Asthma is a serious medical condition that can put huge restraints on your ability to live and enjoy life. 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. Read this article for some great tips to help you cope with asthma.
If you are an asthma sufferer, you should refrain from smoking or being around any vapors or fumes. 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.
Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can actually trigger an asthma attack. Examples of medications that may contribute to asthma are aspirin and other NSAIDs. Some medications for blood pressure and heart disease – those referred to as beta blockers – can also exacerbate asthma problems. Tell your doctor if you are an asthmatic and you are using these medications.
Do you know what sub-type of asthma you’re plagued with? If you identify your specific causes, you can be prepared to treat the symptoms when they appear during your daily routines. If your asthma is triggered by exercise, throw an inhaler into your gym bag. You can actually start preventing asthma attacks if you are aware and mindful of any patterns that your symptoms present.
If you have moderate asthma attacks, exhale forcefully, so that you force air from your lungs. Make your exhalations quick and forceful. Try hard to push the air out from your lungs! Then, follow three short intakes of breath with one longer inhalation until your lungs are filled with air, although not uncomfortably so. Finally, expel the air from your lungs with force again. Doing this means breathing in a conscious rhythm that makes you mindful of your breathing. It also voids your lungs of old air so that new air can enter. It is okay to cough, even to generate sputum. Your ultimate goal is getting your breathing regulated.
Never use a fan in a dirty, dust-filled room. A fan will spread dust and debris all over. This can very easily aggravate your asthma, and cause serious symptoms. It could be better to open the window if you need to get airflow.
Don’t turn on the fan if the dust in a room is aggravating your asthma. The fan will cause the dust to circulate through the air, which can cause you to suffer an asthma attack. If you wish to have a breeze, open a window instead of running a fan.
A leukotriene inhibitor can be helpful if you have asthma. These inhibitors can prevent leukotrienes. The inflammation caused by this substance can trigger the symptoms of asthma. The inhibitor can prevent them and decrease your asthma attacks.
Leukotriene Inhibitor Helps
You may want to consider purchasing a dehumidifier for your home if you suffer from asthma. A dehumidifier will reduce attacks by taking extra humidity and, by extension, dust mites and other debris out of your air. Dehumidifiers cause the air in your home to become dry, which means less humidity.
If you suffer from asthma, try seeing if a leukotriene inhibitor helps. A leukotriene inhibitor helps to prevent leukotrienes. Leukotriene is a substance that may cause inflammation. This can make a person have an asthma attack. By blocking the effects of leukotrienes, a leukotriene inhibitor can reduce the frequency and severity of your asthma attacks.
Scented products could cause averse reactions to asthma sufferers. It is safest to use unscented products when possible. Scented products, like air fresheners, incense and perfume, raise indoor pollution levels and can trigger asthma attacks. Fresh paint and new carpeting give off odors that can irritate sensitive airways. Keep the air inside your house as fresh as you can.
Make proper use of your inhaler. Find a quiet secluded area so that you can calmly take the inhaler as directed by the instructions from the manufacturer. The inhaler only can help if it’s medicine reaches the lungs. While inhaling, spray the dosage in your mouth. Allow the mist to fill up your lungs by holding your breath at least ten seconds.
Those who have asthma should avoid down pillows. The feathers can make it harder to breathe right and trigger an attack. The same reasoning applies to all bedding – only purchase bed sheets and comforters that are manufactured from hypoallergenic materials.
Ask everyone in your family to get a flu shot every year. When you are afflicted with asthma, steer as clear as you can of all types of respiratory infections. Common method of avoiding illnesses can be very effective. Keep your vaccinations up to date and wash your hands frequently.
Keep your medication with you, especially when you are traveling. Traveling can put additional strain on your body, making you more susceptible to asthma triggers. Traveling can make asthma symptoms worse, and it is difficult, nearly impossible to control environmental triggers during travel.
If you are an asthma patient, be sure to stay away from people who smoke, even if you are not a smoker yourself. Inhaling smoke from tobacco products can compromise your lung function, which then makes you more susceptible to an attack. The risk of an attack from cigarette smoke is increased as the space you are in decreases.
Even if your asthma seems like it is under control, always keep your asthma appointments with the doctor. Medical science is constantly evolving, so the doctor might know about a new treatment for you. Besides, you can never be sure when another attack might come on, so it’s better to be checked out.
People who have asthma should avoid using scented household products. Products that contain strong scents, like incense, perfume, or air freshener can trigger an asthma attack just by lingering in the air. An asthma sufferer’s airways can feel irritated by odors such as fresh paint or new carpeting. Keep your indoor air as clean as you can.
Join a support group, online or in “real life”, to find help from your peers. Asthma is a terrible condition that can prevent you from engaging in simple daily activities. Your peers will be able to provide you with advice and tips that work for them, information about new treatment techniques, and even some home remedies you might not know about.
You may have to take more asthma medicine if you suffer from seasonal hay fever or catch a cold. Many illnesses have side effects which can cause your asthma to get much worse, leading your doctor to increase treatment. Your family doctor may recommend adding another treatment or medication to your current regimen until you recover from your illness.
Know exactly how any asthma medication you take or may take works. Asthma treatment is generally two-pronged: Daily asthma treatment and additional emergency medicine to relieve attacks as they happen. Asthma lasts a lifetime, so you must manage your treatment and lifestyle to ensure you’re taking the best care of yourself.
Realize what triggers your attacks, and you can avoid or manage these situations. The majority of individuals afflicted with asthma know there are common irritants like pollen, pet dander and smoke. Try to avoid these items as much as humanly possible so as to not trigger a full attack.
If you’re flying and bringing along your asthma medications, bring a doctor’s written prescription with you. You’ll speed up the process of going through security if you have written proof that shows that the items are necessary.
Asthma can be life threatening if not kept in check or left untreated. Take standard precautions, including using an inhaler when necessary, and checking the allergy and pollution indices on a weather website. Use these tips to overcome asthma so it won’t restrict your freedom.
Smoking cigarettes is not a choice that should be made. There is a general awareness that smoking is not good for your health. But for the asthmatic, smoking can quickly have serious consequences. Asthmatics have sensitive lungs and tobacco smoke is very, very irritating. Smoke is so bad, that asthmatics should never allow themselves to be in the same vicinity as someone who is smoking.