Asthma is a very serious medical problem that can greatly impact your life. Take the steps necessary to learn how to control your asthma on a daily basis as prevention is the best way to manage your condition. This article provides many tips and approaches to help deal with your asthma.
Don’t smoke around your child if they have asthma; this could worsen their situation. As far as triggers that cause asthma attacks or causes of the condition in general, secondhand cigarette smoke ranks right up there. Always ensure your child is in a smoke-free area.
There are some medications that may contribute to asthma symptoms. Among these medications are aspirin and other NSAIDs. 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.
Asthmatics should not smoke. If you smoke – quit immediately. Smoking is detrimental to anyone’s health, but those with asthma suffer especially because cigarettes lessen the oxygen supply that is crucial for the lungs to function properly and prevent an asthma attack.
Cigarette smoke and asthma do not mix. Asthma creates breathing problems by constricting airways, and cigarette smoking only exacerbates the problem. It is also a good idea to stay away from the fumes or vapors from harsh chemicals, such as those used in cleaning. Chemical fumes will trigger asthma attacks that you won’t be able to put an end to. When you see people smoking in your area avoid them and move away.
You need to avoid all of the asthma triggers that you know. For some people, it may be related to allergies, such as a reaction to dust or pollen. While in other people, all it takes is physical activity and an attack can trigger. You need to determine what your triggers are so that you can avoid them.
If you suffer from asthma, and have many attacks that are related to your allergy symptoms, there is a medication that is injected and provides long term effects. An antibody medicine under the name Omalizumab can be used to reduce these symptoms caused by allergies and might be prescribed by your allergist.
Use the inhaler the right way. Find a peaceful spot, and make sure to follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer. The inhaler only helps if the medication reaches your lungs. Inhale air while spraying the necessary amount of medication into your mouth. Holding your breath for a minimum of 10 seconds gives the medicinal mist from the inhaler time to spread itself throughout your lungs.
Know how to use your inhaler correctly. Try to locate a calming location, and be certain to adhere to any directions given by the inhaler’s maker. The inhaler will only reduce symptoms if the medication can get to your lungs. Inhale the air and spray the right amount down your throat. Make sure you hold your breath for 10 seconds or more to get the medications into your lungs.
Social workers are there for your assistance if you live with asthma, yet can’t get approved for health insurance. Asthma medications are a necessity, and a social worker can help you find an affordable way to keep your prescriptions current.
Social Worker
If you are someone who suffers from asthma, you should consider buying a dehumidifier for your home. By decreasing the humidity you have in your home, it will decrease the dust mites, which will then decrease your asthma from flaring up. Dehumidifiers remove the humidity by drying out the air that flows through your house.
Talk to a social worker if you’re not eligible for any health insurance and you’re an asthma sufferer. It is important that you are able to afford your asthma medications, so a social worker may be able to find you a clinic or hospital that offers your medication at little to no cost.
If you have been diagnosed with asthma then you should avoid cigarettes and smokers like the plague. You can suffer an asthma attack if you are around cigarette smoke because it makes your lungs function poorly. You are even more exposed to an attack when the smoke is in a closed-in room or area.
If you have asthma, it might be helpful for you to buy a dehumidifier. When you use a dehumidifier, it will reduce the amount of dust mites. This will reduce asthma attacks. Dehumidifiers keep the air in your home dry by eliminating humidity.
People suffering from asthma should stick to unscented products. Products with a fragrance raise the air pollution indoors, and increase the risk of an attack being triggered. Some of these products include incense, scented body sprays and air fresheners. Many things in the home release chemicals that irritate the lungs, such as newly installed carpet or fresh paint. Keep the air inside as fresh as you can.
If you have hay fever or a cold, chances are your asthma treatment will be increased. The effects of an illness can cause the severity of your asthma to temporarily increase, which necessitates a change in treatment. Your doctor may also add another treatment to your regimen until your illness gets better.
If you have hay fever or a cold, you will probably need increased treatment of your asthma. Some illnesses create issues that make it necessary to increase medication temporarily. Your family doctor may recommend adding another treatment or medication to your current regimen until you recover from your illness.
If you are an asthma patient, you may want to sleep with a pillow that does not contain feathers. The feathers can make it harder to breathe right and trigger an attack. The same rule holds true for bedding. Choose sheets and a comforter that are constructed from materials known for being hypoallergenic.
Make sure to examine what it is that causes your asthma attacks in order to best avoid having to deal with them. There are some quite common triggers that can invoke an attack in asthma sufferers, for example cigarette smoke, pollen, or pet hair and dander. Try to avoid these items as much as humanly possible so as to not trigger a full attack.
If you plan to take a trip, you must always keep your rescue medication with you at all times. Being in odd environments can cause undue stress on your body, which makes you more prone to an asthma attack. You also have less control of your surroundings while you are away from home, so it is difficult to avoid potential triggers and to maintain control over your attack.
If you suffer from asthma, consider using a feather-free pillow to sleep. Feathers can trigger asthma symptoms and reduce lung function. You should also look into hypoallergenic materials when buying sheets and a comforter.
Don’t skip appointments for your checkups, even if you haven’t had any recent asthma attacks. You never know when you might suffer another flare-up, or when your doctor might have a better or safer medication to prescribe for your symptoms.
Even if your asthma is not acting up, attend all of your doctor’s appointments. Flare-ups can occur at any time; plus, your doctor may have a new medication that he or she can offer you that will make your treatment safer and more effective.
Humidity in the home can create an environment that is ideal for mold and mildew to grow. Both mold and mildew are associated with asthma attacks. You should do your best to maintain a dry home. During the cold, winter months, a dehumidifier can help. In the summer, an air conditioner naturally takes out a lot of the humidity in the air.
It is crucial that you know how to properly use your asthma treatments, particularly rescue inhalers. Asthma is a condition traditionally treated with a combination of a regular medicine and an emergency medicinal inhaler. Asthma is an illness that is chronic in nature, so it is imperative to take the management medicine as directed and only using the rescue inhaler when necessary.
If you are cleaning, you should use a mop that is damp instead of a dry broom. Sweeping can cause the rise of dust and dander, which may trigger an asthma attack. When you need to dust, do so with a damp rag instead of a feather duster so that you reduce spreading around anything that will trigger your asthma.
Asthma generally develops over a period of time, and the symptoms are not always obvious. Many individuals died from their very first asthma attack because they weren’t aware they had the risk factors for an attack. 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.
Avoid smoking and people who are smokers. Most people are educated about how dangerous smoking is, but it is much more harmful for people who have asthma. Asthmatics have sensitive lungs and tobacco smoke is very, very irritating. Smoke is so bad, that asthmatics should never allow themselves to be in the same vicinity as someone who is smoking.
If you’re flying and bringing along your asthma medications, bring a doctor’s written prescription with you. You’ll speed up the process of going through security if you have written proof that shows that the items are necessary.
If you are having an asthma attack, it is crucial that you remain calm. Use your rescue inhaler, rest for a half to one minute, then use the inhaler again. If your attack continues to worsen, seek help. Have someone call an ambulance for you, or have them bring you to a hospital. Try to breathe into a paper bag so that you can calm your breathing when you’re on the way.
It’s important to keep up with your daily preventative inhaler routine, but watch out for mouth infections, especially in both teeth and gums. You may be able to avoid this problem by brushing your teeth or rinsing your mouth thoroughly after each use of the inhaler.
Rescue Inhaler
Contact with animals and pets should be avoided for asthma sufferers. Asthmatics can be affected by the dander or pollen that comes from the animals, even if they have no allergies to them. This can be a very risky situation to put yourself in and should be avoided.
If you find yourself relying on your rescue inhaler more often than twice weekly, it may be necessary to speak with your doctor about changing medication. This level of frequency can mean your medication is ineffective for your needs. This is also true if you are refilling your rescue inhaler prescription more than twice a year.
You should have a team of medical professionals to help you craft your asthma treatment. Your family doctor will be in charge of your asthma treatment, but seeing a specialist can provide you with invaluable help. Nutritionists, allergists, pulmonologists and asthma centers can all help you, so make sure that you are using all of the different treatment avenues that you can.
Ensure that you set up regular appointments with your physician every several months in order to be updated on your condition. Your doctor will be able to assess the effectiveness of treatments, and adjust them, if necessary. You are responsible to schedule these appointments so you can stay healthy.
You need to know how to properly use your inhaler if you have been diagnosed with asthma. When you spray the inhaler into your mouth, you cannot just lightly inhale. Every single time that you spray the inhaler into your mouth, you must, for a couple of seconds, breathe deeply. An inhaler is not of much use if you aren’t taking it correctly.
If you think that your asthma is becoming worse, go to your doctor. You should use these tips whenever you can to reduce symptoms, and improve your life.
Identifying what triggers your asthma attacks will go a long way towards treating them. If you aren’t sure what causes your asthma to act up, keep a journal. Write down what you were doing and where you were just prior to each attack. Bring your journal to your doctor’s office during each appointment so that she can help you figure out your asthma triggers. Many people have success controlling their asthma by eliminating known asthma triggers.