Any medical condition that makes it difficult to breathe–especially asthma–has the potential to be absolutely terrifying. Asthma attacks can occur out of the blue, and affect even people who had no reason to believe they were at risk. To figure out where asthma attacks come from and what you can do to reduce your risk and manage your asthma condition, take a look at the helpful advice below.
What type of asthma are you having to deal with? When you know in-depth information about your asthma, you can figure out how to fight against it. For example, if your asthma is brought on by bronchitis, you should keep your rescue inhaler with you during times when you are sick. Knowing symptom patterns will help you prevent emergencies.
If your child or another loved one suffers from asthma, you should be sure to never smoke cigarettes when you’re near them. It has been medically proven that smoking can cause asthma or make existing symptoms worse. Never allow anyone to smoke around your child, and teach them not to smoke as an adult themselves.
Learn what triggers your asthma so that you can avoid it. For some, allergens such as dust and pollen can trigger an attack. It could also be some type of strenuous exercise. Look for the trigger points in your life, so you can work around them.
Asthma Sufferer
Asthma is a disease that is continuous. As such, it requires long-term health management. Ensure you’re taking the proper medications in order to manage everyday asthma symptoms. In addition, you should have a quick-fix medication handy in the event you suffer from an attack. Speak to your physician and allergist to find out what medications are right for you.
Smoking is a horrible habit, even deadly, for an asthma sufferer. Although smoking is terrible for everyone, it is even worse for an asthma sufferer due to less oxygen supply in the lungs and that can trigger an attack.
Always use your inhaler in the proper manner. Go to a quiet place, and be sure to follow all instructions from the manufacturer. Your inhaler will only help if you breathe very deeply. Inhale deeply and spray the correct dose into your mouth. After inhaling, it’s important that you hold the medication in by holding your breath for 10 seconds at the least.
If you have been diagnosed with asthma, you should avoid cleaning products. A lot of agents in cleaners tend to trigger asthma attacks and symptoms. When you are tidying your home consider using natural products that are effective for cleaning rather than traditional cleansers.
It is always a problem if you have asthma and don’t have health insurance, but talking to a social worker may help you resolve this issue. A social worker can possibly help you with finding treatment and low-cost medications.
Avoid anything that is known to trigger your asthma. For some people, this is allergy related; things like pollen and dust can start an attack. Some things, such as physical exertion, can cause an asthma attack. Know your asthma causes so you can avoid putting yourself in a situation where you may suffer from an attack.
Though it is easy to postpone or avoid, get those annual flu vaccinations. It is a good idea to avoid all respiratory infections when you have asthma. It is important to do things like hand washing and receiving proper vaccinations.
Never use a fan in a dirty, dust-filled room. The fan will circulate the dust along with the air, which can cause it to get into your lungs and make your asthma worse. The better way would be to open a window to increase the airflow in the room.
Think about buying a dehumidifier if your asthma symptoms are bad. Cutting down the humidity in the house will lower the amount dust mites in the air, and that will mean fewer asthma flare-ups. Dehumidifiers remove the humidity by drying out the air that flows through your house.
Get annual flu vaccinations for your entire family. People who have been diagnosed with asthma should exercise extreme diligence in avoiding other respiratory conditions. You can start by taking simple precautions, such as washing your hands and getting proper vaccinations when due.
If you suffer from asthma and do not smoke, make sure to avoid people who do smoke. When you inhale tobacco smoke, particularly in closeted areas, the functioning of your lungs can decrease, and you may suffer an attack.
If you suffer from asthma, don’t expose yourself to secondhand smoke. Tobacco smoke causes your lung function to decrease, increasing the risk of a very severe attack, especially in enclosed rooms without much air flow or ventilation.
You should be ready to increase asthma treatments if you suffer from hay fever or a cold. The effects of an illness can cause the severity of your asthma to temporarily increase, which necessitates a change in treatment. Your doctor could add another treatment into your regimen until the illness is better.
Keep your home free of dust and other triggers, especially where the person who suffers from asthma sleeps. Never allow anyone to smoke in the home of an asthmatic, and consider using plastic to cover your mattress and pillows. Once you have cleaned your house, air it out; you should also eliminate utilizing any toxic chemicals inside.
You need to know what the asthma triggers are so that they can be avoided or treated promptly. Asthma sufferers generally have different triggers in common like pollen, pet dander and smoke. If able, avoid anything that results in symptoms of asthma or an asthma attack.
Even if you are feeling great, never skip your regular asthma checkup. You don’t know when another flare-up will happen, or when your physician can offer you safer or superior medicine for your symptoms.
Those who have asthma should avoid down pillows. Feathers can have a negative effect on the lungs and can worsen asthma symptoms. This also goes for bedding; use sheets, comforters and blankets that are crafted from hypoallergenic materials.
Think about becoming a member of a support group, whether it is online or somewhere local. Since severe asthma can be quite debilitating, it can have a huge impact on your everyday life. Also, other asthma sufferers can help keep you aware of new medications or other medical treatments.
When you are traveling, make sure you have a rescue inhaler with you. Traveling to different places might expose you to unexpected triggers, as your body is put under more strain when you travel. You can’t control the weather or the environment when you travel, so keep in mind you are more vulnerable to symptoms and attacks when you go to a new area.
Your home is where most asthma triggers are located. These triggers include dust, spores and mold. To stay healthy and reduce the chance of asthma attacks, you should have an inspector visit your house yearly to remove these harmful agents. Also, cleaning your house can help with this buildup.
A humid home environment is a healthy environment for mildew and mold to develop. Protect yourself against allergens, dust mites and fungus to avoid exacerbating your asthma symptoms. Therefore, try and keep the home dry. During winter time, use a dehumidifier if necessary to control humidity while running your heater, and use your air conditioner during summer months to keep air dry.
If you are taking your prescriptions with you on a flight, make sure to take your prescription. The written prescription will help you get through security without difficulty, because it establishes that your nebulizer and supplies are medically necessary.
Be sure you understand how to use your asthma medication, especially emergency medication. Typically, asthma is treated using normal medications along with rescue medication, like an inhaler, for emergency situations. Because asthma has no cure, you must treat it carefully by taking your maintenance medication every day and using your emergency medication responsibly.
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. The frequency of use of your inhaler can give you an idea about your surroundings and the need to watch them.
You should definitely use your preventative inhaler on a daily basis. However, you should be warned that the drug can also cause infections in your mouth, particularly near your teeth and gums. To avoid those complications, be sure to brush teeth, gargle, and rinse mouth completely right after you have used the inhaler.
Instead of sweeping your floors, clean them with a damp mop. Sweeping your floor can kick allergens into the air, triggering an asthma attack. When you dust, use a damp cloth instead of a feather duster which can spread these triggers.
Take note of how often, from a weekly standpoint, you use the rescue inhaler. If your records start to show you need the inhaler more than two times weekly, your environment might be causing you problems or your asthma is not being controlled as well as it could be. Remembering the times you use the inhaler provides a good way to keep checking your environment, as well as other things in your plan to manage your asthma.
Smoke should always be avoided when you suffer from asthma. Smoke can cause asthma attacks. The fumes from chemicals, or smoke from cigarettes, should be avoided at all costs. These things can cause your asthma symptoms to greatly increase. If you in the company of someone who smokes, politely ask him to refrain when you are near.
Instead of sweeping your floors, clean them with a damp mop. An asthma attack is one possible outcome of a sweeping session that fills the air around you with allergens and dust. Dusting can actually just move the dust around, sending particles into the air, and into your lungs triggering an asthma attack, so try wiping things down with a damp cloth to minimize the amount of allergens you are exposed to.
If asthma is allowed to go untreated and uncontrolled, it can be fatal. If you follow the guidelines from this article, you will be better prepared to effectively manage the condition. Ultimately, you will be able to breathe easily and live a healthy life.
Contact with pets and other animals should be minimized for the asthma sufferer. 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.