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After His Pharmacy Asthma Health Check, Jack Now Breathes in like Beckham!

David Beckham has always been one of our son Jack's heroes (being football mad) so he was dead excited when it hit the news that Beckham suffers from asthma, so now they have something in common.

Jack had been struggling to cope with his asthma recently, which was stopping him from playing football at school properly. We had taken him to the doctors, but he's always struggled to press the button on inhalers and breathe in at the same time, which means most of the inhaler's gas just stays in his mouth and he's not breathing in the full dose. This then stops him from playing football for long because his asthma kicks in and he starts wheezing and getting out of breath.

Thankfully our local pharmacy was a great help. We popped in one day and saw a leaflet on their asthma health check service. After filling in a few questions in the leaflet about Jack's asthma we then had a chat with the pharmacist in a private room.

We had a chat about what medication Jack was taking and how we managed his asthma and I mentioned how he struggled to use his inhaler properly. The pharmacist suggested we tried using a long plastic tube which Jack puffs his inhaler into before taking deep breaths at the other end. The pharmacist also gave us an action plan for monitoring whether Jack is using his medication properly in the future.

Thanks to the pharmacy's asthma health check service and the time the pharmacist took to talk to us, Jack can now enjoy playing football with his friends at school. I keep telling him that with his inhaler he breathes like Beckham, and might also play for England someday too!

Quick and effective testing
Selected pharmacies offer an allergy testing service to help you identify which airborne allergen is causing your symptoms allowing you to manage your symptoms more effectively.

The test is a simple finger-prick blood test carried out by specially trained pharmacy staff in a private consultation area. It takes about 20-30 minutes to complete the test, you can choose to wait for the results, or return later in the day whatever is more convenient for you.

What does the test cover?
The test will identify whether you are allergic to any of the 10 most common allergens carried in the air and found in and around our homes.

• Cat fur and skin
• Dog fur and skin
• House dust mite
• Mould
• Cockroach debris
• Mugwort weed pollen
• Olive tree pollen
• Silver birch tree pollen
• Timothy grass pollen
• Wall pellitory weed pollen

Please note the test does not check for food intolerances or allergies, or skin allergies.

How can the test help me?
Along with your test results, you will get tailored advice and product recommendations to help prevent and limit your allergic reactions as well as manage your symptoms.

For example, the Pharmacist will be able to tell you what product to take and when you should start taking this. Or they could make recommendations on simple steps you could take to limit your exposure to the cause of your allergy.

Where can I be tested?
Our online Pharmacy finder will help you find the most convenient store location by showing those stores offering the service near your postcode be that home or work.

Can I really manage an allergy to pollen?
As well as some suitable over the counter remedies there are some simple steps you can take that will help relive your symptoms these include some obvious steps and others more subtle:

• Avoid walking in fields and tall grass when the weather is dry and sunny
• Avoid tobacco smoke which is an irritant and may increase symptoms
• Dry washing inside so that pollen doesn’t collect on the fibres of your clothes
• Vacuum carpets regularly and avoid having them in bathrooms
• Keep doors and windows closed during the pollen season

What happens when I take the test?
After you have completed a consultation with your pharmacist which will look at your current medical history and current potential allergens, you will then be able to take the test. This involves a simple finger prick test and will provide immediate results so that you can take action to manage your allergy.

How long does the test take?
The test should take about 20 minutes but you should also allow time for the initial consultation and to discuss your results with your pharmacist afterwards.

The test results were clear, so am I free from allergies?
If no lines appear it could indicate that you are not allergic to any of the ten airborne allergens you’ve been tested against. However this does not mean that you don’t have any allergies, while some possibilities could have been eliminated your Pharmacist may refer you to your GP for testing against a more comprehensive range of allergens.

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