Asthma and COPD: breathing easier as the seasons change

For people with asthma or COPD in Portland, Corpus Christi, and across the Coastal Bend, fall's break from the heat can also bring more coughing, wheezing, and tight chests. As the season turns, check in on your breathing and make sure your plan still fits. A few small steps now can help you stay out of the emergency room this winter.

Why fall can be hard on your lungs

Several things line up this time of year:

• Cold fronts. When a front blows through, the temperature can drop fast. Cold, dry air can tighten sensitive airways and set off a flare.
• Respiratory viruses. Colds, flu, COVID-19, and RSV start spreading more in the fall. For people with asthma or COPD, even a simple cold can turn into a bigger breathing problem.
• Ragweed and mold. Ragweed pollen is common in Texas in the fall, and our humid air helps mold grow, especially in damp leaves and indoors. Both can trigger symptoms in people with allergic asthma.

Controller vs. rescue inhalers

Many people with lung disease have two kinds of inhalers, and they do very different jobs.

A controller inhaler is used every day, even when you feel fine. For asthma, it usually contains an inhaled steroid that calms swelling in the airways over time so flares are less likely. Some people use a combination inhaler with more than one medicine.

A rescue inhaler works quickly to open your airways when symptoms hit. It's meant for short-term relief, not daily protection.

Relying on a rescue inhaler alone, without a controller when you need one, is linked to worse outcomes. Not sure which inhaler is which? Bring them all to your next visit.

Signs your breathing isn't well controlled

Many people get used to symptoms and stop noticing them. Talk with your provider if you have:

• A need for your rescue inhaler more than twice a week
• Waking up at night with coughing or wheezing
• Getting short of breath with activities that used to be easy
• A cough that won't go away, with or without mucus
• Chest tightness or frequent chest colds

These symptoms often respond to a change in your plan. There's no need to just live with them.

Good technique and a written plan

An inhaler only helps if the medicine reaches your lungs. Common mistakes include breathing in too fast, not shaking the inhaler when it needs it, or not holding your breath long enough afterward. Bring your inhalers to your visit and show your provider how you use them. A quick check can make a big difference.

A written asthma action plan spells out what to do day to day, what to do when symptoms start, and when to get help. It takes the guesswork out of a flare, when it's hardest to think clearly. Keep a copy at home, at work, and in your phone, and share it with family or coaches.

Breathing tests and avoiding triggers

Spirometry is a simple breathing test that helps confirm asthma or COPD and track how your lungs are doing over time. In our office, a certified technician performs pulmonary function testing, which may include spirometry, lung volume testing, diffusion capacity, and a bronchodilator response, whichever your provider orders. For severe or unusual cases, we can refer you to a pulmonologist.

Avoiding triggers helps too:

• Stay away from smoke, including cigarettes, vapes, fireplaces, and burning leaves
• Get help quitting if you smoke. Quitting is the single most helpful step for COPD, and we offer smoking cessation support
• Wash your hands often during cold and flu season
• Clean up damp spots where mold can grow

If allergies seem to drive your symptoms, ask about allergy testing in our office.

When to call 911

Call 911 right away if you or someone with you has:

• Severe shortness of breath
• Lips or fingernails turning blue or gray
• A rescue inhaler that isn't helping
• Trouble speaking in full sentences

If your rescue inhaler helps but you're needing it every few hours, call us the same day. We're closed on weekends, so use urgent care if a problem can't wait and it isn't an emergency.

Breathe easier with us

Our providers care for teens and adults 12 and up with asthma, COPD, and chronic cough. We're open Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 7 PM, at 125 Northshore Blvd in Portland. We serve Portland, Corpus Christi, and surrounding areas. Walk in during clinic hours, or call (361) 208-6701 before you come. Same-day visits are often available.

Learn more about our asthma and COPD care, check our frequently asked questions, or become a patient so we can help you breathe easier all season long.