There is nothing like suffering an asthma attack to remind you how much it interferes with your daily life activities. If you take the proper steps, however, the impact of asthma on your life can be greatly reduced. This article will give you some great tips to help you understand, and manage your asthma.
Asthma can cause increased sensitivity to the ingredients contained in many cleaning products. The chemicals in these products make you more prone to an asthma attack. If you’re the one who regularly cleans the house, look for natural cleaning products which are much safer to use.
If you are an asthmatic, it is vital that you never smoke, and if you already do, you should quit as soon as possible. Smoking is bad in general for everyone, but it is particularly worse for asthma suffers because it decreases the amount of oxygen in the lungs, putting you at higher risk for asthma attacks.
There are certain medications that cause or exacerbate asthma symptoms. Not everyone knows this. Some over the counter medications can irritate your asthma. You can also use medications that can control high blood pressure and heart disease, things like beta blockers. If you’ve been diagnosed as asthmatic and are taking medications unrelated to your asthma, be sure your doctor is aware of them.
Avoid those things that you know can trigger your asthma. Some people have allergies that cause asthma, and allergens such as dust and pollen can cause an attack. For others, attacks can be caused by physical activities. Try to determine your asthma triggers, so you can avoid them and prevent attacks.
When suffering a mild or even moderate asthma attack, attempt to push all air from your lungs. Exhale quickly and with power. Truly pump all air from your lungs! Inhale in three short breaths and one fourth deeper breath so that your lungs are comfortably full of air, then exhale forcefully again. This establishes a regular pattern to your breathing routine, which means you have to pay attention to how you are breathing. It also pushes the air out of your lungs, so that more air can come in. Do not be alarmed if you cough or generate excess mucous; this is perfectly normal. Your only concern is to return your breathing to normal.
Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can actually trigger an asthma attack. Examples of medications that may contribute to asthma are aspirin and other NSAIDs. Many medications for heart disease and hypertension can also cause asthma symptoms. If you’ve been diagnosed as asthmatic and are taking medications unrelated to your asthma, be sure your doctor is aware of them.
If your asthma attacks are severe, you may want to speak with your doctor about a long lasting injection of medication to control your symptoms. It is called omalizumab, and it is an antibody medicine used to control allergic reaction symptoms. You will need to speak to your allergist to find out if this would be helpful to you.
If you find that you are in a dusty room, do not put on any type of fan. The fan will cause the dust to circulate through the air, which can cause you to suffer an asthma attack. Open a window instead to get the air flowing.
You and your loved ones need to get a flu vaccination every year. If you have asthma, try to avoid getting respiratory infections if you can. It’s important to take the standard precautions against these illnesses, such as hand washing and vaccinations.
If you have asthma and suffer persistent attacks caused by allergy symptoms, an injectable medicine can be administered for extended relief. An antibody medicine under the name Omalizumab can be used to reduce these symptoms caused by allergies and might be prescribed by your allergist.
A dehumidifier is a beneficial investment for anyone with asthma. When your home has less humidity, there are less dust mites, and that minimizes the chances of an asthma flare-up. A dehumidifier makes the air in your home dry by keeping humidity to a minimum.
Make sure you are using your inhaler properly. Find a comfy spot, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. The only way the inhaler will work is if your lungs get the proper amount of medication. Inhale deeply and spray the correct dose into your mouth. It is then necessary to hold the breath for about ten seconds to give the medication time to work in your lungs.
You will need to keep your residence really clean, especially the bedroom where the asthma sufferer sleeps in order to help lessen the chances of an attack. Only permit food in designated eating areas, such as the kitchen or dining room, and don’t allow smoking inside the house at all. Try to avoid using any harsh chemicals or bleach in the home while cleaning; and, once the home is cleaned, air it out.
Social Worker
If you have asthma or you live with an asthma sufferer, you should ensure you receive an annual flu shot. Therefore, it is very important to avoid as many infections to the lungs as possible by getting a vaccine each year.
Contact a social worker if you have asthma but do not meet the eligibility requirements for health insurance. It is essential that you can buy your asthma medicine, and a social worker might help you find a hospital or clinic that can provide your medicine at reduced cost, or free.
If you have asthma, use a pillow that doesn’t have feathers in it. The feathers contained in the pillow could trigger the symptoms related to asthma and it could prevent your lungs from functioning efficiently. The same can be said for bedding, try to get hypoallergenic comforters and sheets.
Think about buying a dehumidifier if your asthma symptoms are bad. If you lessen your humidity in the house, you will stave off dust mites that may make your asthma flare. Dehumidifiers keep the humidity out of your home by keeping the air dry.
Keep all your regularly scheduled asthma appointments, regardless of how you are feeling. Your health care provider may have new prescriptions that could benefit you in case the need arises.
If you have been diagnosed with asthma, you should avoid smoking or even being in the presence of smokers. When you inhale tobacco smoke, you are severely increasing the likelihood of an asthma attack. This is especially true in small, confined areas with little to no ventilation.
A handful of primary initiators of asthma, and its attack triggers, lie right in your residence. Such irritants include mold spores, dust, smoke and chemical fumes. Have an inspector who focuses on allergens and irritants come into your home once a year to help you detect what you have and learn how to remove it. You can help keep your house safe from these harmful substances by regularly cleaning and dusting your home.
While everyone appreciates the look and feel of a clean house, asthma sufferers in particular benefit from a healthy environment as it can decrease the risk of asthma attacks, especially in a sleeping area. Avoid smoking inside, and only let people eat in the kitchen. Let in plenty of fresh air if the weather permits, and avoid using harsh chemicals to bleach.
Avoid cold-induced asthma attacks by protecting your mouth and nose with a scarf. This will warm the air before it enters your lungs. Breathing cold air can set off an asthma attack, particularly in small children who have have somewhat severe asthma.
You should understand what triggers your asthma attacks in order for you to avoid these causes or prepare yourself for managing your symptoms. The majority of people suffering from asthma have several common triggers, like pet dander, smoke or pollen. Try to avoid the things that make your asthma flare up.
It is important to know the proper way to use asthma medication, especially the medication that is used in an emergency. Asthma is generally managed through regular medicine which is supplemented with rescue medications like inhalers. Because asthma has no cure, you must treat it carefully by taking your maintenance medication every day and using your emergency medication responsibly.
A lot of the main causes, and triggers, of asthma may exist right in your home. These causes are sources, such as, but not limited to dust, mold and spores. To keep your body healthy and to cut down the frequency of asthma attacks, it is important to have your house professionally inspected and cleaned to remove these harmful substances. Keep your house clean to keep these asthma triggers out of your home.
You may want to consider having numerous doctors treat your asthma. You may use your primary physician for most things, but a specialist can be very helpful as well. You’ll want to visit an asthma center, or consult with a pulmonologist to get additional help improving your lung function. In addition, you should get tested for allergies so that you can avoid allergic reactions that trigger asthma attacks.
Humidity is a problem in the home, because it creates conditions that are perfect for mildew and mold growth. These can very easily cause an attack. Therefore, try and keep the home dry. Using a dehumidifier during cold weather and turning on your air conditioner when the weather gets hot again can help keep humidity out of your home to ensure your asthma is under control.
Watch the pollen counts and adjust your activity accordingly to protect yourself from seasonal asthma issues. Asthma is in no way an allergy, but a lot of the same burdens that bother allergy suffers also affect people who suffer from asthma. Now that you have information on local air quality in most areas, people who suffer from asthma will be able to decrease outdoor activities if there is potential irritants in the air.
If you suffer from asthma, you need to learn how to cope with it. Asthma can be better dealt with when you have the knowledge on how to cope with it correctly. The advice from above can surely help you live a better life with asthma.
Don’t use humidifiers or vaporizers in your home until they have been rigorously cleaned, if you suffer from either asthma, allergies or both. Bacteria can breed in moist parts of the machine, and if it is unclean when you turn it on, it will just pump out allergens.