Asthma advice for festival goers

People with asthma who are hoping to attend this weekend’s Electric Picnic music festival are being urged to prepare properly for the event.

The Asthma Society of Ireland has issued advice to people with asthma, hay fever and other allergies, to help ensure that they fully enjoy the festival, which runs from August 29-31. It reminded people that there can be a large number of triggers at outdoor music events that may affect their condition. These include pollen, dust, air pollutants such as smoking, aerosols and dry ice.

“If pollen is a trigger for your asthma or allergies, festival goers are advised to check pollen counts of the region of any outdoor events they are attending and also to ask someone else to pitch their tent as pollen levels may be distributed by this action,” the society said.

It also issued the following advice:

-Do not forget to take your inhalers and other medication with you.

-Carry your reliever medication at all times.

-Know how to deal with an emergency. If you are unsure contact your GP or the Asthma Society of Ireland.

-Carry an ‘Asthma Attack’ card at all times. Contact the Asthma Society of Ireland to receive this card.

-Know where the medical tents are.

-Inform friends if you have asthma or allergies.

-Get someone else to put up your tent.

In the case of an emergency, alert a friend and then go to a medical tent and keep calm. Ensure your friends are aware of the following steps:

-Ensure that the blue reliever inhaler is taken immediately. This inhaler will help to open up narrowed air passages.

-Sit down and loosen tight clothing.

-Breathe slowly and calmly.

-If there is no immediate improvement, continue to take the reliever inhaler every minute for five minutes or until symptoms improve.

-If symptoms do not improve in five minutes, call medical staff or a Doctor urgently. Continue to take reliever inhaler until help arrives or symptoms improve.

-If you have no inhaler, alert a friend to accompany you to a medical tent. If symptoms are severe, seek medical assistance urgently.

For more information, call the Asthma Helpline at 1850 44 54 64.

See also our Asthma Clinic at… http://www.irishhealth.com/clin/asthma/index.html

[Posted: Mon 25/08/2008]