Birmingham, AL - Asthma kills eleven people every day.

That is why it is so important to know how to manage the disease before and emergency happens.

And one local expert is mixing music and his message in a unique approach to educating people about asthma.

I(Music)  "I'm having trouble breathing. I'm coughing and wheezing it's hard to get my air in and out".

Fighting to breath is a frightening feeling.

That's why Al Keith a Respiratory Therapist of 24 years combined his two passions music and lung health to help people create a plan to beat the asthma blues.

He's setting up for his "Asthma Blues" class at the old Berry Middle School in Hoover to educate children and adults about the disease, how to manage it and how it may progress.

 Keith says, "You have a squeezing and a thickening or swelling on the inside. So the inner lumen which would be their airway it makes it much smaller so now the available air space has been reduced so now what you're trying to do is similar to breathing through a straw".

Visual models of the airways illustrate the bronchial constriction, inflammation and mucus which mount during an asthma attack, as well as over time.

 

Here are two common medicines that asthmatics use. A bronchial dialator which is the albuterol inhaler and the cortico steriod, a dry powder inhaler.

 Keith says, " That's for inflammation, that's your controller. And that's one form this is another form".

He demonstrates the proper way to inhale your controller and rescue medicines using this instrument called a Spacer.

 Keith says, "This helps the medicine stay in suspension inside of the chamber so that when a person uses it they can use it slow and deep.  They can go".

Now here's another key instrument in the battle against asthma.

 Keith says, "This peak flow meter helps you to realize when you're in the presence of a trigger and also helps you check whether or not medication is working".

 (Music) "I'm in a battle, a battle I refuse to lose".

For the millions of Americans who live with a hard time breathing because of asthma and other lung diseases... Al Keith offers a message of hope.

 (Music) "I'm gonna get this under control then I can beat these asthma blues". 

Al Keith actually believes everyone should know what to do when a person who has asthma struggles to breath.

His "Asthma Blues" class is offered every 1st, 2nd and 4th Tuesday at 10:30, or 2pm or 4:30pm at the old Berry Middle School now Berry Community Center.

The cost of 35-dollars include an Asthma Blues CD and written materials.

For more information call (205) 985-2064

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