Asthma is a dangerous condition that has the potential to seriously affect your life. It may not be something you can simply get rid of, but with a little work it becomes manageable. Learning ways to manage your asthma will keep your condition from becoming a potentially life-threatening issue. This article can help you deal with your asthma better.
Do you know what type of asthma you have? Understanding the specifics of your asthma will help you to avoid attack triggers in your day-to-day life. A perfect example is that if you have asthma caused by exercise you should put a inhaler in your locker or gym bag. When you know what triggers your asthma, you will be more prepared to stop attacks before they begin.
If you are suffering from a moderate or mild attack, do your best to force as much air out of the lungs as possible. Exhale quickly and with power. This will force the air from your lungs. After that, take in three shallow breaths and one deep breath. Once your lungs are full again, do another forceful exhale. This method forces you to pay close attention to your breathing and create a steady rhythm. It also voids your lungs of old air so that new air can enter. If you cough up mucus, don’t worry – just get the breathing back to normal.
Avoid anything that is known to trigger your asthma. Allergens such as dust and pollen can bring on an asthma attack at any time. For others, certain physical activities may be the trigger. Knowing exactly what sets off your asthma is thus, very important.
If allergy symptoms cause you to have moderate to severe asthma attacks, there is a medication available that can help for extended periods of time. Your allergist may recommend a variety of medications to control your reactions and the onset of asthma.
Asthma is a chronic disease that requires ongoing, consistent management and care. Your doctor may prescribe medications that must be taken daily. In addition, you will likely have medication to take in the event of an attack. Speak to your allergist and doctor to see what they recommend for you.
Try a leukotriene inhibitor if you have asthma. Leukotriene inhibitors work to prevent leukotrienes. Inhibiting this chemical can lead to a decrease in asthma symptoms. The inhibitor can prevent them and decrease your asthma attacks.
Consider getting allergy shots if you have asthma that is caused by allergies that aren’t under control. Ask your allergist about omalizumab, an antibody drug that can reduce the severity of asthma symptoms and the frequency of attacks.
If you have asthma and cannot afford health insurance or have no eligibility, bring up your situation with a social worker. 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.
Make sure that everyone in your family gets their flu shot. If you suffer from asthma, it is best to avoid respiratory infections of any type as much as possible. This means taking every precaution possible, do things like getting vaccinated to prevent sickness to hand washing on a regular basis.
Everyone in your family, including you, should get the flu vaccination every year. People who have been diagnosed with asthma should exercise extreme diligence in avoiding other respiratory conditions. Take the right steps to stop yourself from getting sick, wash your hands and get the right vaccines.
If you use any more than four kinds of cleaning product around your home, then the risk of an asthma attack is increased. Use organic products as often as possible, as these contain fewer harsh chemicals.
If you are an asthma sufferer, be sure to get the recommended daily dose of Vitamins C and E. These vitamins can help improve your lung function, ultimately controlling asthma. 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 help prevent illnesses by boosting your body’s immune system.
For those who have asthma, the safest choice is to stick with unscented products. Using scented products, like air fresheners and perfume, will increase the level of air pollution and is likely to trigger an attack. In addition, paint that is fresh or carpet that is new release odors that can cause breathing irritations that lead to an asthma attack. Aim to make the air inside your home allergen free, and as fresh and clean as possible.
You may want to consider purchasing a dehumidifier for your home if you suffer from asthma. By bringing down the humidity level, it will reduce dust mites and reduce asthma flare-ups. Air is kept dry by dehumidifiers by sucking the humidity out of it.
Hay fever and colds can worsen asthma symptoms so prepare to need increased treatments. A lot of illnesses can cause your asthma to flare up very badly, resulting in the necessity to increase asthma treatment. Your physician might also add more treatments to your regimen until your asthma is under control again.
Asthma Attacks
Some common catalysts of asthma attacks regularly occur in the home. These causes can include dust, spores and mold. Stay on top of your health and reduce the likelihood of attacks. You can do this by having it inspected every year to get rid of triggers. Keep your house clean to keep these asthma triggers out of your home.
Some of the main triggers of asthma attacks happen right inside the home. Dander, dust and mold are all commonly found in many homes. To keep your body healthy and to cut down the frequency of asthma attacks, it is important to have your house professionally inspected and cleaned to remove these harmful substances. Clean up your house regularly so these substances do not accumulate.
Mold and mildew thrive in homes with high humidity levels. These substances are prime triggers for asthma attacks. Try, then, to ensure your home is dry. In the winter months, use a dehumidifier in order to get rid of moisture. Your air conditioner will keep it dry in the summer.
If you need to travel with your asthma medication, particularly if you plan on bringing a nebulizer or other large equipment, it can be helpful to obtain a letter from your doctor explaining their use. The written prescription will help you get through security without difficulty, because it establishes that your nebulizer and supplies are medically necessary.
During the week, you should take note each time your rescue inhaler is used. If you use it three or more times each week, your treatment plan may not be working effectively or else an atypical situation may be triggering an increased number of attacks. How often an inhaler is used can help to monitor the environment.
Allergens, pollen and other irritants can collect in your linens and aggravate your asthma. 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. If there are always fresh linens on your bed, you are much more likely to sleep restfully without unexpected asthma attacks.
Dust and other allergens often accumulate in bed sheets. You can cut down on these irritants or eliminate them altogether by washing your bedding and pillow cases in very hot water once a week. Fresh bed linens, laundered on a regular basis, will keep you breathing clearly and easily at night while you slumber.
When pollen counts are high, people who have asthma should stay inside. Asthma is not considered an allergy, but elements that cause allergies usually trigger asthma attacks too. Check the local air quality report online to determine whether to stay indoors and keep irritant exposure to a minimum.
Get a second opinion. Your usual doctor will be able to help you, but you should also consider seeing a specialist. Nutritionists, allergists, and pulmonologists are just some of the advisers who can change your life for the better.
Don’t panic when you have an asthma attack. Immediately use your asthma inhaler, rest for 30 seconds, then use it once more. If the attack gets worse, then seek help immediately. Get someone to call an ambulance or get you to a hospital. Try putting a paper bag up to your mouth and breathing into it to help slow your breaths.
Do not smoke! Although bad for everyone, cigarettes can cause greater problems for those with asthma. Not only should smoking be avoided, you need to be careful to stay away from people who do smoke because it is extremely harmful and will irritate your sensitive asthmatic lungs.
Do all you can to educate yourself about asthma. Having the right information can enable you to choose the treatments that are right for you, and help reduce symptoms. Look into cutting-edge treatments, and seek the best medical care you can find. The best possible way to really understand your condition and treatment options is to educate yourself.
Asthma sufferers should definitely stay indoors more when pollen increases. A lot of the same things that can bother people with allergies will bother people with asthma as well. Information about local air quality is available in many areas so that those with asthma can reduce their outdoor exposure if irritants are within the air.
If you have symptoms that are getting more severe, see your doctor. Also, apply these tips as much as you can so that you can have fewer symptoms and have a higher quality of life.
Take in every piece of asthma information available to you. Knowledge is power, and enlightened proactive steps yield immeasurable dividends in your treatment and management regimen. Keep up with trends and new treatment methods, and ensure that the medical professionals on your team are working hard to help you. The best thing to do is learn and research as much as you can about this condition and the treatment options that would be best for you.