Asthma is no joke. It can kill you if it is left untreated. It is important to take proactive measures to get asthma under control before you experience a critical event that puts you in the hospital. This article has many tips on managing your asthma.
Second hand smoke can cause asthma to develop in children, and can trigger an asthma attack if they already suffer from asthma. One of the biggest reasons people have asthma is secondhand smoke. Any place where smoking is allowed should be avoided if you have a child with asthma.
If asthma is something that you are afflicted with, then don’t smoke or immediately quit. Smoking is unhealthy for anyone, regardless of their health; however, when you have asthma, smoking restricts the oxygen your lungs needs to breathe and function properly. If your lung function is affected, you run the risk of having more frequent attacks.
If you suffer from asthma, it is critical that you not smoke. Smoking is bad for everyone, but it’s particularly dangerous for an asthma sufferer, as it cuts off vital oxygen to the lungs.
Always be very mindful of the type of medications you’re taking. Some meds out there might just trigger an asthma attack. Various NSAIDs and aspirin have been reported to do this. 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. If you suffer from asthma, be sure that your medical professional is aware of this.
Avoid being around any known asthma triggers. Some people have allergies that cause asthma, and allergens such as dust and pollen can cause an attack. While in other people, all it takes is physical activity and an attack can trigger. You need to determine what your triggers are so that you can avoid them.
Keep rooms free of dust, and do not turn on a fan if you do have dusty rooms. A fan will spread dust and debris all over. This can very easily aggravate your asthma, and cause serious symptoms. Instead, you should consider opening a window to get some fresh clean air going through your lungs.
If you have asthma, you should keep away from any smoke from cigarettes. Never smoke yourself! Avoid breathing in the vapors and any other types of chemical fumes. Any of these things can trigger an asthma attack. When you see people smoking in your area avoid them and move away.
If you suffer from asthma and allergy attacks, ask your doctor for a long-lasting allergy injection. 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.
Should you wind up inside a really dusty room, don’t activate any fans. This could trigger an asthma attack because this will move the dust around. Open a window to bring clean, cool air inside instead.
Social Worker
If you are an asthmatic who also has allergies, injected allergy medication may be just the thing you need to get relief. Omalizumab is one such medication, and can control the allergic symptoms you may be experienced. An allergist will be able to tell you if this is a good option.
If you have asthma and cannot get health insurance, see a social worker. Asthma patients need their medications, and a social worker might be able to hook you up with programs to help you such as clinics and programs through pharmaceutical companies.
Having a fast acting inhaler is vital to save asthmatics from experiencing severe symptoms. Talk to your physician and find out if a leukotriene inhibitor would be right for you. Leukotriene inhibitors are used to prevent things called leukotrienes. Leukotriene is a chemical substance that can lead to inflammation that can cause an asthma attack. The prescription will help to decrease home much leukotriene is in your system and therefore, the number of asthma attacks you have.
Be sure to take plenty of Vitamins C and E if you have asthma. These vitamins help to control asthma symptoms and improve the function of your lungs. It is possible to acquire the necessary amounts by eating foods or by taking dietary 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.
If you have asthma, it might be helpful for you to buy a dehumidifier. Lowering the level of humidity present in your home can reduce the numbers of dust mites, a prime trigger of asthma. Dehumidifiers remove the humidity by drying out the air that flows through your house.
Think about buying a dehumidifier if your asthma symptoms are bad. A reduction in humidity will also lessen the amount of dust mites in your home. This lessens the chance of an asthma flare up. A dehumidifier works to dry the air by removing moisture.
Be aware that your asthma medication may need to be adjusted if you are suffering from a cold, flu or hay fever. An increase in treatment is necessary sometimes because side effects of other sicknesses can cause your asthma symptoms to flare up. Your doctor may choose to also add an additional treatment until the illness gets better.
Unscented products are best for asthma sufferers. Indoor air pollution rises with the constant use of anything scented, ranging from air fresheners to incense, and all this can trigger asthma attacks. New carpet and fresh paint can also emit odors that can irritate the airways. As much as possible, try to keep your home filled with fresh, pure air.
If you’ve been diagnosed with asthma, be sure to get flu shots every year. This is doubly important for asthmatic children. Prevent these infections from occurring by going to get vaccinated each year.
Make sure to examine what it is that causes your asthma attacks in order to best avoid having to deal with them. Generally, it is found that items such as smoke and pollen can trigger attacks in those that suffer with asthma. Try to avoid the things that make your asthma flare up.
Make it a habit to always have some rescue medication available when you travel. It’s easy to get thrown off your regular eating and sleeping routine while traveling, which strains your body and increases your vulnerability to asthma attack triggers. It’s hard to have much control over your environment when you travel, which makes it more likely you will have some sort of symptoms or an asthma attack.
Humidity in your home causes an environment where mildew and mold are more likely to grow. You can get asthma attacks because of these substances. Keeping a home dry and mold-free is important. During the cold, winter months, a dehumidifier can help. In the summer, an air conditioner naturally takes out a lot of the humidity in the air.
A lot of the main causes, and triggers, of asthma may exist right in your home. These are dust, mold and spores. 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. Additionally, cleaning your home on a regular schedule prevents these unwanted visitors from taking residence en masse.
You want to make certain you visit more than just one doctor. Your family doctor will be in charge of your asthma treatment, but seeing a specialist can provide you with invaluable help. Asthma centers, pulmonologists, allergists or even nutritionists will be able to work with you, make certain that you check out all outlets offering treatment.
Mold and mildew can thrive in a humid home environment. Asthma attacks are easily triggered by these substances. Therefore, you should always strive to maintain a dry home. When you are heating your home during the winter months, a dehumidifier can be used to control the humidity. In the summer, use an air conditioner to maintain dry air.
If you use an inhaler more than 2 times a week, talk to your doctor about a new medication potentially. This frequency of inhaler use means that your inhaler medication is not functioning effectively. This is also true if your inhaler needs refilling more than two times annually.
Asthma generally develops over a period of time, and the symptoms are not always obvious. There have even been cases where people die from the first asthma attack they had, without knowing they had the condition. Given that fact, if you have any kind of consistent cough or respiratory ailments, consulting a physician for testing is a good idea, since you want to know if you are suffering from asthma and if so, what to do about it.
Have your asthma situation checked out by a doctor every so often, so that you are not blindsided by changes in your condition. This person needs to have the ability to look at your current situation so that they can make any changes as necessary. It is up to you to work with your doctor at regular appointments to keep your treatment plan working.
See more than one doctor. While your asthma treatment should start with your primary care doctor, visiting one or two asthma specialists can make a real difference in how well you understand and manage your condition. Pulmonologists, allergists, asthma centers and nutritionists can help you take advantage of the many treatments available to those with asthma.
Asthmatics should always wear a mask when dealing with the harsh chemicals in fresh paint. Paint can trigger asthma-related issues, but wearing a mask will provide a protective barrier to circumvent these issues. In general practice, in fact, it is best to avoid fumes that will likely trigger an attack.
If pollen is present in the air, anyone with asthma should stay inside. 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. You can get the information about air quality in the area you are in; people who suffer from asthma should stay indoors if their air quality is low.
Finding out what causes your asthma attacks can be the most effective way to prevent them. 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. Once identified, do everything you can to avoid triggers and eliminate them from your environment whenever possible.
If you suffer from asthma, it is imperative that you know how to correctly use your inhaler. You can’t just spray into your mouth and softly inhale. Every time you spray the inhaler, breathe deeply inward for about three seconds. Holding it in will allow the medicine to open up your bronchial passages and relieve your attack.
If you believe that your symptoms are becoming much worse, make sure you see your doctor. To manage asthma and get more out of life, you should use these tips.
Make certain you have checkups scheduled with your physician every few months so you keep on top of your asthma. Your physician can assess if there’s been any changes in your condition, and adjust your treatment plan accordingly. Taking on the responsibility of scheduling these regular appointments will help your doctor help you to stay healthy.