Asthma can be a serious condition that can negatively affect your life. You have to take the right steps in battling it so that it won’t become severe as prevention is much easier than having to react to a major attack. You can develop a plan that is right for you by following some of the great ideas in this article.
If you suffer from asthma and you smoke, it’s crucial that you quit. While smoking is bad for everyone, it’s particularly hard on an asthma sufferer as it restricts oxygen getting to the lungs.
People afflicted by asthma should make it a priority to always avoid exposure to smoke, vapors and fumes. This means avoidance of all tobacco products, as well as taking into consideration any smoke or vapors you might be exposed to in a prospective workplace.
Talk to a social worker if you’re not eligible for any health insurance and you’re an asthma sufferer. You will need asthma medications, and if you are unable to afford them, a social worker can find a hospital or clinic that can offer you medication for free or for a little cost.
There are medications that can unknowingly cause asthma-like symptoms. Examples of medications that may contribute to asthma are aspirin and other NSAIDs. There are some beta blockers that are given to those trying to control their heart disease or who have high blood pressure that may be harmful to an asthmatic, as well. If you have asthma and these other conditions, let your physician know.
If you’re having asthma problems, a dehumidifier is a beneficial purchase. Lowering humidity will reduce the amount of dust mites in your home, and help your asthma improve. Try running a dehumidifier to dry up the air in your home.
Don’t turn on the fan if the dust in a room is aggravating your asthma. All this does is circulate the dust, which is an invitation to triggering an otherwise avoidable asthma attack. If possible, open a window to increase the flow of air into the room.
An increased propensity for asthma attacks has been linked with the utilization of multiple cleaning products. The more you use, the greater the risk of an attack. Consider purchasing and using organic cleaning products since they are void of irritating chemicals.
If you have asthma, a dehumidifier is something you should consider purchasing for you home. A dehumidifier will reduce attacks by taking extra humidity and, by extension, dust mites and other debris out of your air. Dehumidifiers reduce humidity and keep the air in your home dry.
Be certain you are aware of all your asthma attack triggers so you know both how to steer clear of them and also be ready to take care of your symptoms. The majority of people suffering from asthma have several common triggers, like pet dander, smoke or pollen. Try to avoid these items as much as humanly possible so as to not trigger a full attack.
For asthma sufferers, the unscented option is always the best choice among different products. Scented products such as air fresheners and perfumes can trigger an asthma attack. Fresh paint and new carpeting can also irritate the airway. Keep the air inside your home clean and fresh, and free of any asthma triggers.
Humidity in the home can create an environment that is ideal for mold and mildew to grow. Both of these allergens can be contributing factors in asthma attacks. Try, then, to ensure your home is dry. A dehumidifier can be used in the winter, and in the summer, many air conditioner models also help strip moisture from the air.
Keep your home free of dust and other triggers, especially where the person who suffers from asthma sleeps. Also, you should keep food confined to the kitchen, and opt to smoke outdoors only. Once you have cleaned your house, air it out; you should also eliminate utilizing any toxic chemicals inside.
Know the right way to take your asthma medication, and above all any rescue medication. When you have asthma, you should be on a maintenance medication and have an emergency medicine for asthma attacks. Usually this is in the form of an inhaler. Asthma is considered a chronic condition. For this reason, you should take the management of it very seriously.
If you suffer from asthma, it’s best to avoid pillows full of feathers. Pillow feathers are known to worsen asthma and affect the lungs. Also, make sure your other bedding is made with hypoallergenic materials.
If you are traveling by plane and must bring inhalers or nebulizers on board, you should bring a written prescription for the equipment. If you have written proof about the item you have,and that it is medically necessary, there will be less hassles going through security.
Even if you have not had any recent breathing problems, you should nonetheless schedule regular checkups. A flare-up can occur at any time, and your physician may have learned of a prescription medication that can treat your symptoms more safely and effectively.
Keep an asthma diary and record how often, each week, you must use a rescue inhaler. If the inhaler is used more than twice, the asthma problems you are suffering from may not be well-managed or something else might be causing additional attacks to come on. Counting how many times you reach for your inhaler can be a good aid to remind you of what environments you need to control and what else you may need to manage.
Asthma Attacks
Use a mop that’s wet to clean your floors instead of a broom. Those particles that can trigger asthma attacks are stirred up when you sweep. When you dust, use a damp cloth instead of a feather duster which can spread these triggers.
Some of the major causes of asthma, and triggers for asthma attacks, can exist right in the home. These causes are sources, such as, but not limited to dust, mold and spores. To reduce asthma attacks and stay healthy, have an inspector remove any harmful agents yearly. If you clean your house regularly, you can minimize the risk of these substances accumulating in your dwelling.
Make sure you are going to different doctors. You may use your primary physician for most things, but a specialist can be very helpful as well. Think about going to a pulmonologist, an allergist or even a nutritionist, depending on what is triggering your attacks.
Making mouth and nose coverings such as mufflers, shawls or scarves a routine part of your winter wardrobe can help you ward off asthma attacks. This allows you to warm air before it enters your lungs. Inhaling cold air can elicit an asthma attack or create other serious respiratory problems.
If you are suffering from an asthma attack, try to remain calm and do not panic. Immediately use your inhaler, then wait a half a minute and do so again. If the inhaler does not provide immediate help, get medical help right away. Get someone to call an ambulance or get you to a hospital. Breathing in and out of a paper bag on the way will help slow down your breathing.
Asthma develops gradually, and its symptoms may not be very noticeable. Some people have even died from having an asthma attack, and they didn’t even know they had asthma. So, if you have a lingering cough or instances of troubled breathing, you should see a doctor to see if you might have asthma and determine whether you may need medication to either prevent or treat asthma.
You have to know the proper way to use an inhaler if you suffer from asthma. It is not as simple as spraying it into your mouth and breathing in. You must breathe deeply in conjunction with the spray. Properly using your asthma inhaler is one of the most important ways you, as a person with asthma, can protect your health.
Those with asthma should minimize time with pets and animals. Animals are a danger to asthma sufferers who are already allergic to them, but pets also carry a wide array of dust particles and pollen, so avoiding them is a good move for anyone dealing with asthma.
Joining a support group for asthma sufferers, or having a conversation with others who have asthma, is very helpful. These people can supply you with advice on how to control your asthma and its symptoms. Keeping supportive people in your daily life is very important.
Bed linens often trap allergens, dust, pollen and other things that can aggravate asthma. You could reduce the potential impact of these asthma inducers by cleaning your sheets regularly. You will breathe easier at night when you have freshly washed and clean bed linens.
A key way to manage your asthma is working to identify all of the things that trigger your attacks. A notebook is a good idea for finding specific triggers, so you can talk about them with your physician. After you identify substances that trigger your asthma symptoms, you can avoid those substances in your environment or ask your doctor whether there is a medication that will allow you to go into an environment with those triggers and remain free of asthma symptoms.
Learn all you can learn about your condition. The more educated you are about your asthma, the more proactive you can be about your treatment. Keep yourself up to date about new findings and find a good doctor. The only way you can do this is by arming yourself with condition and treatment knowledge.
You can contract asthma through genetics or through environmental conditions. If anyone else in your family suffers from asthma, keep watch for any asthma symptoms in your children or yourself. There are a lot of things in your home that can cause asthma, some of these are smoke, mold, dust and pollution.
Consider purchasing a breathing mask that filters out paint fumes if a painting project is in your future. Paint can irritate your asthma a lot, so this mask acts like a protective barrier to prevent this. In general practice, in fact, it is best to avoid fumes that will likely trigger an attack.
It is important to keep the space you are living in clean and well kept. Also, be sure to keep your bedding as clean as possible. When you do this, you prevent the buildup of dusts and dust mites, both of which often trigger asthma attacks. Dust build-up causes the air to become more irritating to people who have asthma, which therefore increases the risk that your airways will be compromised.
Know the symptoms of a severe asthma attack so you will know when to seek immediate medical attention for your child. If the usual doses of asthma medication, including the emergency inhaler, fail to have an effect on wheezing symptoms, the attack is considered serious. Other signs of a severe attack include a bluish tint to the lips, fingernails, or fingertips, as a result of lack of oxygen intake. Speech may also become difficult.
If you are having more than a couple of asthma attacks per week, you should go to your doctor and eliminate triggers. Most health professionals agree that having attacks more than twice a week is both dangerous and avoidable.
Get a flu vaccination every year. Even if the flu or cold seasons do not affect you, it is still better to get vaccinated against them. If you are asthma attack prone, you are also more likely to have suffer from any sinus or respiratory infection, particularly those that are flu-related.
Become stronger and increase the amount of air your lungs can hold over time. Never induce an asthma attack by attempting a workout when you aren’t sure if you will be able to complete it because of your asthma.
You should pay a visit to your doctor if you feel like your symptoms are becoming worse. More importantly, you should apply these tips whenever possible, to keep the symptoms down and hopefully, improve your quality of life.
Don’t exercise in cold, dry air if you have asthma. You can induce an asthma attack if you bronchial airways are dry and cool. Always be sure that the weather is somewhat humid and warm before exercising strenuously outdoors.