Do you suffer from asthma attacks or other symptoms? This article is filled with a variety of insightful, informative guidelines for managing asthma symptoms.
If asthma is something you suffer from, do not smoke or spend time around smokers, much less any source of vapors and fumes. Because of this, you should avoid any kind of tobacco smoke and take any job that you want to apply for into consideration; factories could expose you to a variety of smoke, vapors and dust.
An important part of symptom management is knowing what type of asthma you have. Being aware of your particular asthma condition can help you to effectively treat it on a daily basis. For example, if your asthma is brought on by bronchitis, you should keep your rescue inhaler with you during times when you are sick. Treating asthma is less difficult if you and your physician are aware of the triggers that bring on an attack.
If you are an asthma sufferer, it is crucial that you don’t smoke. Smoking isn’t healthy for anyone, but if you are afflicted with asthma, preventing oxygen from getting to your lungs is just begging for an attack.
If you have mild to moderate asthma attack, breathe out forcefully to get every bit of air out from your lungs. Exhale quickly and hard. Expel the air in your lungs with great force! Then take three quick breaths, next a deeper breath till your lungs fill with air, then repeat the forceful exhalation again. This will create a rhythm and will help you be aware of the way you are breathing. It will also empty your lungs of air, so that they’re ready to take in new, fresh air. 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.
Be careful of chemical cleaners if you are asthmatic. The chemicals in many cleaning products will trigger asthma attacks or symptoms. If you have the job of cleaning your house, you should safer, natural products.
Cigarette Smoke
Avoid anything that is known to trigger your asthma. Certain outdoor areas may be off-limits because they cause allergies to flare up. 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.
It is crucial that you stay away from all types of cigarette smoke if you suffer from asthma. This cannot be emphasized enough: Stay away from cigarette smoke! Stay away from vapors and chemical fumes, too. Inhaling these substances may trigger an unstoppable asthma attack. When you see people smoking in your area avoid them and move away.
If you have moderate asthma attacks, exhale forcefully, so that you force air from your lungs. Exhale quickly and hard. Exhale with maximum force! 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. Not only will you breathe in rhythm, but you’ll focus more intently on how you are breathing and become aware of breathing problems. It also allows you to take in more air by completely emptying your lungs. If you cough up mucus, don’t worry – just get the breathing back to normal.
Though it should go without saying, do not turn on any fans or circulation systems when in a room containing visible dust that has yet to be cleaned. Dust blown around by fans can cause your asthma to rear up. It would be better to just open a window if you are needing to get some airflow.
If you suffer from asthma and allergies that result in attacks, you can get injections of long-lasting medication for relief. Known as Omalizumab, this antibody medicine can control the body’s allergic senses and lower the symptoms or reactions that asthma patients suffer.
Make sure if you have an inhaler that you are using it the right way. Discover a location that is peaceful, and ensure you follow all the instructions that are given by the manufacturer. The inhaler only can help if it’s medicine reaches the lungs. While taking a deep breath, spray in the recommended dosage. Then hold it and try not to breathe for a minimum of 10 seconds. This will give enough time for the medication to properly fill out your lungs.
An annual flu vaccination is recommended for you as well as other members of your family. You do not want to have a respiratory infection if you have asthma. This means you should also be sure to wash your hands frequently and get vaccinated.
Avoid feather pillows if you suffer from asthma. Feathers can aggravate symptoms of asthma and lower lung function. You should also look into hypoallergenic materials when buying sheets and a comforter.
If you have asthma, a dehumidifier is something you should consider purchasing for you home. Lowering humidity will reduce the amount of dust mites in your home, and help your asthma improve. Dehumidifiers keep the humidity out of your home by keeping the air dry.
Make it a habit to always have some rescue medication available when you travel. Traveling can make you more likely to suffer from attacks due to the extra strain and stress on your body. You can’t control the weather or the environment when you travel, so keep in mind you are more vulnerable to symptoms and attacks when you go to a new area.
If you have asthma, avoid people who smoke. Inhaled smoke from tobacco can drastically reduce lung function, increasing your chances of an asthma attack. This is especially true in closed-in areas.
Some of the most notorious causes of asthma attacks exist in normal households. These triggers include dust, spores and mold. Have an inspector who focuses on allergens and irritants come into your home once a year to help you detect what you have and learn how to remove it. It also helps to clean your home frequently to prevent a buildup of these allergens.
Your home can be the cause of your asthma and its triggers. These causes can include dust, spores and mold. Have an inspector come visit your house to remove any harmful agents that you have so that you can stay healthy and lower your risk for an asthma attack. If you clean your house regularly, you can minimize the risk of these substances accumulating in your dwelling.
It is crucial that you know how to properly use your asthma treatments, particularly rescue inhalers. Asthma is usually treated on two fronts. One is a standard medication, taken daily, and the other is an inhaler, intended for use in an emergency. Asthma lasts a lifetime, so you must manage your treatment and lifestyle to ensure you’re taking the best care of yourself.
If you are going on a trip on a plane and need to take your asthma medicine, take your prescription with you! Having written documentation supporting this medically necessary item will eliminate any hassles when going through the security check point.
If you are flying with your asthma medications, especially a large piece of equipment such as a nebulizer, be sure to bring along a written prescription from your doctor. If you have the proof that this is a medical necessity, it can cause less hassles during the security check.
You can use the preventative inhaler daily, but know that it can cause mouth infections near your gums and teeth. You can prevent these side effects with proper tooth brushing and gargling after you use your inhaler.
Instead of sweeping your floors with a broom, it is preferable to clean using a wet mop. Sweeping the floor kicks up dust and other debris that can set off an attack of your asthma. Use a dampened rag when dusting, instead of a feather duster, so as to prevent stirring up loose dust particles and other asthma triggers.
When you clean your floors, do so with a wet mop instead of a broom. Sweeping stirs up dust and other things that can trigger your asthma. When you dust, use a damp cloth instead of a feather duster which can spread these triggers.
Those with asthma should minimize time with pets and animals. Asthmatics can be affected by the dander or pollen that comes from the animals, even if they have no allergies to them. This can be a very risky situation to put yourself in and should be avoided.
Allergens, dust, pollen and other things that can aggravate your asthma tend to collect inside bed linens. You can get rid of these by washing your sheets and other linens in very hot water each week. You’re less likely to have an asthma attack while asleep or upon first waking up if your bedding is fresh and clean.
This article provided you with some useful methods for controlling the effects of your asthma. But, you must be persistence in using them. Asthma will come back very quickly if you ignore the warning signs for as little as a short time. Lead a healthier, more symptom free, life by following the advice above.
See a specialist. Your primary physician should always be your first stop when dealing with asthma, but you may find it helpful to add a specialist’s knowledge. 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.