Asthma can be serious to have and may cause a lot of negative problems in your life. Education and practice are necessary to keep your asthma under control. This below article is the perfect launching platform for those who desire to learn about asthma and all the different ways it can affect you.
Some medications are known to cause asthma symptoms. Believe it or not, something as seemingly innocuous as aspirin can actually trigger symptoms. This can also be caused by beta blockers, like medications that are used in managing high blood pressure or heart problems. Tell your doctor if you are an asthmatic and you are using these medications.
To keep your child healthy, make sure they are never around smoke. Secondhand smoke is one of the leading culprits that causes asthma. Any place where smoking is allowed should be avoided if you have a child with asthma.
If you are having an asthma attack (mild or moderate), you need to try to force air out of the lungs. Breathe out fast and hard. Try to force the air out of your lungs! Inhale three times with short breaths, and then on the fourth one take a deeper breath so your lungs are full of air but still comfortable. Then breath out as hard as you can again. This method forces you to pay close attention to your breathing and create a steady rhythm. When air is forcefully exhaled, it allows a fresh intake of air to fill your lungs. This breathing technique may cause some coughing or sputum, but it can help regulate your breathing and reduce the attack.
Suffer from asthma? It is vital that you not smoke tobacco; if you do, quit. 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.
Think about getting a home dehumidifier if you have asthma. When you use a dehumidifier, it will reduce the amount of dust mites. This will reduce asthma attacks. Use a dehumidifier, and the air you breath will be much less likely to cause your asthma to flare up.
Avoid anything that could trigger your asthma. For some people, this is allergy related; things like pollen and dust can start an attack. Others experience an attack from physical activities. Try and figure out what gets your asthma started so you know what to avoid.
If you suffer with asthma, get a flu shot each year. Therefore, it is very important to avoid as many infections to the lungs as possible by getting a vaccine each year.
If you have hay fever or a cold, you will probably need increased treatment of your asthma. Many illnesses have side effects which can cause your asthma to get much worse, leading your doctor to increase treatment. Your physician may even recommend that you take additional medication until you recover.
You should always have your rescue medication with you when you are traveling. Traveling can put additional strain on your body, making you more susceptible to asthma triggers. Influencing the environment around you is nearly impossible while on the road, which is another opportunity for deteriorating symptoms or attack triggers.
Make sure you are aware of what triggers your asthma so you can avoid it or prepare properly. Common asthma triggers include pollen, smoke or dander. Whenever possible, avoid those substances that trigger either symptoms or full-blown attacks.
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.
Even if you seem to be fine, see your doctor regularly for your asthma checkups. You can not predict when an attack might hit you, or if your doctor has found a different medication that is safer and will help your symptoms more.
You may want to join an online or offline support group. Asthma, particularly if it is severe, can incapacitate you and keep you from going about your daily activities. A support group also makes it easier to keep up to date on advancements in asthma science or new medications that come on the market.
Wear a covering over your mouth and nose when you go outdoors in the colder weather. A shawl, scarf or muffler would work well. This will warm the air up before you breathe it into your lungs. Inhaling cold air can elicit an asthma attack or create other serious respiratory problems.
Some of asthma’s major triggers can be right in your home. These can include dust, mold and spores. To keep your body healthy and to cut down the frequency of asthma attacks, it is important to have your house professionally inspected and cleaned to remove these harmful substances. In addition, cleaning the house regularly can greatly contribute to keeping these substances from building up.
Rescue Medication
It is essential that you learn the proper ways to use all of your asthma medications, especially those used in rescue situations. Asthma is usually treated by using a regular medicine supplemented with a rescue medicine, like an inhaler. Asthma doesn’t go away, so it’s important to be vigilant about taking your daily medication and using your rescue inhaler when an attack occurs.
Know the right way to take your asthma medication, and above all any rescue medication. Asthma is typically treated with a regular medication supplemented by rescue medicine, such as an inhaler. Asthma is a lifelong condition; you should correctly take your regular medication and use your rescue medication only as needed.
A preventative inhaler should be used every day, but you should know that this can cause infections near the teeth and gums in your mouth. To prevent complications from using a preventative inhaler, brush your teeth immediately after using it and use mouthwash as well.
Asthma usually takes an extended interval of time to fully develop, and the warning signs are rarely obvious. In a lot of cases, people die from an asthma attack because they didn’t know they had the condition. Because of this, if you notice that you have trouble breathing or are constantly coughing, you may want to visit your doctor. They can tell you if you have asthma and if there is a medication that you should be taking. Your doctor can also tell you if there is something you can do to prevent asthma from developing.
Avoid all types of smoke, including cigarette smoke, if you have asthma. Smoke can cause asthma attacks. Keep away from chemical fumes, chemical vapor, and tobacco smoke as much as you can. Exposing yourself to these pollutants can have a significant effect on your asthma symptoms. If you in the company of someone who smokes, politely ask him to refrain when you are near.
Monitor how often, per week, you find it necessary to use your inhaler. If you are utilizing your inhaler more than two times per day, you might not be controlling asthma as well as you think you are! How frequently you need to use the inhaler can help you recognize any environmental changes you need to make.
You may want to consider having numerous doctors treat your asthma. Although your primary doctor can treat your asthma, a specialist may be able to provide further help. There are a number of different approaches used to treat asthma. See what a pulmonololist, an allergist or a nutritionist has to say about your asthma problems.
If you have asthma consider staying away from pets or animals. While allergies from animals can complicate asthma, those without allergies can get asthma attacks from dust or pollen that the animals carry.
Asthma sufferers should definitely stay indoors more when pollen increases. While asthma and allergies are separate illnesses, you’ll find that the triggers for one tend to be mirrored in the other. Technology has brought with it real-time air quality reports that can be consulted before exposure to outdoor air that may cause irritation to asthmatics.
Visit your doctor if you think your symptoms are getting worse. More importantly, you should apply these tips whenever possible, to keep the symptoms down and hopefully, improve your quality of life.
Don’t panic when you have an asthma attack. Wait half a minute and try the inhaler one more time. If your attack worsens, get help. Go to the hospital immediately or call 911. To slow down your breathing along the way, breathe into a paper bag.