Asthma can cause life-altering changes to your life because of the severity of the condition. The best way to take care of your asthma is to take the necessary steps to make sure it does not become out of control and very severe. The following article has tips for you to help manage and live with your asthma.
Do you know what type of asthma you have? Being aware of your specific condition will help you combat the effects it has over your body day in and day out. If your asthma is triggered by exercise, throw an inhaler into your gym bag. By knowing the pattern to your symptoms it will be a big help to you avoiding crises.
To keep your child healthy, make sure they are never around smoke. One of the primary causes of asthma is secondhand smoke. You should never put your children in a situation where they are exposed to people who are smoking.
If you are having trouble preventing asthma attacks, you may find success with a leukotriene inhibitor. These work by preventing the formation of leukotrienes. A leukotrienes is a type of chemical that causes inflammation, which leads to asthma attacks. The inhibitor prevents leukotrienes, and that can decrease the number of asthma attacks you deal with.
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that requires constant management. Always be very sure that you’re taking the right type of medication for your condition if you hope to control it. It’s also important to have a quick-relief medication available. Consult with your physician and allergist to find out what is best for you.
Make sure you use the inhaler in the proper, prescribed method. 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. While inhaling air, spray the proper amount of inhalant into your mouth. Then, don’t breathe for around 10 seconds so that the medication permeates your lungs.
If you have been diagnosed with asthma, you must avoid cigarette smoke at all costs. Never smoke yourself! It is also a good idea to stay away from the fumes or vapors from harsh chemicals, such as those used in cleaning. This may cause an asthma attack you can’t stop. The minute you spot people smoking, immediately remove yourself from the area.
Think about buying a dehumidifier if your asthma symptoms are bad. With less humidity, there will be fewer dust mites, and that means that there is less of a chance that your asthma will flare up. A dehumidifier works to dry the air by removing moisture.
Don’t turn on any fans if you see that your room is dusty. This can move the dust around and can trigger an attack easily. If you feel you need airflow, open a window instead.
It has been shown that if you use multiple varieties of cleaning products around your house, it will increase the chance of an asthma attack. Opt for organic cleaning products that do not contain irritating chemicals.
Using over four kinds of cleaning products in the home can trigger asthma attacks. Organic products are preferable to more chemically loaded, commercially produced cleaning products.
If you have asthma, avoid people who are smoking. When you inhale tobacco smoke, particularly in small areas without much ventilation, lung function may be severely impacted, and you have a higher chance of having an attack.
Keep your home clean. By keeping a clean environment, especially in a bedroom, you can lower your risk of asthma attacks. Only permit food in designated eating areas, such as the kitchen or dining room, and don’t allow smoking inside the house at all. Try not to use bleach or other irritants inside, and always thoroughly change the air in your house after cleaning.
You may want to join an online or offline support group. If you have asthma, it can stop you from participating in basic activities like sports, especially if the condition is severe. Furthermore, these groups will keep you informed about any changes in medicines or any other scientific discoveries that are relevant.
Receiving a regular flu shot is a great tip to implement if you or someone you love suffers from asthma. Get vaccinated every flu season to avoid a high number of infections.
In the winter, cover your mouth and nose with a scarf or shawl to prevent asthma attacks. This lets the air warm slightly before you breathe it in. Breathing in cold air tends to start asthma attacks, especially with younger children that have severe or moderate asthma.
When traveling, make sure to have your rescue medication handy at all times. It’s easy to get thrown off your regular eating and sleeping routine while traveling, which strains your body and increases your vulnerability to asthma attack triggers. Influencing the environment around you is nearly impossible while on the road, which is another opportunity for deteriorating symptoms or attack triggers.
If you are taking an airplane and you need to travel with your asthma apparatus or medications, bring your written prescription with you. Having written documentation supporting this medically necessary item will eliminate any hassles when going through the security check point.
Your home can be full of the major triggers leading to an asthma attack. Three triggers comprise the asthma triad of doom: spores, dust and mold. An annual visit by a professional inspector can help keep your home free from these agents, and reduce the likelihood of an attack. Additionally, cleaning your home on a regular schedule prevents these unwanted visitors from taking residence en masse.
If you have asthma, clean your floors with a wet mop, instead of sweeping with a traditional broom. Sweeping stirs up irritants that can trigger an asthma attack. A damp rag should be used when dusting because a feather duster can cause dust to kick up and lead to an asthma attack.
Avoid cold-induced asthma attacks by protecting your mouth and nose with a scarf. This lets the air warm slightly before you breathe it in. Cold air can trigger severe attacks, especially for young children.
Make sure you are going to different doctors. You want to see your primary doctor for asthma help, though you should also see some specialists. The allergists, pulmonologists and nutritionists in asthma centers can help you take full advantage of all treatments available.
Asthma takes a long time to develop and doesn’t yield obvious symptoms. In some serious cases, people have dropped dead due to an asthma attack without ever knowing they had asthma in the first place. If you have any trouble catching your breath or a cough that won’t go away, consider talking to your doctor to make sure that you aren’t afflicted with asthma. If you are, you’ll need to keep an inhaler with you at all times and possible take other medications.
If you have asthma and allergies, do not use a vaporizer or humidifier unless you make sure that it has been cleaned thoroughly. If it is not clean you end up getting bacteria growth in the damp interior of the machine, and that ends up flooding the air you want to humidify with allergens.
Dust, pollen, allergens and other asthma aggravators tend to collect in bed linens. You can cut down on these irritants or eliminate them altogether by washing your bedding and pillow cases in very hot water once a week. You’re less likely to have an asthma attack while asleep or upon first waking up if your bedding is fresh and clean.
Check in with your doctor regularly to ensure that you are maintaining your asthma condition correctly and successfully. At your doctor’s visit, the doctor will evaluate your asthma and make any changes to your treatment plan if they are required. It is your responsibility to make sure you make these appointments with your doctor so that he can follow up with you and keep you healthy.
Paint Fumes
If you are going to paint your home, purchase a mask beforehand so that you will not breath the fumes. Asthma is strongly irritated by paint, so a mask will put a shield between you and it, and lessen the problem. In fact, you should stay vigilant here and avoid any and all chemicals that may trigger an asthma attack.
If repainting a room is in your future, purchase a quality mask first to protect your lungs from paint fumes. A proper breathing mask will help to protect asthma sufferers from paint fumes. In general practice, in fact, it is best to avoid fumes that will likely trigger an attack.
Keep the place you live clean, and make sure to sweep it regularly. Make sure you wash your bedding often. When you do this, you prevent the buildup of dusts and dust mites, both of which often trigger asthma attacks. When the dust has a chance to build up, the air can irritate asthma sufferers and put them more at risk of having an attack.
The cause of asthma can be hereditary or it can be induced by environmental factors. Sometimes both factors have a role in the disease. Common allergens often trigger an asthma attack and create the wheezing breathing
that is characteristic of the disease. Keep an eye out if you have any other family members who have asthma. Things in the environment like smoke, mold, dust and pollution can aggravate asthma. It is important to keep your family and self away from these things.
If you have an asthma emergency but you don’t have your inhaler on hand, try using caffeine as a substitute. Strong black tea, coffee or chocolate can aid in mitigating asthma attack symptoms. It works by constricting blood vessels, thus opening your airways.
Remain watchful toward allergy attacks and change your medication if you experience more than two attacks per week. Both doctors and nurses claim having a larger number than two attacks each week can be very hazardous. This can be easily prevented.
Yearly flu vaccinations are highly recommended. Even if you’re not affected by flu seasons, you should still get a vaccine. If you have asthma, the flu virus is more likely to lead to serious sinus or respiratory infections.
If a loved one suffers from asthma, it is important to be sure that smoking is prohibited around them. You will want to be certain that the people you know understand that you have a policy against any smoking in your home. Heavy smokers can trigger asthma attacks because their clothing gives of a smoke-filled scent.
If you have a child with asthma who is under the age of five, watch for signs of an attack that require a trip to the emergency room. Symptoms to watch out for include: inability to get enough air, difficulty talking, gasping, and drawing the abdomen under the ribs when breathing. If even one of these symptoms is present, call 911 immediately to get urgent medical care.
Visit the doctor if you know your symptoms are worsening. More importantly, you should apply these tips whenever possible, to keep the symptoms down and hopefully, improve your quality of life.
Asthma sufferers should take care to warm up before doing and strenuous exercise and cool down well afterwards. Doing these will reduce the likelihood of an asthma attack.