If you are afflicted with asthma, reading this article is going to benefit you. We have put together some very useful tips to help make living with asthma easier, and show you how you can return to a fuller, happy and healthy lifestyle.
If you have asthma, you should definitely avoid smoking or being exposed to any kind of fumes or vapors. This includes all tobacco products, and you also need to be careful if you are going to apply for a job in a factory or where you have the potential to be exposed to vapors and harmful smoke.
If you suffer from asthma, don’t smoke or expose yourself to smoke, fumes or vapors. This means you should stay away from all tobacco products and carefully consider the jobs you apply to, especially in factories, as you may be exposed to harmful smoke or vapors.
Do you know what type of asthma you have? You can learn to combat the life changing effects of asthma by understanding your specific type. For example, if your asthma is brought on by bronchitis, you should keep your rescue inhaler with you during times when you are sick. You can actually start preventing asthma attacks if you are aware and mindful of any patterns that your symptoms present.
Asthma Symptoms
If you suffer from asthma, you should avoid cleaning products that have strong odors. It is very possible that one might bring on an asthma attack with some chemicals used for cleaning. If you must do the cleaning in your home, opt for natural products with lower chemical content.
There are some medications that may contribute to asthma symptoms. Some over the counter medications can irritate your asthma. Many medications for heart disease and hypertension can also cause asthma symptoms. If you suffer from these conditions and also have asthma, be sure to let your doctor know.
Avoid the things that trigger your asthma. Asthma triggers will vary greatly between individuals. If you have allergy related asthma, you will want to avoid pollen and dust. Some people get attacks after being physically active. Figure out what sets off your asthma so you can avoid it.
During an attack that isn’t severe, force all air from your lungs. Exhale quickly and hard. It can’t be said too strongly: you must force the air out! Inhale in a series of three, or three shallow breaths and one deep breath. After your lungs are filled with air, forcefully exhale again. This method forces you to pay close attention to your breathing and create a steady rhythm. It also allows you to take in more air by completely emptying your lungs. You may generate sputum or cough but that is alright, since your main objective is getting you to breathe normally again.
When you suffer a medium-intensity attack, try and forcefully exhale all air from your lungs. Exhale quickly and forcefully. Try to force the air out of your lungs! Inhale for three quick breaths, and then take one deep breath so that you can allow your lungs to fill with air, and then force the air out again. This will make your breathing rhythmic and help you pay more attention to it. This is a good way to empty your lungs and let more air come in. You may cough or generate sputum, this is okay, your main goal is to get your breathing back on track again.
Make sure you are using your inhaler properly. A lot of people use inhalers improperly, so be sure that you’re adhering to the manufacturer’s suggested instructions. The medicine in the inhaler only works if it actually makes it to your lungs. The dosage that is required should be sprayed into the mouth while you inhale air. Then, don’t breathe for around 10 seconds so that the medication permeates your lungs.
Proper knowledge of how to use your inhaler is necessary if you have asthma. Find a spot that is out of the way, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter. Remember that using an inhaler is only going to help you if the medication contained within makes its way to the lungs. Breathe in through your mouth while you’re pressing the spray button. After inhaling, it’s important that you hold the medication in by holding your breath for 10 seconds at the least.
If you are someone who suffers from asthma, you should consider buying a dehumidifier for your home. By bringing down the humidity level, it will reduce dust mites and reduce asthma flare-ups. Use a dehumidifier, and the air you breath will be much less likely to cause your asthma to flare up.
Everyone in your family, including you, should get the flu vaccination every year. It is a good idea to avoid all respiratory infections when you have asthma. This means taking every precaution possible, do things like getting vaccinated to prevent sickness to hand washing on a regular basis.
If you are using a lot of different cleaners around your house you can trigger a asthma attack. A great way to prevent this is to purchase some organic, non-chemical cleaning products. These all-natural products are safe when inhaled.
When suffering from asthma, there are vitamins that can help, including E and C. It is widely believed that these vitamins can help control asthma symptoms by improving lung function. You can gain vitamins from supplements or the old fashioned way, from food! These vitamins can boost immune systems, which helps you to avoid illnesses that can be a trigger for your asthma.
If you suffer from asthma, don’t expose yourself to secondhand smoke. When you inhale tobacco smoke, the lung’s function can be decreased, and you will increase the chance you have an asthma attack. Smaller areas without proper ventilation make you even more susceptible to an attack.
If you have asthma, avoid people who smoke. Tobacco smoke can bring on an asthma attack, especially within areas without good air flow. The smoke restricts the ability of your lungs to breathe, making an attack much more likely to occur.
Make sure you get a flu shot once a year if you suffer from asthma. Avoid a lot of these infections by getting vaccinated each year.
When the weather starts to turn colder, wear a scarf or shawl that covers your mouth and nose to help prevent asthma attacks. Bundling up puts heat between the air and your lungs, which can help lessen your risk of an asthma attack. By breathing in cold air, it has been proven that it could trigger an asthma attack more so in children that are younger and suffer from severe to moderate asthma.
Sleep with a feather-less pillow if you have asthma. The feathers from a pillow can cause asthma symptoms and decrease your lung function. This extends to the rest of your bedding, as well. There are hypoallergenic comforters and sheets you can use to limit asthma symptoms.
Take note of how often, from a weekly standpoint, you use the rescue inhaler. If you use it three or more times each week, your treatment plan may not be working effectively or else an atypical situation may be triggering an increased number of attacks. Counting how many times you reach for your inhaler can be a good aid to remind you of what environments you need to control and what else you may need to manage.
Don’t skip appointments for your checkups, even if you haven’t had any recent asthma attacks. It is impossible to predict the next attack. Furthermore, newer or safer asthma medications may be approved in the time since you last visited your doctor.
If you have asthma consider staying away from pets or animals. Some asthma sufferers are allergic to animal fur or dander on top of their asthma, but even those who don’t have such an allergy can bring on an attack if they breathe in too much of these irritants.
Humidity in the home can create an environment that is ideal for mold and mildew to grow. These things can trigger asthma attacks very easily. It is best if you keep the air in your home as dry as possible. 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.
Allergens, dust, pollen and other things that can aggravate your asthma tend to collect inside bed linens. If you put your pillowcases and sheets in hot water weekly, these inducers will be reduced or completely eliminated. The freshly laundered linens will make it easier for you to breath when you are sleeping.
When it’s colder, wear a shawl, scarf or muffler that will cover your mouth and nose to avoid asthma attacks. Proper winter wear can keep cold air from agitating your lungs. Young children are especially at risk for an asthma attack if the air they breathe is too cold, but this problem can affect anybody with asthma.
You want to make certain you visit more than just one doctor. While your asthma treatment should start with your primary care doctor, visiting one or two asthma specialists can make a real difference in how well you understand and manage your condition. Nutritionists, allergists, pulmonologists and asthma centers can all help you, so make sure that you are using all of the different treatment avenues that you can.
Know exactly how any asthma medication you take or may take works. Asthma is generally treated with a rescue medication, usually an inhaler, in addition to a regularly-taken maintenance medication. It’s important to use both forms of medication properly to treat your chronic condition.
Smoking is particularly bad for people with asthma. Most people know that smoking is unhealthy, but the consequences are even worse for someone who has asthma. Not only should smoking be avoided, you need to be careful to stay away from people who do smoke because it is extremely harmful and will irritate your sensitive asthmatic lungs.
A lot of times asthma will develop over time, and has symptoms that aren’t always obvious. A few people have even died from an asthma attack without knowing they even had this dangerous condition. If you often have difficulty breathing or a persistent cough, it would be wise to make an appointment with your physician, so he or she can confirm whether you have asthma. If you do, your doctor can then prescribe medications to manage or treat it.
Do not use a vaporizer or humidifier unless you are sure it’s been thoroughly cleaned. 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.
If you need to travel with your asthma medication, particularly if you plan on bringing a nebulizer or other large equipment, it can be helpful to obtain a letter from your doctor explaining their use. Without a written prescription stating that the item is medically necessary, you may experience frustration and delays at security checkpoints.
If you use your inhaler over two times a week, talk to your doctor about changing your medicine. Frequent asthma attacks indicate that your inhaled medication isn’t keeping your asthma under control. Additionally, if your inhaler needs refills more often than about every six months, you are in the same situation and should see your physician.
This information will help you deal with asthma to help you deal with asthma symptoms. With the knowledge that you have discovered today, you can get back to a more active lifestyle, and enjoy taking a proactive approach towards getting back to the things you have been missing.
Asthma can be caused by genetics, environmental factors, or a little bit of both. 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. Irritants in the environment, including smoke, pollution, dust and mold, can also contribute to asthma development, so you should minimize your family’s exposure to these substances.