Asthma can be controlled with early detection and treatment, particularly through inhalation therapy, stressed physicians during the launch of the ‘Breathefree Yatra- Clinic on wheels', an initiative by pharmaceutical company, Cipla. Under the initiative, free lung check-up and consultation was extended to 200 people in the city on Monday.
The breathometer test that measures lung power was administered to all visitors. On low reading or sensing of mild obstruction, free spectrometry tests to reconfirm existence of respiratory disorders like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were offered along with medical consultation.
Speaking to reporters on implications of asthma, consultant pulmonologists, Ganapathy Subramanian, ABC Hospital, and Nagarajan, KMC Specialty Hospital, asserted that asthma was a controllable disease and patients usually suffer due to ignorance, associated stigma and fear of inhalation therapy. Asthmatic symptoms like recurrent coughing, early morning coughing, breathlessness and wheezing are often countered with cough medicines and over-the-counter drug, they said.
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Reservations regarding inhalers entertained by patients compel physicians to prescribe oral tablets.
Flagged off from Chennai on June 1, the bus would tour eight cities in Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Vellore, Salem, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tirunelveli and Nagercoil. Schools, colleges and residential colonies can avail of free lung checkup by registering on www.breathefree.com. Canopies administering the breathometer test will function from the Fathima Church premises, Puthur, and outside Makkal Mandram, Thillainagar, till June 8.