Not only can asthma be a burden to your everyday life, but it can even be fatal. It is important to take all the steps to treat and manage your condition. By using the tips in this article, you will be able to control your asthma better.
You need ongoing treatment for asthma because it’s an ongoing disease. Ensure you’re taking the proper medications to manage common symptoms of asthma. In case of an attack, you need to have in your possession a medication that will provide almost instant relief. Talk to your doctor and allergist to see what is the best idea for you.
What kind of asthma do you have? Understanding the specifics of your asthma will help you to avoid attack triggers in your day-to-day life. Asthma caused by exercise can be treated easily if you carry an inhaler when you go to the gym. Knowing symptom patterns will help you prevent emergencies.
If you are an asthma sufferer and are denied health insurance, talk to a social worker. 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.
Second hand smoke can cause asthma to develop in children, and can trigger an asthma attack if they already suffer from asthma. Secondhand smoke is a trigger for asthma attacks, not to mention the myriad of other diseases it can cause. Any place where smoking is allowed should be avoided if you have a child with asthma.
Think about buying a dehumidifier if your asthma symptoms are bad. With less humidity, there will be fewer dust mites, and that means that there is less of a chance that your asthma will flare up. Dehumidifiers keep the air in your home dry by eliminating humidity.
Cleaning Products
When suffering from asthma, make sure to choose products that are unscented. Scented products should be avoided, such as air fresheners, perfume, and incense. These can increase the amount of air pollution in the home and even trigger an attack. Fresh pain and new carpet also let off odors that are irritable to the airways. As much as possible, try to keep your home filled with fresh, pure air.
If you suffer from asthma, stay away from the fumes of household cleaning products. Cleaning products may contain chemicals which can trigger an asthmatic episode, such as ammonia. If you must do the cleaning in your home, opt for natural products with lower chemical content.
If you are an asthma patient, you may want to sleep with a pillow that does not contain feathers. Feathers may trigger asthma symptoms by irritating your lungs. This extends to the rest of your bedding, as well. There are hypoallergenic comforters and sheets you can use to limit asthma symptoms.
There are certain medications that cause or exacerbate asthma symptoms. Not everyone knows this. Some NSAIDs and aspirin might do this. The medication you take for high blood pressure can also cause asthma symptoms. Tell your doctor if you are an asthmatic and you are using these medications.
Avoid cold-induced asthma attacks by protecting your mouth and nose with a scarf. This will warm the air that you breathe before it enters your lungs. Cool air has been known to trigger an asthma attack, particularly in very young children who have severe or moderate asthma.
If allergens are causing you to suffer from frequent asthma attacks that are moderate to severe, there is an injectable medication that can provide you with long-term relief. There are antibody medications used to control allergic reactions that come recommended by allergists.
Asthma develops gradually, and its symptoms may not be very noticeable. A few people have even died from an asthma attack without knowing they even had this dangerous condition. Therefore, if you find yourself having difficulties breathing or with a chronic cough, it is essential that you see a doctor and get tested for asthma. The sooner you get the needed treatment and medication, the better.
If you are having trouble dealing with asthma, a leukotriene inhibitor might be of good use. As its name suggests, this inhibitor works by preventing the release and build-up of leukotriene. Leukotrienes has a hand in causing swelling and inflammation in your lungs, and may trigger a asthma attack. Taking an inhibitor will reduce the amount of this substance your body produces, which should decrease the number of attacks you experience.
When flying and bringing along asthma medications and equipment, be sure to pack your prescriptions. This is especially true for large items like a nebulizer. The written prescription will help you get through security without difficulty, because it establishes that your nebulizer and supplies are medically necessary.
It has been shown that use of four or more different kinds of cleaning products can raise the risk of asthma attacks. Use organic cleaning products since they don’t have irritating chemicals.
If you’d like to avoid asthma attacks, avoid cigarette smoke as much as possible. Smoking can trigger a person who has asthma to have an attack. Avoid exposure to chemical fumes and vapors, and any type of wood or cigarette smoke. These things can cause your asthma symptoms to greatly increase. If there’s smoke around you, ask politely for the person to stop smoking.
Even if you are feeling great, don’t skip your asthma check-ups. You can never tell when an attack will strike, or when your physician may have some better or safer advice for you to follow.
Do not smoke cigarettes. A lot of people know that smoking is bad for you, but if you have asthma it is far worse. Your lungs could become very irritated if you smoke, and you should avoid being around others that are smoking.
Think about signing up for a support group locally or online. Asthma can be an extremely debilitating health issue and can stop you from participating in life the way you want to. If you know other asthma sufferers, you can stay up to date on the latest medicines and treatment options.
People who suffer from asthma should stay inside as much as they can when the pollen count is up. The same pollens and other irritants that cause trouble for allergy sufferers are also concerns for asthma sufferers, even though the two are quite distinct conditions. Now there’s information on local air quality available so you can monitor whether you’re going to be exposed to hard to breath air.
Your home is where most asthma triggers are located. Some triggers include spores, dust and mold. To reduce asthma attacks and stay healthy, have an inspector remove any harmful agents yearly. On top of that, doing housecleaning regularly can prevent build up of these particles.
If you have allergies and asthma, you need to avoid using a humidifier or a vaporizer unless it has been thoroughly cleaned. Bacteria breeds in moist environments and can build up in dirty machines, pumping allergens into the air.
If you’re flying and bringing along your asthma medications, bring a doctor’s written prescription with you. If you’ve got written proof, it’ll save you a lot of hassle when you’re at a security check.
Don’t panic when you have an asthma attack. Use the inhaler, pause for 30 seconds then use it again. If the attack gets worse doesn’t get better, then get help immediately. Have someone drive you directly to the hospital or call an ambulance for you. Breathe into a paper bag, which will reduce your breathing rate during the trip.
If you have asthma, don’t stop using your inhaler unless your doctor tells you to. However, watch for infections in your gums or other mouth discomfort after using your inhaler. You can prevent these side effects with proper tooth brushing and gargling after you use your inhaler.
Up your intake of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6, aka pyridoxine, is found to reduce asthma attack frequency in a lot of studies. Pyridoxine is instrumental in producing certain molecules that help to relax bronchial tissue. Bananas are also a wonderful source of vitamin B6.
Refrain from smoking. A lot of people know that smoking is bad for you, but if you have asthma it is far worse. 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.
Identifying your personal triggers is one of the best ways you can learn to stop an asthma attack before it occurs. Keeping a journal will help you and your doctor develop a plan to combat some of the triggers. By identifying the causes of your asthma symptoms, you can then work to eliminate these triggers from your life completely.
Keep yourself as calm as possible when having an asthma attack. You should use your inhaler immediately upon the first signs of an attack. Once you have used it, use it again 30 seconds later. If this does not help and your attack gets worse, you need to get immediate medical assistance. Have some one call for an ambulance or take you to the hospital. Try breathing into a paper bag in order to slow down your breathing while on the way to the hospital.
Asthma is caused by environmental factors, genetics, or sometimes both. If asthma has occurred in your family, be aware of any symptoms of asthma you or your children may exhibit. Asthma sufferers need to be especially careful to avoid smoke, dust mites, extremely high air pollution levels and allergens.
Speaking to your peers, who also suffer from asthma, can be an eye-opening and life-changing experience. Understanding what other people do to control and manage their asthma can be helpful in treating your own asthma. Support given by those around you who are also afflicted with asthma can really make all the difference.
Keep the place you live clean, and make sure to sweep it regularly. Also, wash sheets, pillows and blankets frequently. By keeping these items clean, you avoid any dust buildup which attracts dust mites, a typical trigger of asthma attacks. If dust increases, the air is more likely to irritate the lungs of asthma sufferers. This can quickly turn into an asthma attack.
You can contract asthma through genetics or through environmental conditions. If anyone in your family suffers from asthma, beware of any symptoms that are suggestive of asthma in you or your children. Protect your children and yourself from the many common pollutants in the air, such as mold, dust and pollen to prevent or reduce asthma symptoms.
Become stronger and increase the amount of air your lungs can hold over time. Avoid attempting a strenuous workout if you know that it will likely trigger an asthma attack.
Many people underestimate asthma, or at least think that they can’t do anything about it since it is an incurable disease. However, you’ll be amazed at how much difference you can make simply by following these simple steps to try and relieve symptoms and reduce the sources of asthma attacks.
There are some symptoms of severe asthma attacks that you should be aware of. If your child suffering from asthma manifests these systems, rush him to the ER! You might notice a gray or blue tone to their lips or fingernails, and their medication may not be working. In addition, your kid may have a tough time talking.