Smart Peak Flow Meter- Helping you live a happier life with Asthma
As an asthma patient for over 15 years, I often look back at my life and wonder how it would be if I did not have asthma or allergies. I am a 35-year-old male who has grappled with Asthma since i was 20. I possibly had asthma since I was a child, but my constant coughs and colds or allergies were laughed off as things I would eventually grow out of.
The life of an asthma patient revolves around making frequent visits to the pharmacy or to the doctor, keeping an inhaler—and a spare one at hand everywhere, and not being able to be around those who even had a minor cold.
Asthma is common—yet debilitating disease that no one wants to talk about. Most asthmatics do not even want to know what new allergen could trigger an exacerbation—let alone be experimentative in life.
Planning life around exacerbations
I have woven my life and all daily activities around asthma—including sports, PTA meetings, dance recitals, doctor visits, field trips, and so on. I needed to be careful about what I do and always ensure that I had an inhaler at hand. I was fascinated by animals but could not dream of a career in zoology or veterinary medicine due to asthma and animals being potential triggers.
My asthma-related realisations
Ever since I started monitoring my respiratory peak flow, I have realised many things about asthma that I had never noticed before. Here’s what I figured out:
You can get asthma at any age. There is no set age limit for this disease. You may be at a higher risk if you are obese or if people in your family have asthma (genetic factors).
You cannot outgrow asthma. People often say that children outgrow asthma, but the truth is that we just learn how to manage it better and as our bodies grow, the attacks might get less frequent but never really go away.
A dusty home is a magic carpet for asthma. The cleaner your home and your environs are, the better it is for you.
Asthma worsens with stress. High-stress situations in children and adults can trigger asthma attacks, so it is best to learn how to manage stress levels to reduce complications. Yoga and other breathing exercises help me a lot.
Early diagnosis and disease management is the only way out. Hiding the fact that you have asthma can only worsen it. Go to a doctor, get diagnosed and keep your inhaler close!
Monitoring asthma—the first step towards a healthier you!
I came across this little handy device called Smart Peak Flow Meter a few months ago. It measures my peak expiratory flow rate or the peak expiratory flow through a nifty device and its associated mobile app.
What is peak flow measurement?
Peak flow measurement calculates the amount and rate of air that flows out of my lungs after a full inhalation. This tells a doctor or your caregiver a lot about the performance of your lungs.
What are the benefits of using the Smart Peak Flow Meter?
Using a Smart Peak Flow Meter has loads of advantages for patients and caregivers. With this device, you know:
When to rush to the hospital
If your treatment plan is working
When to stop or add medication
What triggers your attack
Although this might not seem a lot but using the Smart Peak Flow meter has become a blessing in disguise. I can now manage asthma better than ever before.
How does the Smart Peak Flow meter work?
All I do is open the smart peak flow meter app and blow into the device thrice. Once my readings are complete, I can choose to send the reading to my healthcare provider via WhatsApp, the patient portal, or a medium of my choice.
I have successfully used the smart peak flow meter to track the progress of my condition over time, and being a visual tool, it is very easy to predict if an exacerbation is on its way. The traffic-light type health indicator tells me my peak flow—and I can quickly change plans as per need.
Why did I choose the Smart Peak Flow meter?
For starters, it is so compact and easy to carry around. If your phone has a 3.5mm audio jack, it does not need batteries! Unfortunately, my iPhone does not have that jack, but there is a Bluetooth adaptor you can use to the same effect.
I also had a manual peak flow meter, but I had to keep a notebook around to write my readings and send them to my doctor. Here’s how I manage asthma better with the Smart Peak Flow meter:
I get a reminder to take a reading
It notes the results for me
Creates a visual chart for easy diagnosis
I can share the results with my doctor immediately
I get warnings when I am about to get a flare-up
Predicts my condition for the next day
Where can you get this Smart Peak Flow meter?
Sanrai is the official distributor of the Smart Peak Flow meter in India. You can get the device from their website or contact them here.
Why get this device from Sanrai?
Sanrai is an innovative global medical products manufacturer and distributor that has spent years bringing the gold standard of care to emerging countries. They believe that healthcare and diagnostics are everyone's rights and not a privilege for a chosen few.
Sanrai's 5-point solution envisions bringing healthcare equity to the masses by leveraging:
Innovative disruptive tech AI-enabled to promote early screening
Accurate diagnostics
Device-based therapeutic solutions
Better outcome management
24x7 support
Additionally, their reps are well-versed in the nuances of managing asthma and other respiratory conditions. I asked them a ton of questions before I got the device from them. They love answering questions!
Final Thoughts
You must know asthma better to defeat it. Do not hide the fact that you suffer from asthma. Today, medications and diagnostic devices are available to help you lead a healthier and happier life. Remember, that the earlier you get diagnosed and start your medication, the better you will be at managing your condition! Take care and be well!
