Waiting to be seen by a healthcare provider? Why not use this time to better understand your breathing? Take control of your lung health and prevent future clinic visits!
Disclaimer
This page is not intended to be a substitute for the medical advice of healthcare professionals. Visit your local Emergency Department or call 911 if you are having difficulty breathing.
What does taking control look like?
Feeling ownership over your condition – knowing how to manage it, knowing what to do for worsening symptoms and what to do if you need help.
Knowing that you’re getting the most benefit from your prescribed medication by understanding what it’s for and how to use it properly.
Feeling confident about what questions to ask at your next visit with your healthcare provider.
Preventing any trips to the Emergency Department!
Don’t miss Lung Health Foundation updates
Take the Lung Health Check
It may be tempting to overlook things like a nagging cough or slight wheeze, but they can be early warning signs of lung disease – or a sign that your existing condition isn’t managed well.
If you answer YES to ANY of the following questions, talk to your healthcare provider.
Speak to a Certified Respiratory Educator – it’s free!
Call the Lung Health Line at 1-888-344-LUNG (5864), email (info@lunghealth.ca) or chat live at lunghealth.ca
Ready to quit? Start your journey here!
What it is:
Journey to Quit, a workbook and self-help guide you can print at home
Try it if:
You want to take things at your own pace with an easy-to-understand guide
Breathing techniques like pursed lip breathing can help you feel more in control of your situation.
If you have a chronic lung condition, like COPD, pursed lip breathing is a technique that helps when you feel short of breath during physical activity. It works by moving stale air out of your lungs by keeping your airways open longer.
If you live with lung disease (or care for someone who does), you’ll want to take extra care to avoid illnesses like influenza (“the flu”), RSV, pneumococcal pneumonia and COVID-19.
These may cause mild symptoms in some people, but complications and hospitalization in others. Take the flu, for example – it sends an estimated 12,000 Canadians to the hospital each year!
Learn about immunization, which vaccines are available, and who’s at highest risk here: