Asthma is a chronic condition that leads to difficulty breathing and can limit the types of activities you can participate in. Yet, you should keep in mind that there is much you can do to manage your asthma if you combine certain medications along with key coping strategies that you learn. This article has a lot of different strategies.
People afflicted by asthma should make it a priority to always avoid exposure to smoke, vapors and fumes. This means you need to keep away from tobacco products and only seek out jobs where you aren’t exposed to any harmful chemicals, smoke or vapors.
If you are asthmatic, you absolutely must not subject yourself to any form of cigarette smoke. When smoke enters your lungs it cuts off your oxygen supply, and if you suffer from asthma it can make breathing extremely difficult, and result in an increased number of attacks.
What triggers your asthma? Being fully informed about the specific type of asthma you have is very important. If your asthma is triggered by exercise, throw an inhaler into your gym bag. Knowing symptom patterns will help you prevent emergencies.
Leukotriene inhibitors may be helpful to you if you suffer from asthma. A leukotriene inhibitor prevents the formation of leukotrienes. Leukotriene, a chemical substance, can cause asthma attacks by causing inflammation. The prescription will help to decrease home much leukotriene is in your system and therefore, the number of asthma attacks you have.
Be careful of chemical cleaners if you are asthmatic. The complex list of ingredients on many cleaning products makes it difficult know which ones have the chemical compounds that might aggravate asthma symptoms or even initiate an attack. If you do the cleaning in your house, use natural solutions that are safer for you to breath in.
Asthma Patients
Learn what triggers your asthma so that you can avoid it. This can vary from person to person, as small particles like dust can cause asthma attacks. Some people get attacks after being physically active. Try to figure out when your asthma began so it can be avoided.
Asthma patients without health insurance can get help by asking a social worker and getting access to programs with the resources asthma patients need. A social worker can possibly help you with finding treatment and low-cost medications.
Be aware of certain medications that can lead to asthma problems. Some NSAIDs and aspirin might do this. The medication you take for high blood pressure can also cause asthma symptoms. If you’ve been diagnosed as asthmatic and are taking medications unrelated to your asthma, be sure your doctor is aware of them.
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. Organic products are preferable to more chemically loaded, commercially produced cleaning products.
When you suffer a medium-intensity attack, try and forcefully exhale all air from your lungs. Exhale quickly and hard. Exhale with maximum force! Take three short breaths, and then take a fourth, deeper breath to fill your lungs comfortably; then, breathe out with force again. Using this strategy provides your breathing with a rhythm that forces you to focus on it. Expelling the air from your lungs in this fashion also allows you to breathe in deeper. Do not be alarmed if you cough or generate excess mucous; this is perfectly normal. Your only concern is to return your breathing to normal.
Asthma treatment dosages will need to be increased if you are sick with a cold or are dealing with hay fever. An increase in treatment is necessary sometimes because side effects of other sicknesses can cause your asthma symptoms to flare up. Your doctor may need to add new treatments to your typical asthma regimen until you are well.
Consider supplementing your diet with Vitamins E and C when you suffer from asthma. It is widely believed that these vitamins can help control asthma symptoms by improving lung function. Either find a good vitamin supplement to take, or change your diet to include more foods rich in Vitamins E and C. These vitamins can also boost the immune system and help prevent asthma attacks.
If you are dealing with asthma, a good idea is to use a pillow without feathers. Feathers may trigger asthma symptoms by irritating your lungs. Be sure to keep the same advice in mind for your bedclothes. They should be made from materials that do not increase allergy symptoms.
Some of the major causes of asthma, and triggers for asthma attacks, can exist right in the home. Three triggers comprise the asthma triad of doom: spores, dust and mold. To ensure health and reduce the potential for asthma attacks, have a yearly inspection for the presence and removal of these hazards. It also helps to clean your home frequently to prevent a buildup of these allergens.
Even if you seem to be fine, see your doctor regularly for your asthma checkups. It is important to make sure your condition isn’t worsening, and your doctor may want to prescribe a different medication.
Mold and mildew thrive in homes with high humidity levels. They are a nuisance for people with asthma; the asthma attacks they trigger require you to eliminate them. A dry home will help you out a lot more. 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.
Asthma Attacks
If you are going on a plane trip with asthma medications, make sure to bring your written prescription along with you. Carrying your prescriptions along with written proof that they are medically necessary, will cut down on potential problems at the airport checkpoints.
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. This will warm the air before it enters your lungs. Inhalation of cold air is proven to initiate asthma attacks, and younger kids afflicted with asthma of moderate or severe proportions are especially at risk.
If you need to use your inhaler more often than twice each week, this means your asthma isn’t adequately controlled and a medication change is required. It means the medication used to calm acute attacks is either ineffective or not effective enough. Also, if you refill the inhaler more than 2 times each year, there is the same result, which means making an appointment with your doctor.
Find out how you are supposed to use your asthma medication and rescue treatments. A typical asthma treatment plan is daily medication backed up with an emergency inhaler. Asthma is a serious, chronic health condition, and it’s vital that you take medicine to manage the disease properly and use the rescue medications as directed.
Learn all you can learn about your condition. Knowledge is power, and enlightened proactive steps yield immeasurable dividends in your treatment and management regimen. Look into cutting-edge treatments, and seek the best medical care you can find. To know these things, you must keep learning about your disease and the options available for treatment.
If you’re flying and bringing along your asthma medications, bring a doctor’s written prescription with you. Carrying your prescriptions along with written proof that they are medically necessary, will cut down on potential problems at the airport checkpoints.
Add more vitamin B6 to your diet. This vitamin, with the chemical name pyridoxine, can be helpful in controlling asthma attacks. Studies have shown attacks are less intense and less frequent when pyridoxine is added to the diet. Pyridoxine is very important in the production of certain molecules that will help relax bronchial tissues. Chicken and carrots, as well as bananas, are two good food sources which contain vitamin B6.
You should use your inhaler everyday regularly; however, be forewarned that the medicine can potentially lead to mouth infections, especially around your gums and teeth. A good way to prevent these complications and side effects is to brush your teeth and gargle immediately after using your inhaler.
Identifying your personal triggers is one of the best ways you can learn to stop an asthma attack before it occurs. Think about maintaining an ashtma journal so you can record possible triggers as they come up, and then discuss them with your doctor. Once they are identified, you should make every attempt to avoid the triggers and remove them from the environment that you live in when at all possible.
Treatment Plan
Keep an eye on your allergy attacks and consider switching your prescription if you suffer from more than two asthma attacks a week. The medical community holds two opinions about asthma attacks occurring more than twice a week: first, they are dangerous, and secondly, they are preventable.
See how many times a week you typically 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. This number can help you monitor your environment for asthma triggers and let you determine if your treatment plan is working properly.
Attempt to build strength, and capacity in your lungs, gradually. Don’t push yourself to the point that you trigger an asthma attack.
When housecleaning, it is better to clean your floors with a damp mop than sweeping them with a broom. Sweeping the floor kicks up dust and other debris that can set off an attack of your asthma. Use damp rags instead of a dry feather duster so triggers won’t be filling the air.
Know the symptoms of a serious asthma attack so you’ll know when it is time to head for the hospital. If they’re having a serious attack, look for increased medication use that has little or absolutely no effect and blue or grayish lips and fingernails. Your child can have a hard time speaking.
For those struggling with their asthma, avoiding regular contact with pets is important to control symptoms. Animals are a danger to asthma sufferers who are already allergic to them, but pets also carry a wide array of dust particles and pollen, so avoiding them is a good move for anyone dealing with asthma.
Watch carefully for any signs of food allergies in your children. If any of your kids break out into hives, or seem to have difficulty breathing after eating a certain food, schedule allergy testing for them. These allergies may indicate the possibility of asthma in the future.
Your bed linens are where pollen, dust and other allergens like to collect. You may cut down on these potential inducers of an asthma attack by cleaning your sheets and pillows in hot water each week. Fresh, laundered bedding will help you sleep that much easier at night.
Get those flu shots. Even if you haven’t had the flu in the past, it’s best to be safe and protect yourself with a vaccination. If you have asthma, you have a greater chance of being infected with respiratory viruses, such as flu.
Take the time to learn all there is to know about your affliction. Knowledge is power, and enlightened proactive steps yield immeasurable dividends in your treatment and management regimen. Keep up to date on the different treatments and always be sure to have the best possible care for yourself. The best thing you can do is educate yourself about asthma and its treatment.
Parents of asthmatic children need to pay close attention to their child’s asthma attack symptoms. This is especially true if your child is 5 or younger, as prompt professional medical care may be necessary. For example, if your child is gasping for breath or can’t talk because of lack of breath, he may be having an asthma attack. If you child is displaying any of these symptoms, they need immediate medical attention.
As mentioned in the beginning of this article, asthma is a harmful condition that can endanger your life if not treated properly. To always protect yourself, make sure you have an emergency inhaler on you at all times, and watch for allergens or excessive air pollution. Use what you’ve learned in this article to control your asthma, and stop it from keeping you from living life to it’s fullest!
If you have to use your inhaler frequently and even wake up during the night because of your asthma, think about trying a new medication. Consult with your doctor.