Regardless of how long you may have had it, asthma can still be a frightening concept for you or your loved ones. You need to be aware of the things asthma could do and what it entails, in order to be able to properly manage asthma. Know what you need to do and how to go about it by arming yourself with the knowledge in these tips.
If you are afficted with asthma, it is critical to quit smoking and avoid the use of any other tobacco products. Smoking is horrible for people, it is really bad if asthma becomes worse and blocks oxygen to your body, you need oxygen to work and stave off asthma.
Some asthmas are specific to certain triggers, so identify what kind you have. Before you can develop a self-care plan for your asthma symptoms, you need to know the specific cause of your symptoms. One example of this is exercise-induced asthma. This type of asthmatic will need to carry his inhaler with him when he goes for a run. Learn what activities trigger your symptoms, and prepare accordingly so that you’re never caught without your inhaler during an asthma attack.
You need ongoing treatment for asthma because it’s an ongoing disease. Make sure to take the right medication for controlling everyday asthma symptoms, but also have quick relief medication with you in case of an attack. Speak to an allergist and doctor to see what’s best for you.
If you are dealing with asthma, keep far away from cigarette smoke. Do not smoke! Avoid breathing in any of the vapors or other chemical fumes. This can trigger an unstoppable asthma attack. Leave a room if people smoke, or ask them to stop.
If you’re suffering from an asthma attack that’s moderate or mild, then work to force all the air you can from your lungs. Exhale hard and fast. It can’t be said too strongly: you must force the air out! Then take three small breaths in, followed by a deeper breath to fill your lungs comfortably. Next, exhale forcefully again. This will force you to pay careful attention to all of your breaths. Expelling the air from your lungs in this fashion also allows you to breathe in deeper. You might cough or produce sputum, but that is fine; you are trying to get breathing under control again.
If you suffer from asthma and allergies that result in attacks, you can get injections of long-lasting medication for relief. Ask your allergist about omalizumab, an antibody drug that can reduce the severity of asthma symptoms and the frequency of attacks.
Dust will make you have an attack, so keep the air calm in dirty rooms. This can move the dust around and can trigger an attack easily. Instead, you should consider opening a window to get some fresh clean air going through your lungs.
Asthma Patients
Consider getting allergy shots if you have asthma that is caused by allergies that aren’t under control. Omalizumab is a mediation that is able to control allergic reaction symptoms.
Asthma patients without health insurance can get help by asking a social worker and getting access to programs with the resources asthma patients need. 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.
Consider a leokotriene inhibitor if your asthma is not controlled by other methods. A leukotriene inhibitor prevents the formation of leukotrienes. Leukotrienes has a hand in causing swelling and inflammation in your lungs, and may trigger a asthma attack. Get the inhibitor to prevent the leukotrienes, and your asthma attacks may drop in number.
Your asthma treatments will likely increase when you suffer from hay fever or a cold. Make sure your doctor prescribes a fast acting inhaler for emergency situations. It is possible that your doctor will decide to modify your treatment, or even add additional treatments, until you are back on your feet.
If you are an asthma sufferer and are denied health insurance, talk to a social worker. You will need asthma medications, and if you are unable to afford them, a social worker can find a hospital or clinic that can offer you medication for free or for a little cost.
Know what causes your asthma attacks, as this will enable you to work around them or prepare to treat the asthma attacks that result. Most with asthma share common triggers, like pet dander, pollen or smoke. If able, avoid anything that results in symptoms of asthma or an asthma attack.
An annual flu shot is crucial if you have asthma or have an asthmatic child. Stave off these infections immediately by getting your vaccinations yearly.
Don’t miss your appointment for an asthma checkup simply because you aren’t currently having any problems with your condition. You don’t know when you could have another flare-up, or if there are better or safer medications available.
There is good reason to make sure you have your rescue medicine for asthma in a convenient, easy to reach place. Travel adds stress on your physical body, and it might increase your chances of falling prey to asthma triggers. It’s also hard to control the environment you’re in when traveling, which is another reason you might experience more symptoms or have an attack.
The more humid your home is, the easier it is for mildew and mold to grow. These fungi are both common triggers for asthma attacks. Thus, keep the air in your home as moisture-free as possible to avoid asthma-related problems. In the winter months, use a dehumidifier in order to get rid of moisture. Your air conditioner will keep it dry in the summer.
Keep in mind that mopping your floors with a wet mop will cause less asthma problems than sweeping will. If you are sweeping, you can trigger an asthma attack by stirring up a lot of allergens into the air. Dust will adhere to a wet towel instead of being loose in the air like feather dusters do where it can aggravate your asthma.
Asthma Attacks
When you are trying to prevent asthma, you should avoid smoke. Smoking can actually trigger an asthma attack. So do whatever you can to stay away from vapors, chemical fumes and smoke from cigarettes. All of those things can trigger and aggravate asthma symptoms. If a person is smoking around you, politely ask him to smoke at times when you are somewhere else.
When the weather starts to turn colder, wear a scarf or shawl that covers your mouth and nose to help prevent asthma attacks. You can help warm the air with these things before they bring any harm to your lungs. Studies have consistently shown that cold air can cause your throat and lungs to constrict, triggering asthma attacks. Children are especially susceptible to cold-induced asthma.
Being around animals should be avoided. Even if they are not allergic to the animals, the pollen and dust that animals attract can trigger an asthma attack.
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. Always clean your teeth and rinse your mouth after you use your inhaler.
Avoid smoking. Most people know how dangerous smoking is, but for someone afflicted with asthma, the dangers are ten times more serious. Smoking is very bad for people who suffer from asthma, be sure not to smoke, but not to be around people that smoke.
Stop smoking. Although bad for everyone, cigarettes can cause greater problems for those with asthma. 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.
Watch the pollen counts and adjust your activity accordingly to protect yourself from seasonal asthma issues. While asthma is different than allergies, often the same types of things that bother those with allergies trigger irritation in asthmatics as well. These days, information about the quality of local air is readily available, so people with asthma can avoid spending time outside when the air is full of things that irritate their lungs.
When pollen counts begin to rise, then anyone who suffers from asthma should just stay inside as much as they can. Asthma symptoms are not the same as allergic reactions, but allergies and asthma attacks have many common triggers. These days, information about the quality of local air is readily available, so people with asthma can avoid spending time outside when the air is full of things that irritate their lungs.
Keep yourself as calm as possible when having an asthma attack. First thing first, use your inhaler, then wait 30 seconds and begin to use it again. If this doesn’t start to control your attack, get assistance right away. Have someone take you to a hospital, or if necessary call an ambulance. Inhaling and exhaling into a paper bag can slow your breathing while en route.
Clearly, there are many things to be learned about asthma. The article above is a starting point in helping you or someone you love deal with asthma. You and your doctor can work together to manage your asthma, and improve your quality of life.
If you frequently use your inhaler (more than two to three times per week), you should talk to your doctor about alternative methods of treatment or a different prescription. It means the medication used to calm acute attacks is either ineffective or not effective enough. Also, if you have to refill your inhaler more than twice in one year, then a visit to the doctor for a medication change is also in order.