Experiencing an asthma attack can be frightening, and knowing that you have to live with asthma can be a burden. If you are well educated in asthma, you can dramatically improve the quality of the life you live. Keep reading to learn some specific strategies that can help you live a full life despite your asthma.
If asthma is something that you are afflicted with, then don’t smoke or immediately quit. Smoking isn’t good for anyone, but it’s worse for those with asthma. It cuts off the oxygen supply that your lungs need to function properly to keep away the asthma attacks.
Some asthmas are specific to certain triggers, so identify what kind you have. Knowing as much as possible about your specific type of asthma will go an incredibly long way in helping you combat the day-to-day effects it has on you. Asthma caused by exercise can be treated easily if you carry an inhaler when you go to the gym. If you are familiar with your symptoms and their patterns, you will be better able to avoid emergencies.
If you’re a sufferer of asthma, stay away from cigarette smoke. Never smoke yourself! Avoid breathing chemical fumes and vapors. This may cause an asthma attack you can’t stop. The minute you spot people smoking, immediately remove yourself from the area.
Suffer from asthma? It is vital that you not smoke tobacco; if you do, quit. Although smoking is bad for all people, it is especially worse for asthma patients because it cuts off the oxygen supply that you need in order for your lungs to function and keep away asthma attacks.
If you are an asthmatic who also has allergies, injected allergy medication may be just the thing you need to get relief. For example, Omalizumab can be used to keep your allergic reactions to a minimum and your asthma under control.
Avoid being around any known asthma triggers. This can vary from person to person, as small particles like dust can cause asthma attacks. Others may have attacks that are triggered by physical activity. You should know what causes asthma, so you can stay away from these things.
Know how to use your inhaler properly! Find a quiet spot and follow the instructions the manufacturer has given. The inhaler can only help you if the medication actually reaches the lungs. You need to inhale air while spraying the requisite dosage in your mouth. After inhaling, it’s important that you hold the medication in by holding your breath for 10 seconds at the least.
Never take medications without getting your doctor’s approval so you don’t wind up taking one that has a side effect of exacerbating asthma.. Aspirin is an example of a widely used medicine that can cause asthma problems. Additionally, beta blockers, a type of medication used for heart disease and hypertension, may cause asthma symptoms. Talk to a doctor if you have any of these conditions along with asthma.
Both Vitamin C and Vitamin E are important if you suffer from asthma. Both vitamins improve lung function, helping you to better resist asthma attacks and other negative symptoms. You can take a supplement in order to get these vitamins if there is not enough of them in your food. These vitamins can also boost the immune system and help prevent asthma attacks.
Asthma is a disease that is continuous. As such, it requires long-term health management. Take the proper medications for controlling your asthma daily, and keep quick relief medication somewhere on you just in case you have a sudden attack. Consult with your physician and allergist to find out what is best for you.
If you’re having asthma problems, a dehumidifier is a beneficial purchase. A reduction in humidity will also lessen the amount of dust mites in your home. This lessens the chance of an asthma flare up. Dehumidifiers work by pulling the moisture out of the air of your home.
If allergy symptoms cause you to have moderate to severe asthma attacks, there is a medication available that can help for extended periods of time. Omalizumab is a mediation that is able to control allergic reaction symptoms.
Keep your home free of dust and other triggers, especially where the person who suffers from asthma sleeps. Food should not be eaten outside of the kitchen, and there should be no indoor smoking. Let in plenty of fresh air if the weather permits, and avoid using harsh chemicals to bleach.
Talk to your doctor about getting a leukotriene inhibitor if you have asthma. This prescription will prevent the product of leukotrines and help to abate the symptoms of asthma. Leukotriene, a chemical substance, can provoke an inflammation that causes an asthma attack. Get the inhibitor to prevent the leukotrienes, and your asthma attacks may drop in number.
You should always have your rescue medication with you when you are traveling. Traveling can be somewhat stressful and put added strain your body, which might make you more likely to respond to asthma triggers by having an attack. You can’t exert as much control over your environment when you travel, so you may have an asthma attack or exacerbation of symptoms under unfamiliar conditions.
If you suffer from asthma, ensure that your diet contains adequate amounts of Vitamin E and Vitamin C. These vitamins make lungs function better and keep symptoms of asthma under control. You can take a supplement or consume these vitamins in food. Getting enough vitamins is also a good way to prevent asthma attacks by boosting your immune system.
Mold and mildew will often grow in a humid home. This stuff can easily set off an asthma attack. To halt the growth of mold and mildew keep your home’s humidity low. During winter, use a device to dehumidify in the winter, and air condition in the summer.
If you suffer from asthma, avoid smokers, even if you do not smoke yourself. When you inhale smoke, especially in close quarters, lung functioning is decreased, and it can trigger an attack.
During cold months, you could avoid asthma attacks by constantly wearing a shawl, muffler or a scarf that covers both your mouth and nose. That way the air is warmed before it enters your lungs. Breathing cold air can trigger severe asthma attacks. This is especially true for young children with asthma.
Regardless of whether your asthma has been flaring up, don’t neglect routine checkups. You don’t know when you could have another flare-up, or if there are better or safer medications available.
Use your inhaler when you need to, but be aware that this product can cause infections near your gums and teeth. You can prevent this by brushing your teeth and gargling immediately following the use of your inhaler.
Wear a covering over your mouth and nose when you go outdoors in the colder weather. A shawl, scarf or muffler would work well. You can help warm the air with these things before they bring any harm to your lungs. Breathing cold air triggers your asthma attacks, particularly in young kids with bad asthma.
Monitor how often, per week, you find it necessary to use your 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. This number can help you monitor your environment for asthma triggers and let you determine if your treatment plan is working properly.
Maintenance Medication
Instead of sweeping your floors, clean them with a damp mop. When you sweep, you are stirring up asthma triggers that can cause you to have an asthma attack. When dusting, try to use a damp rag rather than a feather duster to cut down on the spread of the triggers.
Find out how you are supposed to use your asthma medication and rescue treatments. 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 you will have asthma for the rest of your life, it is important that you take your maintenance medication properly, and that you use your emergency medication correctly.
For people with serious asthma, exposure to household pets should be limited. Having an allergy to dander or animal hair could be possible asthma complications, even sufferers free of these kinds of allergies could still have an asthma attack that is caused by pollen and dust animals seem to carry around with them.
If you are going to be flying and are bringing your asthma medicine with you, take written prescriptions from your physician with you, especially if you will be taking large equipment like a nebulizer. Having evidence from a doctor that the medication is necessary for your health will greatly help with security at the airport.
Bed linens can collect dust, pollen and other allergens, all of which can further aggravate asthma. Clean your linen and pillow case every week to prevent asthma attacks. You will breathe easier at night when you have freshly washed and clean bed linens.
Asthma sufferers should have minimal contact with animals including pets. Even people that do not have allergies are prone to suffer an asthma attack from the pollen and dust on animals.
Know how to properly use your inhaler if you’ve got asthma. In order for the inhaler to work, you must carefully follow the directions. Every time you use your inhaler, be sure to breathe deeply and slowly. Follow the instructions on your inhaler exactly to get the most benefit.
Bed Linens
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. Another sign is needing refills 3 or more times per year on your rescue inhaler prescription.
Allergens and asthma triggers, such as dust and pollen can cling to your bed linens. A weekly wash cycle using hot water can eliminate these potential triggers for asthma attacks. Fresh bed linens, washed regularly, will ensure that you can breathe a little easier while you sleep.
Schedule regular appointments with your physician to keep tabs on your asthma. Your doctor should make changes to your treatment if they feel your condition has changed. It is up to you to work with your doctor at regular appointments to keep your treatment plan working.
If you find you need your inhaler too often, more than two times a week, talk to your doctor about changing your prescription. Using your inhaler this frequently means your prescription is not effectively treating your asthma. This same advice also goes for those who must refill their inhalers more frequently than every six months.
Keep your home clean and well swept. Washing sheets, blankets or pillows regularly can also help. When you do, you prevent dust mite and dust buildup, which can both trigger your 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.
Schedule regular appointments with your physician to keep tabs on your asthma. Frequent check-ups help your doctor evaluate the effectiveness of your current treatment plan and revise the plan as needed. It is up to you to schedule these visits with the doctor so he or she can monitor your progress, and work to keep you healthy.
Take your time and build up the stamina of your body and lungs gradually. Don’t start a grueling workout that you know your asthma will not allow you to finish.
If you suffer from asthma, it is crucial to learn how to manage it. When you find ways to treat your asthma, it can become less troublesome. Thankfully, you’ve learned a lot about asthma and this article’s advice can change your life.
If you’re attacked by your asthma and are without your medications, try and consume some caffeine asap. Coffee, strong black tea, or chocolate can reduce your asthma attack symptoms. Caffeine constricts blood vessels, and that helps open your airways.