Asthma can be an uncontrollable disease if it’s not checked. An extremely severe attack can even lead to death. While you should continually consult your doctor with complications, it’s okay to try treatments yourself, as well. This article offers simple tips that will help you relieve and improve your asthma symptoms.
Some medications can exacerbate asthma symptoms as a side effect. Aspirin is an example of a widely used medicine that can cause asthma problems. There are some beta blockers that are given to those trying to control their heart disease or who have high blood pressure that may be harmful to an asthmatic, as well. It is important for your doctor to know your complete medical history, including any medications you are currently taking, so they can best treat your asthma.
What kind of asthma do you have? Being aware of your specific condition will help you combat the effects it has over your body day in and day out. People who suffer from exercise-induced asthma will need to make sure that they have an inhaler with them inside of their gym bag. Learn what activities trigger your symptoms, and prepare accordingly so that you’re never caught without your inhaler during an asthma attack.
If you suffer from asthma and allergy attacks, ask your doctor for a long-lasting allergy injection. Known as Omalizumab, this antibody medicine can control the body’s allergic senses and lower the symptoms or reactions that asthma patients suffer.
Leukotriene inhibitors can help control the symptoms of asthma. These medications prevent the production of leukotrienes. Leukotriene, a chemical substance, can provoke an inflammation that causes an asthma attack. The prescription will help to decrease home much leukotriene is in your system and therefore, the number of asthma attacks you have.
If you are having trouble dealing with asthma, a leukotriene inhibitor might be of good use. A leukotriene inhibitor prevents the formation of leukotrienes. Leukotriene, a chemical substance, can provoke an inflammation that causes an asthma attack. If you get a leukotriene inhibitor, it can get rid of them in the air and help you with asthma symptoms.
If you have asthma and do not have health insurance, you should consider seeing a social worker. Social workers are often able to locate a hospital or clinic that can offer free or low cost options to make sure you can fill your medication prescriptions.
If you have asthma, a dehumidifier is something you should consider purchasing for you home. Reducing the amount of humidity in your home reduces the number of dust mites, which in turn reduces the chances of your asthma flaring up. Dehumidifiers keep the air in your home dry by eliminating humidity.
A dehumidifier is an excellent investment for asthma sufferers. If you lessen your humidity in the house, you will stave off dust mites that may make your asthma flare. Dehumidifiers keep the humidity out of your home by keeping the air dry.
Always choose unscented products for your home if you have asthma. Using products with scents, like perfume, incense and air fresheners, boosts the amount of air pollution indoors and can bring on an attack. New carpeting and even a fresh coat of paint can aggravate the airway and lungs as well. As much as possible, try to keep your home filled with fresh, pure air.
Asthma Treatment
You will need to keep your residence really clean, especially the bedroom where the asthma sufferer sleeps in order to help lessen the chances of an attack. Food must only be allowed in the kitchen area, and there should be no smoking in the house at all. Try not to use bleach or other irritants inside, and always thoroughly change the air in your house after cleaning.
Stand ready for a boost to your asthma treatment should you suffer from illnesses like colds or hay fever. A lot of illnesses can cause your asthma to flare up very badly, resulting in the necessity to increase asthma treatment. Your physician may even recommend that you take additional medication until you recover.
If you are asthmatic, it may be a good idea to use a pillow that is not filled with feathers. The feathers contained in these pillows can aggravate asthma symptoms and reduce lung function. Same thing with bedding – purchase sheets and a comforter that are constructed from hypoallergenic materials.
You should understand what triggers your asthma attacks in order for you to avoid these causes or prepare yourself for managing your symptoms. The majority of people suffering from asthma have several common triggers, like pet dander, smoke or pollen. Avoid these things when you can to breathe easier.
You should always have your rescue medication with you when you are traveling. Traveling is hard on your body, and you might have an asthma attack easier because your body is more likely to respond to triggers. Controlling your environment is harder when traveling, so this makes it much more probable that you experience worsening symptoms or an attack.
Avoid using a feather or down pillow if you have asthma. Feathers can trigger asthma symptoms and reduce lung function. This also goes for bedding; use sheets, comforters and blankets that are crafted from hypoallergenic materials.
Even if you are feeling great, don’t skip your asthma check-ups. You don’t know when you could have another flare-up, or if there are better or safer medications available.
Prevent Asthma Attacks
Mold and mildew can thrive in a humid home environment. This stuff can easily set off an asthma attack. So, it makes sense to keep dry air in your home. When you use the heater in the winter, be sure to have a dehumidifier control the humidity in your home. During the summer time, be sure to use the air conditioner to maintain a dry home.
In the winter, cover your mouth and nose with a scarf or shawl to prevent asthma attacks. Filtering and warming air before you inhale it can help prevent asthma attacks. Breathing in the cold air has been shown to trigger asthma attacks, especially in younger children with moderate to severe asthma.
Use a mop that’s wet to clean your floors instead of a broom. If you choose to sweep, you’re swirling up a tornado of dust and allergens, both of which are common triggers for asthma symptoms. A moist rag chosen over a feather duster is the best choice for an asthmatic.
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. You’ll speed up the process of going through security if you have written proof that shows that the items are necessary.
If you’d like to avoid asthma attacks, avoid cigarette smoke as much as possible. Smoke is a major cause of asthma attacks. Stay away from chemical fumes, vapors, and cigarette smoke at all times. These are all common triggers and can aggravate asthma symptoms. If there is someone who always smokes around you, you should politely ask this person to smoke when you aren’t present.
Using your preventative inhaler should be done daily. It’s important to know, though, that it can cause sores and infections near your gums and teeth. To best method to prevent these side effects and complications is by brushing your teeth, then gargling directly after using the inhaler.
Someone suffering from asthma should avoid animals. Even people that do not have allergies are prone to suffer an asthma attack from the pollen and dust on animals.
Monitor how often, per week, you find it necessary to use your inhaler. If you use it very often, you may not have it under control. The frequency of your inhaler use is a good way to remember to check out your environmental surroundings and be mindful of all factors relating to your asthma regimen.
See multiple doctors to keep asthma under control. 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. Asthma doctors, allergists, and pulmiologists are the people who you want to consult with to help with asthma.
Smoke should always be avoided when you suffer from asthma. Sometimes smoke can cause an asthma attack. So do whatever you can to stay away from vapors, chemical fumes and smoke from cigarettes. These things can cause your asthma symptoms to greatly increase. If you know someone who smokes, politely ask that they do not smoke in your presence.
Smoking cigarettes is not a choice that should be made. Most people are educated about how dangerous smoking is, but it is much more harmful for people who have asthma. Asthmatic lungs are extremely sensitive, and should not be exposed to smoke. Someone who has asthma should not only avoid smoking, but should also try to avoid being exposed to people smoking in their vicinity.
Dust and other allergens often accumulate in bed sheets. You can avoid this by making sure to wash your bed linens in hot water at least once a week. Fresh, laundered bedding will help you sleep that much easier at night.
If pollen is present in the air, anyone with asthma should stay inside. While asthma is different than allergies, often the same types of things that bother those with allergies trigger irritation in asthmatics as well. Given the widespread availability of air quality indices for local communities, anyone who is afflicted with asthma can easily avoid unnecessary outdoor exposure when the atmosphere has likely exacerbants floating around.
Vitamin B6
If you have asthma, you must know how to use your inhaler properly. You cannot just spray it in your mouth and lightly inhale. Every time you use your inhaler, be sure to breathe deeply and slowly. An inhaler is not of much use if you aren’t taking it correctly.
Increase the amount of vitamin B6 in your diet. Vitamin B6, known as pyridoxine, reduces the risks of getting an asthma attack. Vitamin B6 is essential for producing chemicals that cause lung tissue to relax. Bananas are a great vitamin B6 source.
Always use an appropriately-designed mask when painting to guard against breathing paint fumes. The fumes from the pain can irritate your asthma. By using a mask, you will keep yourself from inhaling the majority of these fumes. In fact, you should stay vigilant here and avoid any and all chemicals that may trigger an asthma attack.
Ensure your house is clean and tidy. Also, make sure to wash your pillows, blankets and sheets often. When you do this, you prevent the buildup of dusts and dust mites, both of which often trigger asthma attacks. The buildup of dust in the air is an irritant and increases the possibility of an asthmatic attack.
Watch for symptoms of a serious attack that require an emergency hospital visit. Such symptoms include lips and fingernails that are turning blue and no reaction to the asthma medication. In addition, your kid may have a tough time talking.
Watch for allergy attacks and replace your medication accordingly, if you are experiencing an attack more than twice a week. Medical professionals generally agree that when asthma is under control, there should be no more that two attacks in one week.
If someone in your home has asthma, do not allow smoking in your vehicle or home. Smokers should smoke outside, far from the house and away from an asthma sufferer. Just the smell of smoke on those who indulge heavily in smoking can set off an asthma attack.
Asthma is an uncurable disease, but that doesn’t mean that the symptoms are permanent and can’t go away. However, just like most things in life, overcoming your asthma symptoms takes time and effort. If you follow these easy tips, you’ll find that your symptoms will get better over time and you’ll be able to enjoy a healthier, more active lifestyle.
A non-humid, clean environment will help you reduce or eliminate any asthma attacks that happen at your home. Reduce the moisture level in your home with a dehumidifier. By evening out the humidity of your home, you will ease the severity of seasonal asthma attacks.