You are starting to panic because you have been told you have asthma. Asthma has no cure, and as such the condition is chronic. However, this doesn’t mean life ends when you get diagnosed. This article can give you some tips about how to deal with asthma.
Be aware of certain medications that can lead to asthma problems. Examples of medications that may contribute to asthma are aspirin and other NSAIDs. Beta blockers can also have this affect, as well as other medications for controlling high blood pressure and heart disease. Let your doctor know about your asthma and what prescriptions you’re taking.
An important part of symptom management is knowing what type of asthma you have. One of the best ways to combat asthma and its limiting effects on your life is to know and understand as much as you can about your specific condition. For example, if you have exercise-induced asthma, you will want to always make sure you have an inhaler in your gym bag. When you know what triggers your asthma, you will be more prepared to stop attacks before they begin.
If you have asthma and suffer persistent attacks caused by allergy symptoms, an injectable medicine can be administered for extended relief. Your allergist might recommend Omalizumab, which is an antibody type medicine that can regulate your symptoms of allergic reactions.
Asthmatics should not smoke. If you smoke – quit immediately. Smoking is bad in general for everyone, but it is particularly worse for asthma suffers because it decreases the amount of oxygen in the lungs, putting you at higher risk for asthma attacks.
A leukotriene inhibitor may be an excellent way for you to deal with asthma. This type of inhibitor is designed to prevent leukotrienes. A leukotriene will cause inflammation in the respiratory system, causing an asthma attack. When used properly, an inhibitor can help reduce symptoms and prevent attacks.
Stay away from anything that you are aware of that may trigger your asthma. For some people, this is allergy related; things like pollen and dust can start an attack. While in other people, all it takes is physical activity and an attack can trigger. Knowing exactly what sets off your asthma is thus, very important.
Talk to a social worker if you have asthma and no health insurance. 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.
Exhale Forcefully
Get a flu shot every season and make sure your family does as well. If you suffer from asthma, it is best to avoid respiratory infections of any type as much as possible. The preventative measures you can take against such sickness range from simple habits of hand washing to getting your annual flu shot.
If you have moderate asthma attacks, exhale forcefully, so that you force air from your lungs. Force air out of your lungs with quick, powerful exhalations. You have to force the air out. Then take three small breaths in, followed by a deeper breath to fill your lungs comfortably. Next, exhale forcefully again. Using this strategy provides your breathing with a rhythm that forces you to focus on it. It also keeps air flowing out of the lung,s so that you can refill them. This may cause you to cough or it may cause phlegm, but your breathing will be back to normal again.
Both Vitamin C and Vitamin E are important if you suffer from asthma. These vitamins can help improve your lung function, ultimately controlling asthma. You can choose to ingest this vitamins by eating foods that are rich in the vitamins or through a supplement. Getting enough vitamins is also a good way to prevent asthma attacks by boosting your immune system.
Talk to your doctor about getting a leukotriene inhibitor if you have asthma. These inhibitors can prevent leukotrienes. Leukotriene, a chemical substance, can provoke an inflammation that causes an asthma attack. Taking an inhibitor will reduce the amount of this substance your body produces, which should decrease the number of attacks you experience.
Think about getting a home dehumidifier if you have asthma. Not only will a dehumidifier decrease humidity, but it will also be helpful in controlling the dust mite population. Both are causative factors in asthma attacks. A dehumidifier makes the air in your home dry by keeping humidity to a minimum.
If you have asthma and do not have health insurance, you should consider seeing a social worker. You must have the ability to afford your medication, so a social worker might be able to locate a hospital or clinic that can offer them at little cost or free.
People suffering from asthma should stick to unscented products. Simple everyday things such as air fresheners, incense and perfume can cause indoor air pollution levels to increase and trigger an attack. Fresh paint and new carpeting also produce smells that can cause irritation to the airways. Keep the air inside your house as fresh as you can.
Using more than 4 different kinds of cleaning products for your house has been known to increase risks associated to asthma attacks. Choose organic products, and stick to as few products as possible.
Be prepared for your asthma treatment to be increased if you have a cold or hay fever. The effects of an illness can cause the severity of your asthma to temporarily increase, which necessitates a change in treatment. Your doctor could add another treatment into your regimen until the illness is better.
Tobacco Smoke
Even if your asthma is not acting up, attend all of your doctor’s appointments. You cannot be certain when you will next have an issue with your asthma, or when there may be a better medication available to utilize for your condition.
Stay away from any tobacco smoke, even people that are smoking tobacco. 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.
Humidity in your home causes an environment where mildew and mold are more likely to grow. Protect yourself against allergens, dust mites and fungus to avoid exacerbating your asthma symptoms. You should therefore try to keep your home dry. When you are using a heater in winter time, you can run a dehumidifier for help controlling humidity. In the summer, running your air conditioner will allow you to keep your humidity down.
People suffering from asthma should stick to unscented products. Using scented products, like air fresheners and perfume, will increase the level of air pollution and is likely to trigger an attack. New carpet and fresh paint can also emit odors that can irritate the airways. Try to maintain the air in your house as free from possible asthma triggers as possible.
Be sure you understand how to use the medication you’re given for asthma properly, especially your rescue medication. Asthma is generally treated with a rescue medication, usually an inhaler, in addition to a regularly-taken maintenance medication. Asthma is not curable, so it is very important that you take your medication properly and only use your rescue medication if you need it.
In order to minimize the chance of an asthma attack, be sure to keep your living area very clean, most definitely the bedroom area. Also, you should keep food confined to the kitchen, and opt to smoke outdoors only. After using chemical to clean, air out the house.
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. Having evidence from a doctor that the medication is necessary for your health will greatly help with security at the airport.
Preparation is the key to living with your condition. A good knowledge of how to prevent asthma attacks and how to manage your symptoms will make living with asthma easier. Hopefully, this article will leave you better informed and well prepared to effectively combat this very serious and potentially life changing disease.
If you are cleaning, you should use a mop that is damp instead of a dry broom. Sweeping your floor can kick allergens into the air, triggering an asthma attack. You can greatly reduce this by using a wet sponge, damp rag, or moist cloth instead of your old-fashioned feather duster.