No matter how many you have had, every asthma attack is potentially terrifying, and the condition as a whole is a hard burden to live with. Knowing the right way to treat and manage your asthma can dramatically improve your life. Keep reading to learn some specific strategies that can help you live a full life despite your asthma.
If you suffer from asthma, you should not smoke or expose yourself to any type of vapors or fumes. This includes all tobacco products, and you also need to be careful if you are going to apply for a job in a factory or where you have the potential to be exposed to vapors and harmful smoke.
Avoid anything that can trigger your asthma. This is different for everyone, but some people, things like dust or pollen can trigger an attack. While in other people, all it takes is physical activity and an attack can trigger. Determine what your trigger is so you can easily avoid an attack.
Figure out what type of asthma you are suffering with. You can learn to combat the life changing effects of asthma by understanding your specific type. For example, if your asthma is often triggered by workouts, your inhaler should always be on hand when you exercise. If you are familiar with your symptoms and their patterns, you will be better able to avoid emergencies.
If you suffer from asthma and you are not eligible for health insurance, speak with a social worker. It’s vital that you stay on medication, so there may be programs available to help you get them at a discount.
You may be unaware that certain medications you might be on could cause asthma symptoms. Various NSAIDs and aspirin have been reported to do this. This can also be caused by beta blockers, like medications that are used in managing high blood pressure or heart problems. It is important to talk openly with your doctor about your asthma so that you do not take any medications that could be harmful to you.
An annual flu vaccination is recommended for you as well as other members of your family. Make sure you do your best in avoiding respiratory infections at all costs if you have asthma. It is important to do things like hand washing and receiving proper vaccinations.
If you have moderate asthma attacks, exhale forcefully, so that you force air from your lungs. Breathe out quick and forcefully. Forcefully push the air out from your lungs. Do your inhalations in triple bursts of short breaths, and then follow with final deep inhalation so that you fill your lungs comfortably, before exhaling with vehemence once more. This technique develops a breathing rhythm, allowing you to notice the breaths that you take in. It also helps to push air out from your lungs so new air can come back in. This may cause you to cough or it may cause phlegm, but your breathing will be back to normal again.
Buy products that are unscented if you suffer from asthma. Products that contain fragrance, such as perfumes, colognes, or air fresheners, fill the air with irritants that can trigger an asthma attack. Irritating odors are also given off by new carpeting and paints. Try to maintain fresh air inside your home.
If you are prone to asthma attacks, avoid any cigarette or other tobacco smoke. If you smoke, try quitting. Never breathe in chemical fumes or vapors. A severe asthma attack can be life threatening. If others are smoking nearby, leave that area as quickly as you can.
In order to minimize the chance of an asthma attack, be sure to keep your living area very clean, most definitely the bedroom area. Do not allow smoking in your house, and keep food in your kitchen. Bypass chemicals when cleaning your home if at all possible, and be sure to open doors and windows afterwards.
Consider supplementing your diet with Vitamins E and C when you suffer from asthma. Both vitamins improve lung function, helping you to better resist asthma attacks and other negative symptoms. You can gain vitamins from supplements or the old fashioned way, from food! You can help out your immune system that can help stave off asthma triggers!
Hay Fever
Make sure that your rescue medication is at hand at all times during your travels. The stress of travel may temporarily weaken your body and make you more vulnerable to attack triggers. You also have less control of your surroundings while you are away from home, so it is difficult to avoid potential triggers and to maintain control over your attack.
Asthma treatment dosages will need to be increased if you are sick with a cold or are dealing with hay fever. Side effects that are associated with most illnesses can serve as triggers for asthma and may cause an increase in your asthma treatment. Your doctor may prescribe a new medicine or change the dose of your existing medication until the hay fever or cold passes.
If you are taking your prescriptions with you on a flight, make sure to take your prescription. Carrying your prescriptions along with written proof that they are medically necessary, will cut down on potential problems at the airport checkpoints.
When flying and bringing along asthma medications and equipment, be sure to pack your prescriptions. This is especially true for large items like a nebulizer. Having written proof that the item in question is in fact medically necessary can cut down on hassles at the security check.
It’s important to keep up with your daily preventative inhaler routine, but watch out for mouth infections, especially in both teeth and gums. Always clean your teeth and rinse your mouth after you use your inhaler.
When you are removing dust or crumbs from your floor, you should use a vacuum or damp mop to avoid scattering dust in the air. Sweeping can cause the rise of dust and dander, which may trigger an asthma attack. In the same vein, choose a damp rag as opposed to a feather duster when dusting, as this prevents dust from flying about.
Contact with pets and other animals should be minimized for the asthma sufferer. Some asthma sufferers are allergic to animal fur or dander on top of their asthma, but even those who don’t have such an allergy can bring on an attack if they breathe in too much of these irritants.
Don’t smoke. Although bad for everyone, cigarettes can cause greater problems for those with asthma. It can irritate sensitive lungs. People with asthma should not only avoid smoking, but should also avoid other people while they are smoking.
Consider using more than just one doctor. You want to see your primary doctor for asthma help, though you should also see some specialists. Asthma doctors, allergists, and pulmiologists are the people who you want to consult with to help with asthma.
When pollen counts are high, people who have asthma should stay inside. Even though asthma is not considered to be an allergy, asthma is triggered by the same things that cause allergies. The air quality information should be used to find out when it is better to stay indoors to avoid irritants present in the air.
If you do have an asthma attack, make sure to stay calm. Use the inhaler, pause for 30 seconds then use it again. Don’t suffer in silence or wait it out if your breathing gets worse instead of better after using your inhaler. You need immediate medical attention if this happens. Get somebody to phone for EMS or even transport you themselves to the nearest emergency medical facility. Try to breathe into a paper bag so that you can calm your breathing when you’re on the way.
Make sure you keep calm if you are having an asthma attack. Use the inhaler, pause for 30 seconds then use it again. Don’t suffer in silence or wait it out if your breathing gets worse instead of better after using your inhaler. You need immediate medical attention if this happens. Have someone call emergency services or drive you to the nearest hospital. Breathe into a paper bag, which will reduce your breathing rate during the trip.
If you frequently use your inhaler (more than two to three times per week), you should talk to your doctor about alternative methods of treatment or a different prescription. Frequent use of the rescue inhaler means that your management medicine is not working as it should. 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.
Make sure your doctor shows you how to take your inhaled medication properly, and don’t leave his office until you are entirely comfortable using your inhaler. It is not as simple as spraying a little into your mouth and inhaling. Every time you use your inhaler, be sure to breathe deeply and slowly. Proper use of your inhaler is key when you have asthma.
Learn everything you can about your condition. Having the right information can enable you to choose the treatments that are right for you, and help reduce symptoms. In order to ensure that you are always getting the best possible care, stay abreast of new developments and up-to-date treatments. You can do this by educating yourself on your condition and the treatment options that are available to you.
If you suffer from asthma, you need to learn how to cope with it. The frustration of dealing with asthma can be easier if you have the right tips, and know how to manage it. Fortunately, asthma is not a mysterious condition; the tips and insight that you have just read will go a long way in demystifying it.
Schedule regular visits with your doctor to check up on your asthma. Ideally these should occur every few months. Your physician needs to evaluate how you are right now, and decide if any changes need to be made. Taking on the responsibility of scheduling these regular appointments will help your doctor help you to stay healthy.