It is easy to panic after you learn that you or someone you love has asthma. Asthma is known to be a chronic condition, which means there is no known cure. However, a diagnosis of asthma does not mean your life has to be drastically altered. Keep reading to gain insight as to what you can do to keep this serious disease under control.
Asthma is a chronic condition that is ongoing over time, and as such, will require a continual treatment and management regimen. You need to always take your medications for your everyday symptoms, and keep your quick relief medication with you in case you do have an attack. Work with your allergist and doctor to find the right treatment program that makes you feel good and allows you to still do the things you want to do.
Particular Asthma
When suffering a mild or even moderate asthma attack, attempt to push all air from your lungs. Breathe out aggressively, as hard as you can. You want to force all of the air from your lungs. Then take three quick breaths, next a deeper breath till your lungs fill with air, then repeat the forceful exhalation again. Using this strategy provides your breathing with a rhythm that forces you to focus on it. It also helps to push air out from your lungs so new air can come back in. It is okay to cough, even to generate sputum. Your ultimate goal is getting your breathing regulated.
Do all you can to learn not just about asthma, but your particular asthma. Being aware of your particular asthma condition can help you to effectively treat it on a daily basis. For instance, people with exercise-induced asthma would do well to carry an inhaler in their gym bag! You can actually start preventing asthma attacks if you are aware and mindful of any patterns that your symptoms present.
If you’re a sufferer of asthma, stay away from cigarette smoke. Smoking is especially dangerous for asthmatics. Don’t breathe vapor or chemical fumes. More often than not, smoke is going to trigger an unavoidable asthma attack. If people smoke around you, you should get away form that area.
Ensure your child is never around smoke to handle their asthma. One of the primary causes of asthma is secondhand smoke. Keep your child away from cigarette smoke and any other kind of fumes.
Make certain that all members of your family get their annual flu shot. If you have asthma, it’s important to prevent all respiratory infections, if at all possible. This includes preventive measures against sickness, such as practicing good hygiene and getting all recommended vaccinations.
If you suffer from asthma, you should avoid cleaning products that have strong odors. The complex list of ingredients on many cleaning products makes it difficult know which ones have the chemical compounds that might aggravate asthma symptoms or even initiate an attack. If you must do the cleaning in your home, opt for natural products with lower chemical content.
A dehumidifier is a beneficial investment for anyone with asthma. Reducing the amount of humidity in your home reduces the number of dust mites, which in turn reduces the chances of your asthma flaring up. A dehumidifying device reduces the moisture in the air.
Keep clear of anything that you know to be a trigger for your asthma. Perhaps you have allergies or are sensitive to dust and pollen. Some things, such as physical exertion, can cause an asthma attack. Try to determine your asthma triggers, so you can avoid them and prevent attacks.
Whenever you travel, always keep your rescue inhaler or other fast-acting medication by your side at all times. Traveling causes extra strain on your already stressed body, which makes your body more susceptible to bothersome asthma triggers. It’s hard to have much control over your environment when you travel, which makes it more likely you will have some sort of symptoms or an asthma attack.
If you are dealing with asthma, keep far away from cigarette smoke. Do not smoke! Stay away from vapors and chemical fumes, too. This can trigger an asthma attack, which may be difficult to stop. If you are around others who are smoking, remove yourself.
Your home is where most asthma triggers are located. These culprits include dust, spores and mold. To reduce asthma attacks and stay healthy, have an inspector remove any harmful agents yearly. Clean up your house regularly so these substances do not accumulate.
Always use your inhaler in the proper manner. A lot of people use inhalers improperly, so be sure that you’re adhering to the manufacturer’s suggested instructions. The inhaler only helps if the medication reaches your lungs. While inhaling air, spray required dosage in your mouth. Hold your breath at least ten seconds, so that the medicated mist can fill your lungs.
A humid home environment is a healthy environment for mildew and mold to develop. You can get asthma attacks because of these substances. So try your best to make your home as dry as possible. 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.
Keep your home clean. By keeping a clean environment, especially in a bedroom, you can lower your risk of asthma attacks. Never allow anyone to smoke in the home of an asthmatic, and consider using plastic to cover your mattress and pillows. Try to avoid using any harsh chemicals or bleach in the home while cleaning; and, once the home is cleaned, air it out.
Asthma is a condition that typically will develop over a long period of time, with symptoms that are not very obvious. In some cases, people do not even know they might have a chance of an asthma attack and their first one proves fatal. If you have any trouble breathing or are coughing a lot, you need to see a doctor to determine what it is and if you need any medication or treatment for asthma prevention.
Avoid pillows stuffed with goosedown or other feathers if you have an asthma problem. The feathers contained in these pillows can aggravate asthma symptoms and reduce lung function. This applies to bedding, as well, so it’s best to make sure that everything on your bed is hypoallergenic.
Monitor how many times, on a weekly basis, you are using your rescue inhaler. If the inhaler is used more than twice, the asthma problems you are suffering from may not be well-managed or something else might be causing additional attacks to come on. The frequency of your inhaler use is a good way to remember to check out your environmental surroundings and be mindful of all factors relating to your asthma regimen.
Support Group
Avoid smoke, if you don’t want to have an asthma attack. Inhaling smoke makes it harder for you to breathe and might result in an asthma attack. Avoid smoke of any kind, including cigarette smoke, if you’ve got asthma. All of those things can trigger and aggravate asthma symptoms. If someone is smoking around you, you have every right to nicely ask them to not to.
If you or a loved one suffers from asthma, a support group may help. You can find support groups online or in your community. Asthma can be an extremely debilitating health issue and can stop you from participating in life the way you want to. A support group also makes it easier to keep up to date on advancements in asthma science or new medications that come on the market.
The only way that you should use a vaporizer or humidifier when you have asthma or allergies is if it has been cleaned thoroughly. The moist environment of a humidifier can become a breeding ground for bacteria, which can irritate allergies or trigger an asthma attack.
Mold and mildew can grow in your home where there is humidity. This stuff can easily set off an asthma attack. Therefore, you should always strive to maintain a dry home. When you are heating your home during the winter months, a dehumidifier can be used to control the humidity. In the summer, use an air conditioner to maintain dry air.
When you suffer from an asthma attack, be sure to remain calm. Grab your inhaler and use it, then wait to see if it helps. If not, then use it again in thirty seconds. If you feel your ashtma attack worsening, get immediate help. Get somebody to phone for EMS or even transport you themselves to the nearest emergency medical facility. Breathing into a paper bag on the way can sometimes help by slowing your breathing rate.
Make sure you understand the correct way to use your asthma medication, especially any rescue medication. Asthma is typically treated with a regular medication supplemented by rescue medicine, such as an inhaler. It’s crucial that medication for management of asthma is taken regularly, and that rescue medication is also used when appropriate.
If you suffer from asthma attacks, familiarize yourself with how to properly use your inhaler. You should not just stick it between your lips and spray. With each spray, you have to take a deep breath so that the medication gets into your lungs. Neglecting to learn how to use your inhaler correctly will cause your symptoms to worsen significantly.
While using an inhaler can potentially cause mouth or gum sores, it is still important to use it daily if you suffer from severe asthma. You may be able to avoid this problem by brushing your teeth or rinsing your mouth thoroughly after each use of the inhaler.
Consume more foods which contain vitamin B6. Recent research has shown that vitamin B6 , widely known as pyridoxine, is effective at reducing the occurrence of asthma attacks. Pyridoxine produces molecules that facilitate the relaxation of bronchial tissues. Chicken and carrots, as well as bananas, are two good food sources which contain vitamin B6.
Monitor how often, each week, you need your rescue inhaler. Using it two times or may may mean that your asthma is not as controlled as you may think it is. It could also mean that something else is bringing on these frequent attacks. Focusing on how often you need your inhaler makes you aware of when you need to make changes to your plan for keeping asthma under control.
Knowing your catalysts for asthma attacks is the first step to preventing them. Write down potential asthma triggers in a journal and talk to your doctor about them. Once you’ve figured out what your triggers are, work to remove them from your environmental and avoid them in your day to day life.
Keep in mind that mopping your floors with a wet mop will cause less asthma problems than sweeping will. The action of sweeping can swirl up a whole cloud of asthma-triggering particles. 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.
Strengthen your core and gradually increase lung capacity. The last thing you should do is a frenetic workout. You will surely trigger an attack. Start slow and build your stamina.
If pollen is present in the air, anyone with asthma should stay inside. Asthma symptoms are not the same as allergic reactions, but allergies and asthma attacks have many common triggers. Given the widespread availability of air quality indices for local communities, anyone who is afflicted with asthma can easily avoid unnecessary outdoor exposure when the atmosphere has likely exacerbants floating around.
Watch for symptoms of a serious attack that require an emergency hospital visit. Some symptoms of a dangerous attack include blue or gray nails and lips and a lack of response to medications. During these severe attacks, it may be difficult for your child to speak.
As you can see, the trick to living with asthma is simply being prepared. Educating yourself on your particular asthma challenges and requirements will keep you healthy and minimize the risks you have to live with. Hopefully, this article will leave you better informed and well prepared to effectively combat this very serious and potentially life changing disease.
If you’re having asthma attacks without control medications at hand, get a shot of something caffeinated. Coffee, chocolate, or strong black tea can reduce some of the asthma attacks symptoms. This works by opening up your air passages and constricting blood vessels.