Asthma is a dangerous medical condition that can affect all people, no matter what their age. Going to the doctor is, of course, the appropriate first step, but you should also be vigilant about paying attention to signs that may mean your condition is worsening. By following the ideas presented here, you can lessen your symptoms of asthma and reduce the chances that you will have an asthma attack.
A good tip that can help your child cope with asthma is to make sure you never smoke around them. Second-hand cigarette smoke is a leading cause of asthma. You should take care to also make sure your child does not get exposed to other environments where people might be smoking.
If you are having an asthma attack (mild or moderate), you need to try to force air out of the lungs. Exhale as quickly as possible, expelling air forcefully out of your lungs. Force your lungs to expel as much air as possible. After that, take in three shallow breaths and one deep breath. Once your lungs are full again, do another forceful exhale. Paying attention this way will help you stabilize your breathing and make it rhythmic. It also voids your lungs of old air so that new air can enter. You may generate sputum, but the primary goal is to start breathing regularly again.
Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can actually trigger an asthma attack. Aspirin and other NSAIDs are known to be asthma triggers. Beta blockers, such as those used to control high blood pressure or heart disease may also have this effect. Tell your doctor if you are an asthmatic and you are using these medications.
Never use a fan in a dirty, dust-filled room. Turning on a fan is going to cause the dust to leave its surface and begin filling the air of your environment. It could be better to open the window if you need to get airflow.
If you are having trouble preventing asthma attacks, you may find success with a leukotriene inhibitor. A leukotriene inhibitor is for the prevention of leukotrienes. Leukotrienes are inflammation-causing chemicals that can bring on asthma attacks. Get the inhibitor to prevent the leukotrienes, and your asthma attacks may drop in number.
If you suffer from asthma and allergy attacks, ask your doctor for a long-lasting allergy injection. Your allergist may recommend a variety of medications to control your reactions and the onset of asthma.
Asthmatics should have a flu shot every year to prevent contracting a serious respiratory infection. Asthma sufferers need to be careful and guard against any upper-resperatory illnesses. The easiest way to start is by performing routine hand-washing, limiting your touching of surfaces while in public places, and getting vaccinations recommended by your doctor.
Make sure that everyone in your family gets their flu shot. When you are afflicted with asthma, steer as clear as you can of all types of respiratory infections. This means taking every precaution possible, do things like getting vaccinated to prevent sickness to hand washing on a regular basis.
If you use more than four types of chemical cleaning agents in your house the risk of your child having an asthma attack increases. A great way to prevent this is to purchase some organic, non-chemical cleaning products. These all-natural products are safe when inhaled.
Immune System
If you have asthma, avoid people who smoke. As soon as you inhale any smoke from tobacco, your lungs become sensitive, which increases your risk of an attack. Just avoid any type of smoke, especially in small areas, and keep your lungs healthy to be safe.
When suffering from asthma, there are vitamins that can help, including E and C. You can buy these vitamins to help you get better function from your lungs and control your asthma symptoms. You can find the vitamins you need in food or supplements. Vitamins C and E are necessary for a healthy immune system. If your immune system isn’t healthy, it won’t be able to fight off illnesses that cause asthma attacks.
Try to keep your home as clean as possible, especially the bedroom of the asthma sufferer, to reduce the risk of an asthma attack. Food should not be eaten outside of the kitchen, and there should be no indoor smoking. Harsh chemicals, like bleach and ammonia, can trigger asthma.
Regular flu shots are important if you or one of your children suffer from asthma. Regular vaccinations will help you and your children to avoid lung infections.
A yearly flu shot is necessary if you suffer from asthma. Avoid these infections by making sure your and your child’s vaccines are up to date.
Pay attention to your symptom triggers. The more aware of your triggers you become, the easier it will be to avoid them and reduce the number of attacks you suffer. Common asthma triggers include pollen, smoke or dander. It is best to do all that is possible to avoid triggers that can cause attacks.
Be certain you are aware of what triggers an asthma attack so you can avoid it, or at least be prepared to handle the symptoms. There are some quite common triggers that can invoke an attack in asthma sufferers, for example cigarette smoke, pollen, or pet hair and dander. Avoid these things when you can to breathe easier.
Feather pillows can be bad for those with asthma. People are often allergic to these natural products that can affect breathing and bring on asthma symptoms. This extends to the rest of your bedding, as well. There are hypoallergenic comforters and sheets you can use to limit asthma symptoms.
Attend your regular asthma checkups, even if things seem to be going well. Your health care provider may have new prescriptions that could benefit you in case the need arises.
You may want to think about joining support groups you can find both online and offline. Left untreated, asthma can be very debilitating and prevent you from enjoying your normal activities. If you know other asthma sufferers, you can stay up to date on the latest medicines and treatment options.
Avoid cold-induced asthma attacks by protecting your mouth and nose with a scarf. This will warm the air that you breathe before it enters your lungs. Breathing in air that’s cold can trigger an attack, particularly in younger children that have moderate or severe asthma.
Many of the most common asthma triggers are found in the home. Some triggers include spores, dust and mold. Have your home inspected for and cleaned of these things to reduce the occurrence of asthma attacks. It also helps to clean your home frequently to prevent a buildup of these allergens.
Monitor how often, per week, you find it necessary to use your inhaler. If the inhaler is used more than twice, the asthma problems you are suffering from may not be well-managed or something else might be causing additional attacks to come on. The frequency of your inhaler usage should remind you to monitor the environmental conditions around you and other issues relating to the way you manage your asthma.
Try using a inhaler that prevents asthma every day, but you should know that one of the side effects is mouth infections of teeth and gums. One way to reduce the probability of such infections is to immediately brush and gargle after inhaling the medicine.
Allergens, pollen and other irritants can collect in your linens and aggravate your asthma. You can reduce or eliminate these potential asthma attack inducers by laundering your sheets and pillowcases in hot water every week. These fresh, regularly washed linens can help you breathe easier when sleeping.
Contact with animals and pets should be avoided for asthma sufferers. While allergies from animals can complicate asthma, those without allergies can get asthma attacks from dust or pollen that the animals carry.
Consult with multiple doctors. Although your primary doctor can treat your asthma, a specialist may be able to provide further help. A pulmonologist, allergist, nutritionist and the staff at asthma centers can discuss a variety of treatments with you, to help you be sure you are following up on every possible good treatment available.
Visit at least two different doctors. Even though your primary care doctor can assist you in the basic care for your asthma, consider visiting a specialist also. Nutritionists, allergists, and pulmonologists are just some of the advisers who can change your life for the better.
People that experience asthma must stay indoors as often as they can when pollen is abundant. The same pollens and other irritants that cause trouble for allergy sufferers are also concerns for asthma sufferers, even though the two are quite distinct conditions. Since data on air quality is now widely published, those with asthma have the ability to avoid being outside when concentrations of irritants are high.
Refrain from smoking. There is a general awareness that smoking is not good for your health. But for the asthmatic, smoking can quickly have serious consequences. Smoke greatly irritates the sensitive lungs of the person with asthma, so in addition to not smoking, someone with asthma should avoid people that are smoking.
Knowing how to appropriately and safely use your inhaler is essential if you are afflicted with asthma. You should not just stick it between your lips and spray. Every time you spray the inhaler, deeply inhale for a couple seconds. A rescue inhaler will not help you if you aren’t breathing it in correctly.
If you find it necessary to use an inhaler more than two times a week, you should talk to your doctor about changing your medication. This means that the medication in your inhaler is not working well enough. This is also true if your inhaler needs refilling more than two times annually.
Take in every piece of asthma information available to you. You can take faster, more effective action to treat your asthma condition the better you understand it. Stay as current as you can to ensure you get the best possible care. The only way you can do this is by arming yourself with condition and treatment knowledge.
Regular Appointments
Asthma support groups can also provide moral support to help you deal with difficult times and the frustration of asthma. Understanding what other people do to control and manage their asthma can be helpful in treating your own asthma. Surround yourself with people who understand asthma and support your fight against it.
Schedule regular appointments with your physician to keep tabs on your asthma. This will allow your doctor to stay updated on your condition as it improves or weakens, and make the necessary changes to your treatments. It is up to you to be proactive about your health and set up regular appointments with your asthma doctor to allow him or her to work with you to keep you healthy and feeling well.
One thing that you must do is figure out what triggers your asthma attacks. If you aren’t sure what causes your asthma to act up, keep a journal. Write down what you were doing and where you were just prior to each attack. Bring your journal to your doctor’s office during each appointment so that she can help you figure out your asthma triggers. After you figure out what your triggers are, do everything in your power to avoid exposure to them.
Asthma is a serious medical condition that should not be underestimated. Asthma is a dangerous condition with attacks that have the potential to be lethal. It is crucial to do what ever you can to keep your asthma under control. For example, always keep with you an inhaler which is good should you suffer from an attack. Also, lessen the amount of allergens and airborne dust in your home. You are likely to see some improvement in these asthma-related symptoms if you take the time and follow the advice given in the following tips.
Keep track of how often allergies trigger asthma attacks. If you experience two or more asthma attacks a week after taking allergy medicine, switch to a different allergy medication. Having an asthma attack twice a week is a danger to your health, and that frequency can be prevented.