lunguk.org

Best Treatments: COPD
www.besttreatments.co.uk/btuk/conditions/14421

Netdoctor: Chronic Bronchitis
www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/smokerslung