Your lungs are one of the most vital organs in your body, so when you receive a diagnosis of asthma, it can impact your lifestyle and routine hugely. However, asthma doesn’t mean you have to give up on being healthy or having fun. There are many ways asthmatics can stay healthy and live a normal life. Heed the excellent advice laid out here, so it is possible to cope well with asthma.
What triggers your asthma? Before you can develop a self-care plan for your asthma symptoms, you need to know the specific cause of your symptoms. An example would be to bring in your gym bag an inhaler if you happen to have exercise-induced asthma. Knowing your symptoms’ patterns can help you avoid big problems.
If you suffer from asthma, don’t smoke, and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke. You should avoid jobs where you might be exposed to fumes and chemicals, such as factories.
Some medications are known to cause asthma symptoms. Aspirin along with other NSAIDs can have this effect. Common medications used for controlling high blood pressure often times contain beta blockers, which asthmatics may be more sensitive to. If you suffer from asthma, be sure that your medical professional is aware of this.
If you suffer from asthma, strong cleaning products should be avoided. The chemicals in these products make you more prone to an asthma attack. While anyone responsible for cleaning their home can’t avoid cleaning products altogether, it’s best to only use natural products.
Asthma is a chronic disease that requires ongoing, consistent management and care. Make sure to take the right medication for controlling everyday asthma symptoms, but also have quick relief medication with you in case of an attack. Speak to your allergist and doctor to see what they recommend for you.
Proper knowledge of how to use your inhaler is necessary if you have asthma. Discover a location that is peaceful, and ensure you follow all the instructions that are given by the manufacturer. The inhaler is only beneficial if the medicine gets to your lungs. Inhale deeply and spray the correct dose into your mouth. Hold your breath for at least 10 seconds to allow the medicated mist to fill your lungs.
If you have asthma, avoid cigarette smoke of all kinds. If you smoke, try quitting. It is also a good idea to stay away from the fumes or vapors from harsh chemicals, such as those used in cleaning. This can aggravate your asthma and it might not stop. Never visit a home or establishment where people will be smoking, and if people start to smoke, walk out.
Make certain that you and your loved ones receive annual flu shots. If you have asthma, try to avoid getting respiratory infections if you can. This includes preventive measures against sickness, such as practicing good hygiene and getting all recommended vaccinations.
If your asthma attacks are severe, you may want to speak with your doctor about a long lasting injection of medication to control your symptoms. Ask your allergist about omalizumab, an antibody drug that can reduce the severity of asthma symptoms and the frequency of attacks.
If you are someone who suffers from asthma, you should consider buying a dehumidifier for your home. If you lessen your humidity in the house, you will stave off dust mites that may make your asthma flare. A dehumidifier works to dry the air by removing moisture.
Talk to your doctor about getting a leukotriene inhibitor if you have asthma. As its name suggests, this inhibitor works by preventing the release and build-up of leukotriene. Leukotriene are chemicals that may cause your lungs to get inflamed which can lead to an asthma attack. Taking an inhibitor blocks the receptors that leukotrienes normally interact with and leaves your throat less inflamed and attack-prone.
For asthma sufferers, the unscented option is always the best choice among different products. Products with fragrance, such as perfumes, colognes, and air fresheners, introduce irritants into the air around you and can cause asthma attacks. In addition, paint that is fresh or carpet that is new release odors that can cause breathing irritations that lead to an asthma attack. Try to make it your goal to keep the indoor air as fresh and allergen free as possible.
If you are an asthma sufferer, be sure to get the recommended daily dose of Vitamins C and E. These vitamins are thought to help improve lung function and control asthma symptoms. Either find a good vitamin supplement to take, or change your diet to include more foods rich in Vitamins E and C. These vitamins will also provide a boost to your immune system. This will prevent respiratory illnesses that can trigger your asthma attacks.
Make sure to examine what it is that causes your asthma attacks in order to best avoid having to deal with them. Those who experience asthma are susceptible to some common things like pet dander, smoke, or pollen. Whenever possible, avoid those substances that trigger either symptoms or full-blown attacks.
A dehumidifier can significantly reduce the asthma attacks experienced by you or other afflicted members of your household. When your home has less humidity, there are less dust mites, and that minimizes the chances of an asthma flare-up. Dehumidifiers work by pulling the moisture out of the air of your home.
Avoid pillows with feathers if you have asthma. The feathers from a pillow can cause asthma symptoms and decrease your lung function. The same rule holds true for bedding. Choose sheets and a comforter that are constructed from materials known for being hypoallergenic.
It’s been proven that you should use no more than four cleaning products in the home. If you do it can increase the risk of asthma attacks. Use organic products as often as possible, as these contain fewer harsh chemicals.
Even if you have not had any recent breathing problems, you should nonetheless schedule regular checkups. You can not predict when an attack might hit you, or if your doctor has found a different medication that is safer and will help your symptoms more.
Try to keep your home as clean as possible, especially the bedroom of the asthma sufferer, to reduce the risk of an asthma attack. Only permit food in designated eating areas, such as the kitchen or dining room, and don’t allow smoking inside the house at all. Make sure that the home is properly ventilated and aired out, especially after cleaning with harsh products, like bleach or ammonia.
Your home can be full of the major triggers leading to an asthma attack. These causes can include dust, spores and mold. 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. On top of that, doing housecleaning regularly can prevent build up of these particles.
If you suffer from asthma, you should refrain from sleeping on a pillow that contains feathers. Feathers can trigger asthma symptoms and reduce lung function. This also goes for bedding; use sheets, comforters and blankets that are crafted from hypoallergenic materials.
When you need to take your asthma supplies on an airplane, it is a good idea to bring your doctor’s prescription with you. Having proof in writing from a doctor that states the item is a medical necessity can eliminate security hassles.
You must have regular asthma reviews, even if you are not having any problems. You don’t know when you could have another flare-up, or if there are better or safer medications available.
Inhalers are important to use every day, but be aware that inhalers have been known to cause infections near the teeth and gums. You may be able to avoid this problem by brushing your teeth or rinsing your mouth thoroughly after each use of the inhaler.
It is crucial that you know how to properly use your asthma treatments, particularly rescue inhalers. Asthma is usually treated on two fronts. One is a standard medication, taken daily, and the other is an inhaler, intended for use in an emergency. Managing your medicine properly is important because asthma is a chronic health problem.
Make note of how often, on a weekly basis, you use your inhaler. You should not have to rely on a rescue inhaler more than twice per week. If you find yourself needing it more often, it could be a sign that your asthma is not being controlled well or that there is a new environmental factor causing attacks more frequently. If you have to use your inhaler a lot, you will know that you should more closely monitor your surroundings.
Do not smoke cigarettes. Smoking is an unhealthy habit for everyone, but it poses an even greater danger to people with asthma. Smoke can severely irritate an asthma sufferer’s lungs; so, if you do suffer from asthma, stay away from both smoking and being around smoke in general.
Cigarette Smoke
When dealing with an asthma attack, it is important to stay calm. Grab your inhaler and use it, then wait to see if it helps. If not, then use it again in thirty seconds. Seek help if your attack gets worse. Ask a family member or friend to call for ambulatory help or to drive you to the emergency room. Try breathing in a paper bag to slow your breathing on the way there.
If you’d like to avoid asthma attacks, avoid cigarette smoke as much as possible. Breathing in smoke can trigger an asthma attack. You should attempt to minimize your contact with cigarette smoke, chemical fumes, and noxious vapors. Things like this can make your asthma worse. If there is someone who always smokes around you, you should politely ask this person to smoke when you aren’t present.
If you are an asthma sufferer, it is crucial that you are using your inhaler the proper way. Don’t just breathe normally or shallowly after spraying inhaled medication into your mouth. You must simultaneously inhale and spray the inhaler, then hold your breath for several seconds. Proper techniques with your inhaler will keep your symptoms from increasing out of control.
Avoid aggravating your asthma condition while sleeping by covering your mattress and pillows with plastic before putting clean linens on. Wash sheets on a weekly basis to rid them of allergens. Use hot water to wash the sheets. You should also wash pillowcases. If you are sleeping on freshly laundered linens, you will sleep much easier.
If you are prone to asthma attacks, you need to find out what triggers them. Write down potential asthma triggers in a journal and talk to your doctor about them. By identifying the causes of your asthma symptoms, you can then work to eliminate these triggers from your life completely.
Eat foods rich in vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 — also called pyridoxine– can reduce the intensity and frequency of asthma attacks. Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) is instrumental in the production of specific molecules which help the bronchial tissue to relax. One common source of vitamin B6 are bananas.
If you experience three or more allergy attacks in a week, it’s likely that the medication you’re taking isn’t proper. The medical community holds two opinions about asthma attacks occurring more than twice a week: first, they are dangerous, and secondly, they are preventable.
Battling asthma can take your whole lifetime, but it gets easier day by day if you stick with reliable advice, like what you can get from your doctor or from this article. There are new developments in treatment and medications every year that make asthma easier to manage.
Attempt to build strength, and capacity in your lungs, gradually. A more strenuous exercise program may irritate your airways and bring on an asthma attack so you will want to proceed with caution.