Obviously, being unable to breathe properly because of asthma severely impacts your ability to live normally. However, you can still lead a regular normal life as an asthma sufferer. This article will show you how you can live a happier life even with asthma.
If you have an asthmatic child, do not allow anyone to smoke around him. Secondhand smoke is a leading cause of asthma. If your child is in an area where people are smoking, remove him quickly to avoid an asthma attack.
Asthmatics should not smoke. If you smoke – quit immediately. When smoke enters your lungs it cuts off your oxygen supply, and if you suffer from asthma it can make breathing extremely difficult, and result in an increased number of attacks.
When you have asthma, it is vital that you avoid cleaning products. The complex list of ingredients on many cleaning products makes it difficult know which ones have the chemical compounds that might aggravate asthma symptoms or even initiate an attack. If you clean the home, there are many natural products that are safe to use.
There are some medications that may contribute to asthma symptoms. Aspirin is an example of a widely used medicine that can cause asthma problems. You can also use medications that can control high blood pressure and heart disease, things like beta blockers. Let your doctor know about your asthma and what prescriptions you’re taking.
If you’re in a room that has a lot of dust in it, don’t turn on a fan. Turning on a fan is going to cause the dust to leave its surface and begin filling the air of your environment. It is much better to open a window when you are in need of some air flow.
Avoid using a fan in any room that has excessive dust. Dust blown around by fans can cause your asthma to rear up. It would be better to just open a window if you are needing to get some airflow.
A leukotriene inhibitor can be helpful if you have asthma. Leukotriene inhibitors are used to prevent things called leukotrienes. Leukotriene is a type of chemical substance which may cause inflammation and could cause an attack. This inhibitor can prevent leukotrienes, which makes you less likely to have an asthma attack.
If you have asthma and suffer persistent attacks caused by allergy symptoms, an injectable medicine can be administered for extended relief. Omalizumab is a mediation that is able to control allergic reaction symptoms.
Properly use the inhaler every time you must use it. Find a comfy spot, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. The medicine in the inhaler only works if it actually makes it to your lungs. As you are inhaling air, spray the correct dosage in your mouth. Make sure you hold your breath for 10 seconds or more to get the medications into your lungs.
Receiving a flu shot annually is very important if you or a loved one are asthmatic. Regular vaccinations will help you and your children to avoid lung infections.
Make sure that everyone in your family gets their flu shot. If you suffer from asthma, it is best to avoid respiratory infections of any type as much as possible. This means taking every precaution possible, do things like getting vaccinated to prevent sickness to hand washing on a regular basis.
Try joining an in-person or virtual asthma support group. Asthma can be devastating and lead to lethargy and withdrawal from normal life – especially if it is quite severe. Your peers will be able to provide you with advice and tips that work for them, information about new treatment techniques, and even some home remedies you might not know about.
Using more than four different types of cleaning products in your home has been shown to increase the risk of an asthma attack. Use organic cleaning products since they don’t have irritating chemicals.
Asthma Attacks
Be keenly aware of the triggers for your asthma attacks. If you know the cause, you can stay away to prevent asthma attacks. Common triggers among asthma sufferers are smoke, pollen, or pet dander. When possible, stay away from these triggers that cause symptoms or ultimately, full-blown attacks.
Your home might harbor several of the major triggers of asthma attacks. Typical asthma triggers in the home are dust and mold spores. To ensure health and reduce the potential for asthma attacks, have a yearly inspection for the presence and removal of these hazards. In addition, cleaning the house regularly can greatly contribute to keeping these substances from building up.
When you fly, make sure to take along prescriptions or doctors’ notes for all of your asthma equipment and medications, especially if they are unusual. Carrying written prescription information will help you to avoid security hassles, and you won’t have to worry about your medication being confiscated.
You can wear warm things like a shawl, muffler or scarf, which can help cover your nose and mouth in the colder months. This way, the air will be warm before entering your lungs. By breathing in cold air, it has been proven that it could trigger an asthma attack more so in children that are younger and suffer from severe to moderate asthma.
Use your maintenance or preventative inhaler every day. However, you should know that the drug may cause mouth infections near your gums and teeth. One way to reduce the probability of such infections is to immediately brush and gargle after inhaling the medicine.
Understand how to properly use your own asthma medication, particularly the rescue medication. A typical asthma treatment plan is daily medication backed up with an emergency inhaler. Asthma is a serious, chronic health condition, and it’s vital that you take medicine to manage the disease properly and use the rescue medications as directed.
For a deeper and more thorough cleaning, mop your floors instead of simply sweeping them. Those particles that can trigger asthma attacks are stirred up when you sweep. Dusting can actually just move the dust around, sending particles into the air, and into your lungs triggering an asthma attack, so try wiping things down with a damp cloth to minimize the amount of allergens you are exposed to.
When you need to take your asthma supplies on an airplane, it is a good idea to bring your doctor’s prescription with you. Without a written prescription stating that the item is medically necessary, you may experience frustration and delays at security checkpoints.
Bed linens are a magnet for nasty allergens and asthma triggers, including dust and pollen. You could reduce the potential impact of these asthma inducers by cleaning your sheets regularly. Having fresh bedding will let you breathe more easily and have a more restful night.
Track how often you use your inhaler during each week. If you are using it more than twice, your asthma may not be as well-controlled as you think or you may be experiencing unusual circumstances bringing on more frequent attacks. How often an inhaler is used can help to monitor the environment.
Smoking is particularly bad for people with asthma. If you have asthma, you could have serious health complications from smoking. Smoke can severely irritate an asthma sufferer’s lungs; so, if you do suffer from asthma, stay away from both smoking and being around smoke in general.
You want to make certain you visit more than just one doctor. Specialists can supplement the asthma treatments your regular doctor provides for you. Certain specialists, such as pulmonologists and allergists, can provide extra treatment options for your asthma.
Make sure you keep calm if you are having an asthma attack. Wait thirty seconds to try your inhaler after using it the first time. If this does not lessen the attack, get help quickly. Go to the hospital. If the attack is particularly bad, have a friend take you or call 911. Try putting a paper bag up to your mouth and breathing into it to help slow your breaths.
Stay away from smoking. A lot of people know that smoking is bad for you, but if you have asthma it is far worse. The lungs of someone with asthma are irritated by smoking, whether by that person or someone nearby.
If inhaler use happens more than two times in each of your weeks, you must schedule an appointment with your doctor about this and possibly adjust your medication. Frequent asthma attacks indicate that your inhaled medication isn’t keeping your asthma under control. This is also true if your inhaler needs refilling more than two times annually.
Remain calm if you do happen to come under an asthma attack. Use your rescue inhaler, rest for a half to one minute, then use the inhaler again. If this procedure does not stop your attack, seek immediate treatment from a healthcare professional. Have someone call an ambulance for you, or have them bring you to a hospital. Inhaling and exhaling into a paper bag can slow your breathing while en route.
Make certain you have checkups scheduled with your physician every few months so you keep on top of your asthma. Your doctor can check to see if your condition has changed, and if it has, update your treatment plan. Your doctor is busy, so it’s on you to set and keep your appointments.
Rescue Inhaler
Identifying your personal triggers is one of the best ways you can learn to stop an asthma attack before it occurs. Think about maintaining an ashtma journal so you can record possible triggers as they come up, and then discuss them with your doctor. Once you know your triggers, do what you can to eliminate them from where you are, as much as possible.
If you use your rescue inhaler more than two times a week, see a doctor to have your medication adjusted. This might mean that your inhaler isn’t working enough for you. Another sign is needing refills 3 or more times per year on your rescue inhaler prescription.
Aim to maintain a clean home. Also, be sure to keep your bedding as clean as possible. This will eradicate dust mites, which can cause 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.
Joining a support group for asthma sufferers, or having a conversation with others who have asthma, is very helpful. Understanding what other people do to control and manage their asthma can be helpful in treating your own asthma. Having support from other people in the same situation as you are is an amazing help to your treatment and state of mind.
If you get at least two attacks a week, it might be time to try a different medication. Getting more than two attacks a week is dangerous for your health and you should take action.
Dealing with asthma is a difficult battle throughout your entire life, but after each day, it can be easier if you have some good advice to follow, such as the tips in this article or from a professional doctor. Already you can deal very effectively with most asthma problems. The medical state-of-the-art advances every day, and someday, asthma may be even easier to treat.
If you have an asthma emergency but you don’t have your inhaler on hand, try using caffeine as a substitute. You can actually reduce some asthma attack symptoms with coffee, strong black tea and even chocolate, be sure to check into other items as well. Caffeine constricts blood vessels so that your airways can open.