Are you a part of millions of asthma sufferers that struggle with the symptoms? This article is filled with a variety of insightful, informative guidelines for managing asthma symptoms.
What type of asthma do you suffer from? 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. If you have exercised-induced asthma, for example, you’ll want to bring your inhaler with you to the gym or other locations where you might be involved in physical activity. By knowing the pattern to your symptoms it will be a big help to you avoiding crises.
If you are an asthma patient, do not expose yourself to vapors, fumes and cigarette smoke. Thus, you need to avoid cigarettes and cigars and be vigilant about steering clear of environmental or workplace exposure to smoke.
If you suffer from asthma, stay away from the fumes of household cleaning products. 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 good tip that can help your child cope with asthma is to make sure you never smoke around them. Secondhand smoke is one of the leading culprits that causes asthma. You should never put your children in a situation where they are exposed to people who are smoking.
Always be very mindful of the type of medications you’re taking. Some meds out there might just trigger an asthma attack. Various NSAIDs and aspirin have been reported to do this. Beta blockers, such as those used to control high blood pressure or heart disease may also have this effect. Make sure your doctor knows if you are taking such medicine and also have asthma.
Asthma is a continuous disease that needs ongoing management. Be sure to take the correct medicines to keep your daily asthma symptoms under control, and always have emergency medication available in case an attack occurs. Discuss treatment strategies with both your primary care physician and your allergist.
Resist the urge to turn on a fan if you find yourself in a room filled with dust. When you turn on the fans they will move the dust in the room around and this can trigger your asthma very easily. On smog-free, low pollen days, open your windows to improve airflow in the house.
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, and have many attacks that are related to your allergy symptoms, there is a medication that is injected and provides long term effects. Omalizumab can effectively control allergy symptoms you may be experiencing and can be suggested by your local allergist if it fits your needs.
Cleaning Products
Use the inhaler properly. Move to a quiet area, and then simply follow manufacturer’s instructions. The medicine must go to your lungs for it to work. While inhaling, spray the dosage in your mouth. Be sure to hold the mist in your lungs for about ten seconds.
There are certain types of household cleaning products that can trigger asthma attacks, and using multiple products is particularly dangerous. Try using organic cleaning products that are not comprised of irritating chemicals.
Talk to a social worker if you have asthma and no health insurance. Affording asthma medication is important for handling the illness, and social workers can find places the offer the medicine at low costs.
To lower the chances of an asthma attack, keep your house as clean as can be, especially the bedroom. Food should not be eaten outside of the kitchen, and there should be no indoor smoking. When cleaning your home, try not to use products that contain harsh chemicals, such as bleach. You should also allow fresh air to thoroughly circulate throughout your home after you’re done cleaning it.
An annual flu vaccination is recommended for you as well as other members of your family. Asthma patients should try their best to avoid getting respiratory infections. Take standard precautions against any kind of illness, and start washing those hands and getting vaccinations that will protect you from getting very sick.
If you are an asthma patient, you may want to sleep with a pillow that does not contain feathers. Pillow feathers force the lungs to work harder and can exacerbate asthma problems. The same reasoning applies to all bedding – only purchase bed sheets and comforters that are manufactured from hypoallergenic materials.
If you use any more than four kinds of cleaning product around your home, then the risk of an asthma attack is increased. Try using organic cleaning products that are not comprised of irritating chemicals.
Some of the most notorious causes of asthma attacks exist in normal households. Three triggers comprise the asthma triad of doom: spores, dust and mold. To keep healthy, lower your risk of an asthma attack by getting rid of these triggers from your home. Keep your house clean to keep these asthma triggers out of your home.
People who have asthma should stick to using unscented products. Products with fragrance, such as perfumes, colognes, and air fresheners, introduce irritants into the air around you and can cause asthma attacks. Fresh paint and new carpeting can also irritate the airway. Keep the air inside your home clean and fresh, and free of any asthma triggers.
Rescue Medication
Try to keep your home as clean as possible, especially the bedroom of the asthma sufferer, to reduce the risk of an asthma attack. Only eat in the kitchen, and never let anyone smoke inside the house. Try not to use bleach or other irritants inside, and always thoroughly change the air in your house after cleaning.
Know how to properly use asthma medicine, 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 considered a chronic condition. For this reason, you should take the management of it very seriously.
If you have hay fever or a cold, you will probably need increased treatment of your asthma. An increase in treatment is necessary sometimes because side effects of other sicknesses can cause your asthma symptoms to flare up. The doctor may choose to pursue additional treatment options during your illness as well.
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. When you can prove that an item is medically necessary, it can save a lot of time and hassle while working through airport security.
Your home can be the cause of your asthma and its triggers. Some of these irritants include dust, mold and spores. To keep healthy, lower your risk of an asthma attack by getting rid of these triggers from your home. Also, cleaning your house can help with this buildup.
Those with asthma should minimize time with pets and animals. While allergies to dander or animal hair can possibly complicate your asthma, even those with no such allergies can have asthma attacks by inhaling the pollen and dust animals usually carry about with them.
Monitor how often, each week, you need your rescue 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. You are able to judge how the environment around you effects your body by how many times you need to use your inhaler.
Get a second opinion. Your PCP can be the person you go to for help with asthma, but it’s also a good idea to talk to a specialist. Some specialists to consider visiting are those who deal directly with allergies or nutrition. This is a great way to attack asthma from all angles.
Remain calm in the event of an asthma attack. You should immediately use your inhaler and use the inhaler again 30 seconds later. If your attack worsens, call for help. Have someone phone an ambulance or drive you to a hospital. Slow your breathing by inhaling and exhaling into a paper bag while you are waiting for help.
Proper use of an inhaler is crucial if you suffer from asthma. It is not as simple as spraying it into your mouth and breathing in. With each spray, you have to take a deep breath so that the medication gets into your lungs. Holding it in will allow the medicine to open up your bronchial passages and relieve your attack.
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 might mean that your inhaler isn’t working enough for you. This is also true if you are refilling your rescue inhaler prescription more than twice a year.
If you find it necessary to use an inhaler more than two times a week, you should talk to your doctor about changing your medication. This means your inhaler isn’t working right. This is also true if your inhaler needs refilling more than two times annually.
Joining a support group for asthma sufferers, or having a conversation with others who have asthma, is very helpful. By talking to fellow sufferers, you will learn more about asthma and what you should do in case of an attack. Gaining support from the people you love and those who care is vital to the process.
You could gain some comfort from attending a support group geared toward asthmatics or even by just communicating with people with the same issues. Other asthma sufferers often have the best tricks for dealing with dangerous situations, and fighting the battle against asthma. Gaining support from the people you love and those who care is vital to the process.
A key way to manage your asthma is working to identify all of the things that trigger your attacks. You may even want to keep an asthma trigger journal so you can discuss this with your doctor. After you figure out what your triggers are, do everything in your power to avoid exposure to them.
Take your time and build up the stamina of your body and lungs gradually. Do not try to start with a hard workout that you will not be able to finish because your asthma will get in the way.
Over time you should work to strengthen your body and increase the capacity of your lungs. Don’t start strenuous exercise if you know that your asthma wont let you finish!
The above article contains many tips to help you control asthma. However, none of these tips will be effective if you do not apply them properly. Even if you only briefly ignore the signs that indicate an asthma attack may be on the horizon, your symptoms can quickly reemerge. Be diligent and protect yourself when you implement the ideas from this article to manage your asthma.
Keep a close eye on your children for indications of any allergic reactions to food. If any of your kids break out into hives, or seem to have difficulty breathing after eating a certain food, schedule allergy testing for them. You may develop asthma down the line if you have these allergies.