When you’re having an asthma attack, you may have a lot of trouble breathing. This can terrify you even if you’ve had an attack before and know what’s going on. You could get an asthma attack at any time and must always be prepared. This article is filled with helpful information about the hows and whys of asthma and offers useful advice on living with the condition and its effects.
You should avoid smoking and any type of fumes if you suffer from asthma. You must abstain from using any tobacco products. Also, when job hunting, you need to take into consideration whether or not you will be exposed to anything detrimental to your condition while on the job.
Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can actually trigger an asthma attack. Aspirin and other NSAIDs are known to be asthma triggers. Beta blockers that are used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease can develop asthma like symptoms. It is important to talk openly with your doctor about your asthma so that you do not take any medications that could be harmful to you.
Know situations and conditions that cause asthma attacks for you, and stay away from them in the future as much as possible. Perhaps you have allergies or are sensitive to dust and pollen. Others find themselves suffering from attacks when they overexert themselves. You should know what causes asthma, so you can stay away from these things.
Asthma is ongoing. Therefore, it also requires continual management of your health. Be certain that you are using the right maintenance medicines to control your asthma and that you also have a rescue or emergency medication when you have an acute asthma attack. Speak to your physician and allergist to find out what medications are right for you.
During a mild to moderate attack, force all of the air out of your lungs. Exhale in a hard and fast manner. 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. Doing this means breathing in a conscious rhythm that makes you mindful of your breathing. This technique also forces the air from your lungs to enable more air to come in. 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.
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. This will cause the dust to move around, which could cause an asthma attack. It’s better to open the window if you’re in need of fresh air.
Talk to a social worker if you do not have health insurance and need medication for your asthma. It is crucial that you be able to pay for your asthma medications, and a social worker might be able to locate a hospital or clinic for you that offers medications at a much cheaper price.
If you have asthma, a dehumidifier is something you should consider purchasing for you home. Reducing the amount of humidity in your home reduces the number of dust mites, which in turn reduces the chances of your asthma flaring up. Try running a dehumidifier to dry up the air in your home.
You should ensure that every family member in your household gets a flu vaccine yearly. You do not want to have a respiratory infection if you have asthma. Common method of avoiding illnesses can be very effective. Keep your vaccinations up to date and wash your hands frequently.
People who have asthma should avoid using scented household products. Products with a fragrance raise the air pollution indoors, and increase the risk of an attack being triggered. Some of these products include incense, scented body sprays and air fresheners. Fresh paint and new carpeting can also irritate the airway. Keep the air inside your home clean and fresh, and free of any asthma triggers.
A dehumidifier is an excellent investment for asthma sufferers. If you lessen your humidity in the house, you will stave off dust mites that may make your asthma flare. Try running a dehumidifier to dry up the air in your home.
Your asthma treatments will likely increase when you suffer from hay fever or a cold. Illnesses like this can often worsen your asthma symptoms, which may require that you up your dosage of certain medications. Your physician might also work an additional treatment into your therapy until such time as you are healthier.
People suffering from asthma should stick to unscented products. Products that contain fragrance, such as perfumes, colognes, or air fresheners, fill the air with irritants that can trigger an asthma attack. Other asthma irritants include fresh paint fumes and new carpeting. Keep the air inside your home clean and fresh, and free of any asthma triggers.
Receiving a regular flu shot is a great tip to implement if you or someone you love suffers from asthma. Therefore, it is very important to avoid as many infections to the lungs as possible by getting a vaccine each year.
Take notes of what can trigger your asthma attacks so that you can be prepared for a future attack or learn how to avoid them all together. Those who experience asthma are susceptible to some common things like pet dander, smoke, or pollen. Try to avoid these items as much as humanly possible so as to not trigger a full attack.
Mold and mildew grow in a home due to the humidity that creates a friendly environment for them. This stuff can easily set off an asthma attack. You should do your best to maintain a dry home. When it’s cold, a dehumidifier can keep moisture to a minimum; in hot months, your A/C unit will do the same thing.
If you are an asthma patient, you may want to sleep with a pillow that does not contain feathers. The pillow feathers can cause asthma to flare up and minimize your lung function. This applies to bedding, as well, so it’s best to make sure that everything on your bed is hypoallergenic.
Asthma Attack
Asthma generally develops over a period of time, and the symptoms are not always obvious. In some serious cases, people have dropped dead due to an asthma attack without ever knowing they had asthma in the first place. Therefore, if you find yourself having difficulties breathing or with a chronic cough, it is essential that you see a doctor and get tested for asthma. The sooner you get the needed treatment and medication, the better.
When the weather starts to turn colder, wear a scarf or shawl that covers your mouth and nose to help prevent asthma attacks. Bundling up puts heat between the air and your lungs, which can help lessen your risk of an asthma attack. Young children are especially at risk for an asthma attack if the air they breathe is too cold, but this problem can affect anybody with asthma.
If you have asthma, clean your floors with a wet mop, instead of sweeping with a traditional broom. Sweeping can cause the rise of dust and dander, which may trigger an asthma attack. Also, use damp rags instead of feather dusters to dust your furniture.
When taking asthma medications on a plane trip, bring written medical prescriptions provided by your doctor. Having written documentation supporting this medically necessary item will eliminate any hassles when going through the security check point.
Stay away from smoking. Most people are educated about how dangerous smoking is, but it is much more harmful for people who have asthma. Smoking is very bad for people who suffer from asthma, be sure not to smoke, but not to be around people that smoke.
It is important to use your maintenance inhaler daily as prescribed. However, understand that most types of inhalers contain ingredients which may make your mouth more susceptible to infections. To prevent complications from using a preventative inhaler, brush your teeth immediately after using it and use mouthwash as well.
If pollen is present in the air, anyone with asthma should stay inside. While asthma is different than allergies, often the same types of things that bother those with allergies trigger irritation in asthmatics as well. 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.
Allergens and asthma triggers, such as dust and pollen can cling to your bed linens. To reduce the chance that your bed linens will induce an asthma attack, wash your sheets every week in hot water. If you are sleeping on freshly laundered linens, you will sleep much easier.
Do not use a vaporizer or humidifier unless you are sure it’s been thoroughly cleaned. 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.
If you suffer from asthma and allergies, make sure you clean your humidifier before using it. The insides of these machines get really moist and provide great breeding grounds for bacteria, which means the machines would actually be filling the air in your home with the very allergens you are seeking to avoid.
You have to know the proper way to use an inhaler if you suffer from asthma. It isn’t as simple as spraying your mouth with it and lightly inhaling air. Once you spray the inhaler you must take deep breaths for a couple of seconds. If you have asthma, there’s no way around it: you need to get familiar with the right method of using your inhaler.
If you have asthma, schedule checkups ever few months with your doctor to stay on top of your condition. Frequent check-ups help your doctor evaluate the effectiveness of your current treatment plan and revise the plan as needed. 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.
Educate yourself to the maximum regarding asthma. The more you know, the more proactive you’ll be in your own treatment. Keep up on what the most effective treatments are and ensure you are receiving the best treatments possible. The only way you can do this is by arming yourself with condition and treatment knowledge.
Vitamin B6
Asthma can be the result of genetics, environment or a combination of both. This is why it’s important to recognize the signs of asthma if your family has a history of the condition. Air pollutants like smoke and mold spores can trigger an asthma attack, so keep your home clean to avoid irritation.
Include more vitamin B6 foods in your diet. Recent research has shown that vitamin B6 , widely known as pyridoxine, is effective at reducing the occurrence of asthma attacks. Pyridoxine can produce specific molecules which can relax your bronchial tissue. One common source of vitamin B6 are bananas.
Become stronger and increase the amount of air your lungs can hold over time. Don’t push yourself to the point that you trigger an asthma attack.
If asthma is allowed to go untreated and uncontrolled, it can be fatal. That said, however, if you make the preceding tips a part of your self-care routine, you should not only not have to worry about killing yourself, but you’ll also be able to live a full, healthy life.
Watch for signs of a serious asthma attack in order to know whether you should rush to the hospital with your child. You might notice a gray or blue tone to their lips or fingernails, and their medication may not be working. Speech may also become difficult.