Living with asthma is a burden, and asthma attacks are downright frightening. The quality of your life can be drastically improved if you understand how to live and deal with your asthma. Keep reading for new, and old, ideas on handling your asthma.
You should avoid smoking at all costs and being exposed to vapors and perfumes if you suffer from asthma. This means you need to keep away from tobacco products and only seek out jobs where you aren’t exposed to any harmful chemicals, smoke or vapors.
If asthma is something you suffer from, do not smoke or spend time around smokers, much less any source of vapors and fumes. Decrease the effects of asthma by wearing a protective mask when pollution levels are especially high.
When you have asthma, you need to be careful around chemical cleaning products. Many of the harsh chemicals inside cleaning products might trigger symptoms or even a full blown asthma attack. It is advisable to consider using products that have an organic base when cleaning.
If you’re suffering from asthma, it helps if you can avoid any harsh cleaning products out there. Many chemicals that are in these products can cause the triggering of asthma attacks. If you have the job of cleaning your house, you should safer, natural products.
Keep clear of anything that you know to be a trigger for your asthma. For some people, it may be related to allergies, such as a reaction to dust or pollen. Others may have attacks that are triggered by physical activity. Know your asthma causes so you can avoid putting yourself in a situation where you may suffer from an attack.
There are some common medications that you could be using that will cause asthma symptoms. Aspirin and some other NSAIDs may 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’ve been diagnosed as asthmatic and are taking medications unrelated to your asthma, be sure your doctor is aware of them.
There are medicines out there that may increase your chance of triggering asthma symptoms. Among these medications are aspirin and other NSAIDs. Some medications for blood pressure and heart disease – those referred to as beta blockers – can also exacerbate asthma problems. Tell your doctor if you are an asthmatic and you are using these medications.
Asthma is a disease that is ongoing and must be attended to every day. Be sure you are practicing proper self-care, and make sure you have your inhaler ready to go in case you suffer a full-blown attack. To determine the best options for you personally, consult your physician and an allergist.
Consider a leokotriene inhibitor if your asthma is not controlled by other methods. It works to prevent leukotrienes. Leukotriene, a chemical substance, can cause asthma attacks by causing inflammation. This inhibitor can prevent leukotrienes, which makes you less likely to have an asthma attack.
If you are experiencing a moderately severe attack, try to first exhale completely. Exhale as quickly as possible, expelling air forcefully out of your lungs. Force your lungs to expel as much air as possible. Inhale for three quick breaths, and then take one deep breath so that you can allow your lungs to fill with air, and then force the air out again. Breathing in this rhythmic manner helps you to concentrate on the breaths you’re taking. When air is forcefully exhaled, it allows a fresh intake of air to fill your lungs. It may cause you to cough or even generate sputum, but that’s fine, you goal is for your breathing to get back to normal.
If you have asthma and do not have health insurance, you should consider seeing a social worker. You will need asthma medications, and if you are unable to afford them, a social worker can find a hospital or clinic that can offer you medication for free or for a little cost.
If you’re in a room that has a lot of dust in it, don’t turn on a fan. When you turn on the fans they will move the dust in the room around and this can trigger your asthma very easily. The better way would be to open a window to increase the airflow in the room.
Both Vitamin C and Vitamin E are important if you suffer from asthma. Since both of these have been attributed to better function of the lungs, they also help to control the symptoms of asthma. Many foods have these vitamins in abundance, but you can also use a supplemental pill. These vitamins will also help prevent illnesses by boosting your body’s immune system.
Asthma Attacks
If you are an asthma patient, be sure to stay away from people who smoke, even if you are not a smoker yourself. You can suffer an asthma attack if you are around cigarette smoke because it makes your lungs function poorly. You are even more exposed to an attack when the smoke is in a closed-in room or area.
You may want to use a leukotriene inhibitor if your asthma is being particularly problematic. A leukotriene inhibitor works by preventing leukotrienes. Leukotriene, a chemical substance, can cause asthma attacks by causing inflammation. Get the inhibitor to prevent the leukotrienes, and your asthma attacks may drop in number.
Mildew and mold grow best in a home with high humidity. These things can trigger asthma attacks very easily. Keeping a home dry and mold-free is important. During winter time, use a dehumidifier if necessary to control humidity while running your heater, and use your air conditioner during summer months to keep air dry.
Social workers are there for your assistance if you live with asthma, yet can’t get approved for health insurance. 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.
Keep in mind that mopping your floors with a wet mop will cause less asthma problems than sweeping will. Those particles that can trigger asthma attacks are stirred up when you sweep. Also, use damp rags instead of feather dusters to dust your furniture.
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. You can start by taking simple precautions, such as washing your hands and getting proper vaccinations when due.
Smoking cigarettes is not a choice that should be made. While smoking is a dangerous habit in general, it is far more damaging to those who have asthma. Smoke irritates the lungs of an asthma sufferer, so avoid the presence of people who smoke if you have asthma.
Make sure you are taking plenty of Vitamins E and C if you suffer from asthma. They help to increase the function of the lungs and control the overall symptoms of asthma. You can get these vitamins from food or take a supplement. Your immune system gets a boost with these vitamins, and this helps protect your body against illnesses and asthma.
Asthma sufferers should definitely stay indoors more when pollen increases. Even though asthma isn’t an allergy, they share many things in common. Many areas provide air quality information publicly, allowing you to stay indoors when the air outside is poor.
If you’re suffering from a cold or allergies, you should talk to your doctor about taking additional asthma medication. Many illnesses have side effects that could cause your asthma to flare up so badly that you need to have an increase in treatment. The doctor may choose to pursue additional treatment options during your illness as well.
It is important to visit with your doctor often, every two months or so, in order to stay on top of your asthma. This will give your doctor a chance to assess your current asthma condition, and make any needed adjustments to your medication. Although your doctor is there to help you stay healthy and manage your asthma, your health is your responsibility. Make and keep regular doctor’s appointments so that you can keep asthma under control.
Realize what triggers your attacks, and you can avoid or manage these situations. Common asthma triggers include pollen, smoke or dander. Whenever you can, just steer clear of these triggers when you know what they would result in.
Knowing what triggers your asthma is an extremely important thing to know in order to prevent your attacks. Consider keeping a journal to help you identify possible asthma triggers and discuss the results with your doctor. After you identify substances that trigger your asthma symptoms, you can avoid those substances in your environment or ask your doctor whether there is a medication that will allow you to go into an environment with those triggers and remain free of asthma symptoms.
Your home is where most asthma triggers are located. These triggers include dust, spores and mold. In order to remain healthy and lessen any chances of having an asthma attack, it is recommended you have your home inspected yearly to have these harmful triggers removed. It also helps to clean your home frequently to prevent a buildup of these allergens.
Make sure to regularly clean and sweep your living area. You need to also wash your pillows, blankets, and sheets on a regular basis. By keeping these items clean, you avoid any dust buildup which attracts dust mites, a typical trigger of asthma attacks. Dust in the air is irritating to those with asthma and increases the chance of an attack.
Wear a covering over your mouth and nose when you go outdoors in the colder weather. A shawl, scarf or muffler would work well. This lets the air warm slightly before you breathe it in. Breathing in the cold air has been shown to trigger asthma attacks, especially in younger children with moderate to severe asthma.
Try using caffeine as an emergency backup if your asthma medications are unavailable during an attack. Coffee, strong black tea, or chocolate can reduce your asthma attack symptoms. Caffeine constricts blood vessels so that your airways can open.
Daily Medication
If you or someone in your family suffers from asthma, you must not permit smoking in your house, your vehicle and your immediate environment. Additionally, smokers should be asked to smoke nowhere near the house or the asthma sufferer. People who are heavy smokers don’t even have to smoke; the heavy scent of smoke in their clothing can trigger asthma attacks.
Take the time to understand the proper usage of your asthma medication, particularly any that is labelled as rescue medication. A treatment made up of a daily medication plus a rescue inhaler can help to keep asthma under control. Asthma doesn’t go away, so it’s important to be vigilant about taking your daily medication and using your rescue inhaler when an attack occurs.
Watch carefully for any signs of food allergies in your children. You should test your children for a food allergy if they experience any strange symptoms such as hives when they eat something in particular. These allergies may indicate the possibility of asthma in the future.
When you fly, make sure to take along prescriptions or doctors’ notes for all of your asthma equipment and medications, especially if they are unusual. Without a written prescription stating that the item is medically necessary, you may experience frustration and delays at security checkpoints.
Get a flu vaccination every year. Even if you haven’t had the flu in the past, it’s best to be safe and protect yourself with a vaccination. It is easy for an asthma sufferer to develop a sinus or respiratory illness, which can create serious complications.
If you suffer form asthma, it is very important that you understand the best ways to manage it. When you learn more about asthma, it is much easier to deal with. Fortunately, medical science has discovered much regarding asthma, and the information here can get you started towards better management and clearer understanding of this affliction.
To reduce the number of asthma attacks that you suffer within your own home, maintain an environment that is clean and dry. A dehumidifier can be very useful to keep the moisture at acceptable levels if used on a daily basis. If you strive to keep the levels of humidity in your residence consistent, you will not have as many asthma attacks.