Are you an asthma sufferer looking for more information about your condition? Remember you’re not the only one experiencing this. Many people want more information about asthma. What you’re going to read in this article might surprise you.
A lot of medications can trigger an asthma attack without you knowing. Examples of medications that may contribute to asthma are aspirin and other NSAIDs. The medication you take for high blood pressure can also cause asthma symptoms. Make sure you consult with your doctor concerning your asthma and possible drug reactions.
You should avoid smoking at all costs and being exposed to vapors and perfumes if you suffer from asthma. This means avoiding tobacco products, and making sure that you do not choose any kind of job that could expose you to harmful vapors or smoke, such as factory work.
Resist the urge to turn on a fan if you find yourself in a room filled with dust. Turning on a fan is going to cause the dust to leave its surface and begin filling the air of your environment. A fan will just blow around dust without providing fresh air, so opening a window is a better option as it brings in fresh air and ventilation.
Avoid anything that could trigger your asthma. This can vary from person to person, as small particles like dust can cause asthma attacks. For others, physical activities can cause them. You need to determine what your triggers are so that you can avoid them.
Make sure you use the inhaler in the proper, prescribed method. Locate a quiet place, and follow the label to a tee. Remember that using an inhaler is only going to help you if the medication contained within makes its way to the lungs. While inhaling air, spray the proper amount of inhalant into your mouth. Hold your breath for at least 10 seconds to allow the medicated mist to fill your lungs.
If you are experiencing a moderately severe attack, try to first exhale completely. Breathe out fast and hard. This will force the air from your lungs. Inhale in a series of three, or three shallow breaths and one deep breath. After your lungs are filled with air, forcefully exhale again. Breathing in this rhythmic manner helps you to concentrate on the breaths you’re taking. Expelling the air from your lungs in this fashion also allows you to breathe in deeper. This may cause you to cough or it may cause phlegm, but your breathing will be back to normal again.
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.
Social Worker
Some common catalysts of asthma attacks regularly occur in the home. Typical asthma triggers in the home are dust and mold spores. If you want to prevent and manage these sources of asthma attacks, have regular home inspections by a professional, and get identified harming agents cleaned out. It also helps to clean your home frequently to prevent a buildup of these allergens.
If you have asthma and do not have health insurance, you should consider seeing a social worker. Having the financial ability to purchase your asthma medications is essential, and a social worker can help you locate a hospital or clinic that can provide you with these medications for free or at a significantly reduced rate.
Making mouth and nose coverings such as mufflers, shawls or scarves a routine part of your winter wardrobe can help you ward off asthma attacks. Proper winter wear can keep cold air from agitating your lungs. Breathing in the cold air has been shown to trigger asthma attacks, especially in younger children with moderate to severe asthma.
If you suffer from asthma, be sure your diet includes lots of Vitamins C and E. It is widely believed that these vitamins can help control asthma symptoms by improving lung function. It is possible to acquire the necessary amounts by eating foods or by taking dietary supplements. These vitamins also help boost your immune system, which helps to prevent illnesses that trigger asthma.
If traveling by plane with your asthma equipment or medications, always carry your written prescription with you to avoid problems. If you have the proof that this is a medical necessity, it can cause less hassles during the security check.
Understand what things make your asthma flare and avoid these things or manage the symptoms. There are some quite common triggers that can invoke an attack in asthma sufferers, for example cigarette smoke, pollen, or pet hair and dander. Do your best to avoid coming into contact with substances that you know will trigger your symptoms.
Use your inhaler when you need to, but be aware that this product can cause infections near your gums and teeth. One way to reduce the probability of such infections is to immediately brush and gargle after inhaling the medicine.
Travel with your rescue medication on your person at all times. Traveling can be somewhat stressful and put added strain your body, which might make you more likely to respond to asthma triggers by having an attack. Traveling can make asthma symptoms worse, and it is difficult, nearly impossible to control environmental triggers during travel.
Keep an asthma diary and record how often, each week, you must use a rescue inhaler. You should not have to rely on a rescue inhaler more than twice per week. If you find yourself needing it more often, it could be a sign that your asthma is not being controlled well or that there is a new environmental factor causing attacks more frequently. You can use your frequency of inhaler use to gauge the effectiveness of your asthma treatment plan and make modifications when necessary.
Asthma Triggers
Avoiding smoke is one of the best asthma-prevention tips out there. Smoke is a major cause of asthma attacks. Do what you can to avoid chemical fumes, cigarette smoke and other vapors. These things can cause your asthma symptoms to greatly increase. Politely request that smokers abstain from smoking in your presence.
Many of the most common asthma triggers are found in the home. Dander, dust and mold are all commonly found in many homes. Having your house inspected yearly is a good way to reduce the presence of these asthma triggers. In addition, regularly cleaning the home can stop these things from building up.
Avoid smoking. If you have asthma, you could have serious health complications from smoking. Smoke greatly irritates the sensitive lungs of the person with asthma, so in addition to not smoking, someone with asthma should avoid people that are smoking.
Mold and mildew grow in a home due to the humidity that creates a friendly environment for them. They are a nuisance for people with asthma; the asthma attacks they trigger require you to eliminate them. Therefore, you should always strive to maintain a dry home. A dehumidifier can be used in the winter, and in the summer, many air conditioner models also help strip moisture from the air.
Try to avoid the seasonal pollen that may trigger an asthma attack. Even though asthma is not considered to be an allergy, asthma is triggered by the same things that cause allergies. Asthma suffers can now minimize exposure to outdoor pollutants and irritants by checking online for current air quality in their areas.
You need to know how to properly use asthma medications that are prescribed to you, especially your rescue medication, so that you are prepared if you need to use it during an emergency. Asthma typically is treated so that the sufferer has a regular maintenance medication, but is also prescribed a rescue medication, like an inhaler. Because asthma has no cure, you must treat it carefully by taking your maintenance medication every day and using your emergency medication responsibly.
You should not use a vaporizer or humidifier if you have asthma or allergies unless you are sure that it is clean. Bacteria can build up in the moisture of these machines, and get relayed into the very environment that you are attempting to make more conducive to your condition.
Being curious about your asthma is key in becoming a part of your treatment team. The purpose of the article above, was to give you crucial asthma information that you can use, to help ease the stresses of having this condition. By implementing the advice you’ve read here, you’ll find that your life is a lot more enjoyable!
Learn as much as you can about asthma. Knowledge is power, and enlightened proactive steps yield immeasurable dividends in your treatment and management regimen. Keep yourself up to date about new findings and find a good doctor. The only way you can do this is by arming yourself with condition and treatment knowledge.