Untreated asthma symptoms can lead to serious difficulties if not controlled properly. Sometimes, asthma attacks are so bad that they cause fatalities. While you should continually consult your doctor with complications, it’s okay to try treatments yourself, as well. The following article will give you advice to help control your asthma.
If asthma is something that you are afflicted with, then don’t smoke or immediately quit. Smoking isn’t healthy for anyone, but if you are afflicted with asthma, preventing oxygen from getting to your lungs is just begging for an attack.
You should avoid smoking and any type of fumes if you suffer from asthma. Stay away from jobs that would expose you to toxic or heavy vapors, and refrain from any tobacco use.
Avoid the things that trigger your asthma. Certain outdoor areas may be off-limits because they cause allergies to flare up. For others, attacks can be caused by physical activities. Look for the trigger points in your life, so you can work around them.
Avoid being around any known asthma triggers. This is different for everyone, but some people, things like dust or pollen can trigger an attack. For others, attacks can be caused by physical activities. Look for the trigger points in your life, so you can work around them.
Asthma is a chronic condition that is ongoing over time, and as such, will require a continual treatment and management regimen. You need to keep taking your medications to control the asthma symptoms every day, and if an attack should occur, you should have quick relief medication at your disposal. See your doctor or allergist to find out which treatment plan is best for your situation.
Cigarette smoke will make your asthma worse. You should not smoke yourself! Do not breathe in the vapors or any other chemical fumes. Inhaling these substances may trigger an unstoppable asthma attack. Avoid secondhand smoke by leaving physical distance between yourself and the smoker.
Keep rooms free of dust, and do not turn on a fan if you do have dusty rooms. This will cause the dust to move around, which could cause an asthma attack. Open a window to bring clean, cool air inside instead.
Know how to use your inhaler properly! Go to a quiet place, and be sure to follow all instructions from the manufacturer. Remember that the medication must reach your lungs if the inhaler is to work properly. Make sure that you spray the required dosage directly into your mouth, inhaling the medication into your lungs. Holding your breath for a minimum of 10 seconds gives the medicinal mist from the inhaler time to spread itself throughout your lungs.
You and your loved ones need to get a flu vaccination every year. People who have been diagnosed with asthma should exercise extreme diligence in avoiding other respiratory conditions. You can start by taking simple precautions, such as washing your hands and getting proper vaccinations when due.
Make sure that everyone in your family gets their flu shot. Make sure you do your best in avoiding respiratory infections at all costs if you have asthma. To do this you must take extra precautions against getting sick, like washing your hands often and getting vaccinated every year.
If you’ve got asthma, don’t smoke or be near 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.
If you suffer from asthma, avoid smokers, even if you do not smoke yourself. As soon as you inhale any smoke from tobacco, your lungs become sensitive, which increases your risk of an attack. Just avoid any type of smoke, especially in small areas, and keep your lungs healthy to be safe.
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. Only eat in the kitchen, and never let anyone smoke inside the house. Try to avoid using any harsh chemicals or bleach in the home while cleaning; and, once the home is cleaned, air it out.
Try to keep your home as clean as possible, especially the bedroom of the asthma sufferer, to reduce the risk of an asthma attack. Do not allow smoking in your house, and keep food in your kitchen. Don’t use bleach or harsh chemicals inside, and air out the house as much as possible after cleaning.
Even if you have not had any recent breathing problems, you should nonetheless schedule regular checkups. You can never tell when an attack will strike, or when your physician may have some better or safer advice for you to follow.
If you plan to take a trip, you must always keep your rescue medication with you at all times. When you travel, you sometimes strain your body a little more than you think, which can make you a bit more susceptible to having asthma attacks. While on the road, it is also hard to control the environment you are in, which also makes an attack more likely.
Mold and mildew thrive in homes with high humidity levels. These can very easily cause an attack. Therefore, it is important to maintain a dry home. When you use the heater in the winter, be sure to have a dehumidifier control the humidity in your home. During the summer time, be sure to use the air conditioner to maintain a dry home.
Regardless of whether your asthma has been flaring up, don’t neglect routine checkups. You can never tell when an attack will strike, or when your physician may have some better or safer advice for you to follow.
If you are traveling by plane and must bring inhalers or nebulizers on board, you should bring a written prescription for the equipment. Having written documentation supporting this medically necessary item will eliminate any hassles when going through the security check point.
A lot of the main causes, and triggers, of asthma may exist right in your home. These causes can include dust, spores and mold. 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. Keep your house clean to keep these asthma triggers out of your home.
See how many times a week you typically use the rescue inhaler. Your medication may need to be adjusted or an alternative treatment considered if you find that you need to use it 3 or more times per week. You are able to judge how the environment around you effects your body by how many times you need to use your inhaler.
Do not allow mold or mildew to grow in your home, because they can be extremely dangerous for asthma sufferers. These can very easily cause an attack. You should do your best to maintain a dry home. In the winter, use a dehumidifier along with your heater, and in the summer months, you can use your air conditioner to help control the amount of water in the air within your home.
Asthma aggravation, such as dust and pollen, can collect in your bed sheets and pillowcases. You can avoid this by making sure to wash your bed linens in hot water at least once a week. If there are always fresh linens on your bed, you are much more likely to sleep restfully without unexpected asthma attacks.
Take the time to understand the proper usage of your asthma medication, particularly any that is labelled as 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. Because asthma does not get cured, those afflicted with it must continue to take their regular medication and use their rescue inhaler when needed.
People with asthma should not smoke. Smoking is one of the worst things a person with asthma can do. 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.
Asthma isn’t often something that pops up over night, but instead takes time to develop and the symptoms are slowly noticeable. Sometimes, a person can die from their first asthma attack without actually knowing they had the disease to begin with! Given that fact, if you have any kind of consistent cough or respiratory ailments, consulting a physician for testing is a good idea, since you want to know if you are suffering from asthma and if so, what to do about it.
Remain calm in the event of 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 the attack gets worse doesn’t get better, then get help immediately. Have someone phone an ambulance or drive you to a hospital. To calm yourself on the drive, bring a paper bag and breathe into it, as this will slow your breathing.
Asthma is an uncurable disease, but that doesn’t mean that the symptoms are permanent and can’t go away. However, just like most things in life, overcoming your asthma symptoms takes time and effort. If you follow these easy tips, you’ll find that your symptoms will get better over time and you’ll be able to enjoy a healthier, more active lifestyle.
Have your asthma situation checked out by a doctor every so often, so that you are not blindsided by changes in your condition. Only your doctor can fully evaluate your condition and recommend appropriate changes in treatment. You should always keep your appointments so that your doctor can follow up on your treatment plans, and work with you to maintain your health.