{"id":10792,"date":"2020-09-01T10:00:37","date_gmt":"2020-09-01T15:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=10792"},"modified":"2023-09-18T12:03:57","modified_gmt":"2023-09-18T17:03:57","slug":"get-ready-for-asthma-and-allergy-peak-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/get-ready-for-asthma-and-allergy-peak-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Get ready for asthma and allergy \u2018Peak Week\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sweet September is upon us \u2013 a time when the summer heat fades and trees begin to surround us with color.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also a time when the air comes alive with the sounds of coughing, sneezing and wheezing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a perfect storm of multiple exacerbating factors,\u201d said Patrick Whitten, MD<\/a>, an interventional pulmonologist at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center<\/a> in Peoria, Illinois. \u201cAn asthmatic person\u2019s lung function can vary, depending on what\u2019s going on in their life. Stress, environment, weather, infections \u2013 all of these factors play a role.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it seems the third week of September, all of these factors come together to create this high incidence of asthma exacerbations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Review your asthma plan and follow it<\/h2>\n
\"infographic<\/a>

Download<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

About 25 million Americans have asthma, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. If you are part of that population, now is the time to prepare for what\u2019s known as \u201cPeak Week.\u201d Officially, that would be September 15-21, just as summer turns to autumn.<\/p>\n

Every person diagnosed with asthma should have an \u201casthma plan,\u201d which includes prescriptions for medications and a list of best practices to limit exposure to asthma attack triggers.<\/p>\n

Dr. Whitten says the best thing you can do to prepare for \u201cPeak Week\u201d is to review your plan and take action as necessary:<\/p>\n