Asthma Care: Breathe Better, Live Greener | Altrincham & Hale

I’m Dr Varshini Rajakulendran, a GP specialising in respiratory and lifestyle medicine at our Mayfield Clinics in Altrincham & Hale. Over the years I’ve seen how overusing the blue inhaler increases the risk of severe attacks, hospital admissions and even asthma-related deaths, and contributes to a surprisingly large carbon footprint. Today I’ll explain safer modern treatments like MART and AIR, and how greener inhaler choices can protect your health and the planet.

Why a Blue Inhaler Alone Isn’t Enough

Asthma is caused by inflammation and sensitivity in your airways. When they tighten you get coughing, wheezing or breathlessness. A blue inhaler opens the airways quickly but does nothing to calm inflammation, the real cause of symptoms. Relying on it often means worse underlying disease and higher risk.

Using your blue inhaler more than twice a week signals that your asthma is not under control.

Modern Combination Inhalers: MART and AIR

Combination inhalers used in MART or AIR therapy contain a steroid to calm inflammation and formoterol, a fast-acting reliever, to open airways. One inhaler treats symptoms and tackles inflammation simultaneously. Many of these come as dry powder inhalers, offering a climate-friendly option.

Key Signs, Risk Factors and When to Seek Help

• Watch for coughing especially at night or early morning
• Wheezing or chest tightness
• Breathlessness with daily activities
• Using the blue inhaler more than twice a week
• Viral infections, allergies, smoke, pets, mould or cold air
• Increased reliever use in winter or during viral surges

If your reliever fails, you struggle to speak or feel very breathless, seek urgent medical care. Otherwise book an asthma review at our Altrincham clinic or Hale clinic to adjust your preventer dose or switch to MART/AIR therapy.

Preventing and Managing Asthma Sustainably

• Use your preventer every day to reduce inflammation
• Consider MART or AIR to combine preventer and reliever in one inhaler
• Reduce reliever use, as more than 3 blue inhalers a year increases risk and carbon emissions
• Ask if you can switch to a dry powder inhaler, which avoids propellant gases
• Avoid triggers such as smoke, allergens, cold air or viral infections
• Return inhalers to pharmacies for safe disposal or recycling, never in household waste
• Keep an up-to-date asthma action plan and attend regular reviews

Why Greener Inhalers Matter

Traditional metered dose inhalers contain propellants that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Switching to dry powder inhalers can reduce emissions by up to 20,30 times. Reducing overuse of blue inhalers also lowers your carbon footprint.

‍Key takeaway: Using a blue inhaler alone is no longer safe or sustainable. Modern treatments like MART and AIR improve control and lower your environmental impact.

‍Book an appointment with me, Dr Varshini Rajakulendran, at Mayfield Clinic in Altrincham or in Hale to review your asthma plan and explore greener inhaler options.