Simple everyday activities can be a problem for the countless people of every age who suffer from the symptoms of asthma. Fortunately, there are many options for treatment, which will take the stress out of everyday life. This selection of tips for managing asthma is sure to leave you more informed and aware of this respiratory condition.
Some medications can exacerbate asthma symptoms as a side effect. Believe it or not, something as seemingly innocuous as aspirin can actually trigger symptoms. There are some beta blockers that are given to those trying to control their heart disease or who have high blood pressure that may be harmful to an asthmatic, as well. Make sure you consult with your doctor concerning your asthma and possible drug reactions.
Some asthmas are specific to certain triggers, so identify what kind you have. Gaining as much knowledge as you can about the type of asthma you have can make your day-to-day activities a little easier. For example, if you have exercise-induced asthma, you will want to always make sure you have an inhaler in your gym bag. If you know and understand your asthma triggers, you can better avoid and handle attacks.
Asthma is a disease that is ongoing and must be attended to every day. Be sure to take the correct medicines to keep your daily asthma symptoms under control, and always have emergency medication available in case an attack occurs. Have a discussion with your doctor or allergist to determine what the best plan for you might be.
Asthma can cause increased sensitivity to the ingredients contained in many cleaning products. 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. Instead of relying on harsh cleaners, check out some organic solutions. They might cost a few dollars more, but the difference is well worth it.
If you find yourself in a room that is dusty, don’t turn on any kind of fan. Otherwise, the dust will fly into the air and could give you an attack. Encourage air to flow throughout the room by just opening a nearby window or door.
Some medications that you may take unknowingly can cause you to have asthma symptoms. Some of these include aspirin and NSAIDs. There are some beta blockers that are given to those trying to control their heart disease or who have high blood pressure that may be harmful to an asthmatic, as well. Let your doctor know about your asthma and what prescriptions you’re taking.
Consider supplementing your diet with Vitamins E and C when you suffer from asthma. These vitamins have been known to improve the function of the lungs and reduce some asthma symptoms. These vitamins can be easily obtained, either through your diet or a supplement. These vitamins also help boost your immune system, which helps to prevent illnesses that trigger asthma.
If you have mild to moderate asthma attack, breathe out forcefully to get every bit of air out from your lungs. Force air out of your lungs with quick, powerful exhalations. Force all the air out of the 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 will make your breathing rhythmic and help you pay more attention to it. This technique also forces the air from your lungs to enable more air to come in. There may be periods of harsh coughing and a substantial generation of sputum, but this is actually what you want in order to get the airways opened and the breathing back on a regular pattern.
It’s been proven that you should use no more than four cleaning products in the home. If you do it can increase the risk of asthma attacks. Organic cleaning products should be selected due to their lack of irritating chemicals.
If you are a person with asthma and have persistent attacks related to allergy symptoms, a medication that can be used for a long term effect is one that can be injected. It is called omalizumab, and it is an antibody medicine used to control allergic reaction symptoms. You will need to speak to your allergist to find out if this would be helpful to you.
It is best to use products that are unscented in the home with someone who is asthmatic. Scented products should be avoided, such as air fresheners, perfume, and incense. These can increase the amount of air pollution in the home and even trigger an attack. Newly installed carpet or fresh paint in the home are both known to release chemical irritants. Try to make it your goal to keep the indoor air as fresh and allergen free as possible.
Leukotriene inhibitors may be helpful to you if you suffer from asthma. These medications prevent the production of leukotrienes. The chemical leukotriene is a common cause of inflammation in the lungs which in turn, can trigger asthma attacks. Taking an inhibitor blocks the receptors that leukotrienes normally interact with and leaves your throat less inflamed and attack-prone.
Stand ready for a boost to your asthma treatment should you suffer from illnesses like colds or hay fever. Many of these illnesses will worsen your asthma symptoms bad enough to require more treatments than you typically need. Your physician might also add more treatments to your regimen until your asthma is under control again.
Your asthma medication may need to be adjusted if you become ill. Many illnesses have side effects that could cause your asthma to flare up so badly that you need to have an increase in treatment. Your doctor might add additional medication until your sickness gets better.
When traveling, make sure to have your rescue medication handy at all times. Traveling tends to put extra stain on the body, and you’re more susceptible to your asthma triggers under these conditions. It is also difficult to control your environment while traveling, making it more likely that you may experience an attack or worsening symptoms.
If your child or yourself are asthma sufferers it is very important that you get the flu shot every single year. A yearly vaccination will help minimize the number of infections your children have to deal with.
Join an online or offline support group. Left untreated, asthma can be very debilitating and prevent you from enjoying your normal activities. Also, other asthma sufferers can help keep you aware of new medications or other medical treatments.
Being informed as you now are, you are equipped to deal with asthma and abnormalities of the respiratory system. Having asthma isn’t the end of your life as you know it. The advice in this article can help comfort you or your loved one.
Any time that pollen counts go up, anyone suffering from asthma would be wise to keep their outdoors time to a minimum. Despite being different conditions, asthma and allergies can be triggered by the same kinds of irritants. Check the local air quality report online to determine whether to stay indoors and keep irritant exposure to a minimum.