At the worst asthma can kill, but most of the time it just affects your lifestyle. Things, such as walking outside, can become a hassle. It is important to do everything you can to keep this disease under control. Use these easy suggestions to decrease your symptoms and to keep it from overtaking your life.
If your child has asthma, do not smoke cigarettes near them. Secondhand smoke is one of the leading culprits that causes asthma. Never allow anyone to smoke around your child, and teach them not to smoke as an adult themselves.
Do you know what type of asthma you have? Learning about your type of asthma will help you manage its impact on your life. People suffering from asthma that is exercise-induced, for example, had best be prepared for asthma attacks at the gym! Treating asthma is less difficult if you and your physician are aware of the triggers that bring on an attack.
Avoid those things that you know can trigger your asthma. For some, allergens such as dust and pollen can trigger an attack. Others experience an attack from physical activities. Figure out what sets off your asthma so you can avoid it.
It is imperative that you do your best to avoid cleaning chemicals if you are asthmatic. Cleaning products may contain chemicals which can trigger an asthmatic episode, such as ammonia. When you are tidying your home consider using natural products that are effective for cleaning rather than traditional cleansers.
A lot of medications can trigger an asthma attack without you knowing. Some over the counter medications can irritate your asthma. Additionally, beta blockers, a type of medication used for heart disease and hypertension, may cause asthma symptoms. Make sure you consult with your doctor concerning your asthma and possible drug reactions.
A leukotriene inhibitor may be an excellent way for you to deal with asthma. As its name suggests, this inhibitor works by preventing the release and build-up of leukotriene. Inhibiting this chemical can lead to a decrease in asthma symptoms. The inhibitor will keep the leukotrienes from forming, which can reduce the frequency of asthma attacks that you experience.
If you are having an attack that is not severe, push as much air out of the lungs as possible. Breathe out fast and hard. This will force the air from your lungs. Then take three quick breaths, next a deeper breath till your lungs fill with air, then repeat the forceful exhalation again. This gives your breathing a rhythm and makes you focus on your breathing. It will also help to get the air to come out of the lungs so more can come in. You might cough or produce sputum, but that is fine; you are trying to get breathing under control again.
Social Worker
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. A leukotriene inhibitor works by preventing leukotrienes. Leukotriene is a chemical substance that can lead to inflammation that can cause an asthma attack. If you use an inhibitor, you may find that the your asthma attacks significantly decrease.
If your health insurance situation cannot help you with your asthma, talk to a social worker. If you cannot afford medicine for asthma, your social worker can help you locate someone that can help.
Contact a social worker if you have asthma but do not meet the eligibility requirements for health insurance. Social workers are often able to locate a hospital or clinic that can offer free or low cost options to make sure you can fill your medication prescriptions.
You and your loved ones need to get a flu vaccination every year. People who have been diagnosed with asthma should exercise extreme diligence in avoiding other respiratory conditions. Take standard precautions against any kind of illness, and start washing those hands and getting vaccinations that will protect you from getting very sick.
Asthma sufferers should take Vitamins E and C. Both vitamins improve lung function, helping you to better resist asthma attacks and other negative symptoms. You can take a supplement in order to get these vitamins if there is not enough of them in your food. These vitamins will also provide a boost to your immune system. This will prevent respiratory illnesses that can trigger your asthma attacks.
Your asthma medication may need to be adjusted if you become ill. Make sure your doctor prescribes a fast acting inhaler for emergency situations. Your doctor might add additional medication until your sickness gets better.
Keep your home meticulously clean to reduce attack potential if there is an asthma sufferer living there, especially the bedroom. Only eat in the kitchen, and never let anyone smoke inside the house. Air the house out thoroughly after cleaning and avoid the use of bleach and other harsh chemicals indoors.
You should understand what triggers your asthma attacks in order for you to avoid these causes or prepare yourself for managing your symptoms. Common triggers among asthma sufferers are smoke, pollen, or pet dander. Try to avoid these items as much as humanly possible so as to not trigger a full attack.
Attend your regular asthma checkups, even if things seem to be going well. Your health care provider may have new prescriptions that could benefit you in case the need arises.
Whenever you travel, always keep your rescue inhaler or other fast-acting medication by your side at all times. Traveling to different places might expose you to unexpected triggers, as your body is put under more strain when you travel. 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.
Join a support group, online or in “real life”, to find help from your peers. Asthma can be quite debilitating, especially if the asthma is severe, and this condition can interfere with daily life. By getting involved in a support group you will also be speaking with other sufferers who may know of new scientific discoveries and treatment plans you may not be aware of.
Cigarette Smoke
During the colder months, avoid asthma attacks by wearing a scarf, shawl or muffler that covers the mouth and nose. Bundling up puts heat between the air and your lungs, which can help lessen your risk of an asthma attack. Inhaling cold air can elicit an asthma attack or create other serious respiratory problems.
Avoid smoke if you want to prevent asthma. Cigarette smoke will often trigger an asthma attack. Do what you can to avoid chemical fumes, cigarette smoke and other vapors. These are all common triggers and can aggravate asthma symptoms. Ask your family to smoke outside, and consider moving if they refuse.
Asthma is a health condition that usually develops over a period of time, and has symptoms that may not be obvious. There are known cases where someone has actually died from a single asthma attack, because they were unaware that they had the disease. Therefore, if you have trouble breathing or a constant cough, you may want to seek a medical professional to determine if you have asthma. Your physician can also determine whether you need medication for either asthma prevention or asthma treatment.
If you have asthma and allergies, do not use a vaporizer or humidifier unless you make sure that it has been cleaned thoroughly. If the vaporizer or humidifier has not been thoroughly cleaned there could be bacteria growing inside of it. When you turn it on it will pump allergens that you will inevitably breath in.
It’s a very good habit to use your asthma inhaler as a daily preventative, although the drug residue can cause issues for your gums and teeth. One way to reduce the probability of such infections is to immediately brush and gargle after inhaling the medicine.
If you suffer from asthma attacks, familiarize yourself with how to properly use your inhaler. Don’t just breathe normally or shallowly after spraying inhaled medication into your mouth. Every single time that you spray the inhaler into your mouth, you must, for a couple of seconds, breathe deeply. Without proper breathing techniques with your inhaler, your symptoms will worsen.
Anytime you clean your house or apartment, wet mopping is superior to sweeping. Sweeping your floor can kick allergens into the air, triggering an asthma attack. When dusting, try to use a damp rag rather than a feather duster to cut down on the spread of the triggers.
If you need to use your inhaler more often than twice each week, this means your asthma isn’t adequately controlled and a medication change is required. Frequent use of the rescue inhaler means that your management medicine is not working as it should. Another sign is needing refills 3 or more times per year on your rescue inhaler prescription.
Avoid smoke, if you don’t want to have an asthma attack. Smoke and chemicals have been known to trigger asthma attacks. Do what you can to avoid chemical fumes, cigarette smoke and other vapors. Any one of these things can aggravate asthma symptoms and cause an episode. When anyone lights up a cigarette or cigar in your presence, politely inform them that you have asthma and ask them not to smoke beside you.
Joining a network of those who suffer from asthma, or simply talking to others who suffer from the condition, can have a positive impact on you. Other sufferers can help you learn how to manage and live with your asthma, by offering tips and advice. Keeping supportive people in your daily life is very important.
Being around animals should be avoided. While asthma can be triggered from an animal hair allergy, those free of these allergies can have an attack by the pollen and dust that the animals carry.
Many people underestimate asthma, or at least think that they can’t do anything about it since it is an incurable disease. However, you’ll be amazed at how much difference you can make simply by following these simple steps to try and relieve symptoms and reduce the sources of asthma attacks.
Bed linens often collect asthma aggravators, such as pollen, dust and allergens. The easiest way to get rid of these triggering agents is by washing all of your bedding using your washer’s hot setting every Sunday. The freshly laundered linens will make it easier for you to breath when you are sleeping.