Difficulty breathing because of asthma can be very frightening. Asthma may be quite restrictive and an attack can occur without warning, resulting in a life threatening situation. The information here can help make it clear what triggers asthma attacks, and it can provide you with ways to manage it and keep its effects limited.
If asthma is something you suffer from, do not smoke or spend time around smokers, much less any source of vapors and fumes. Thus, you need to avoid cigarettes and cigars and be vigilant about steering clear of environmental or workplace exposure to smoke.
Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can actually trigger an asthma attack. Believe it or not, something as seemingly innocuous as aspirin can actually trigger symptoms. Additionally, beta blockers, a type of medication used for heart disease and hypertension, may cause asthma symptoms. Talk to a doctor if you have any of these conditions along with asthma.
What type of asthma are you having to deal with? Gaining as much knowledge as you can about the type of asthma you have can make your day-to-day activities a little easier. If your asthma is triggered by exercise, throw an inhaler into your gym bag. Learn what activities trigger your symptoms, and prepare accordingly so that you’re never caught without your inhaler during an asthma attack.
During a mild to moderate attack, force all of the air out of your lungs. Breathe out fast and hard. Push that air from your lungs with all that you’ve got! Take three breaths in succession. These breaths don’t have to be deep, just breathe a little. Then take a deep breath, pulling as much air as possible into your lungs. When your lungs are as full as you can stand, force the air out. This gives your breathing a rhythm, which makes you aware of how many breaths you take. It also expels air from your lungs so more can enter. If you cough or produce sputum, don’t worry. Just remain focused on your objective, which is to regain a normal rate of breathing.
Some medications are known to cause asthma symptoms. Aspirin is an example of a widely used medicine that can cause asthma problems. 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. It is important to let your doctor know if you suffer from asthma together with any of these conditions.
Leukotriene inhibitors may be helpful to you if you suffer from asthma. This prescription will prevent the product of leukotrines and help to abate the symptoms of asthma. Leukotriene, a chemical substance, can cause asthma attacks by causing inflammation. By blocking the effects of leukotrienes, a leukotriene inhibitor can reduce the frequency and severity of your asthma attacks.
Anyone suffering from asthma or asthma-like symptoms needs to stay clear of cigarette smoke, whether you smoke yourself, or even if you’re breathing secondhand smoke. Never smoke a cigarette! Stay away from vapors and all chemical fumes so you are not able to breathe them in. This can trigger an unstoppable asthma attack. If you are around people who smoke, leave the area very fast.
Social Worker
Consider getting injections of medications to treat your asthma if you are prone to attacks induced by allergy symptoms. An antibody medicine known as omalizumab is very effective at countering asthma attacks related to allergies. Ask your allergist about it.
If you have asthma that is not covered by health insurance, contact someone in a government agency, like a social worker. A social worker can possibly help you with finding treatment and low-cost medications.
Make certain that all members of your family get their annual flu shot. Keep yourself healthy, and without respiratory infections as best you can. The easiest way to start is by performing routine hand-washing, limiting your touching of surfaces while in public places, and getting vaccinations recommended by your doctor.
If you have asthma, get a dehumidifier for your home. By bringing down the humidity level, it will reduce dust mites and reduce asthma flare-ups. Dehumidifiers reduce humidity and keep the air in your home dry.
If you suffer from asthma, ensure that your diet contains adequate amounts of Vitamin E and Vitamin C. It is widely believed that these vitamins can help control asthma symptoms by improving lung function. You can take a supplement or consume these vitamins in food. These vitamins also help boost your immune system, which helps to prevent illnesses that trigger asthma.
Be knowledgeable about the factors that cause asthma attacks in order to avoid the triggers or develop a plan for managing the symptoms of asthma. Generally, it is found that items such as smoke and pollen can trigger attacks in those that suffer with asthma. When possible, stay away from triggers of asthma symptoms in an effort to prevent a severe attack.
A dehumidifier can significantly reduce the asthma attacks experienced by you or other afflicted members of your household. Though you may not be aware of it, high levels of humidity in indoor spaces can increase dust mites, which then can affect asthma. Dehumidifiers keep the air in your home dry by eliminating humidity.
Even if you seem to be fine, see your doctor regularly for your asthma checkups. Your health care provider may have new prescriptions that could benefit you in case the need arises.
Using four or more cleaners in your home can contribute to asthma attacks. Use organic cleaning products since they don’t have irritating chemicals.
Asthma Attack
If you have asthma or you live with an asthma sufferer, you should ensure you receive an annual flu shot. Avoid these infections by making sure your and your child’s vaccines are up to date.
During the months that are colder, wear a shawl, muffler or scarf that will cover your nose and mouth to help you avoid asthma attacks. 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.
Know what causes your asthma attacks, as this will enable you to work around them or prepare to treat the asthma attacks that result. The majority of individuals afflicted with asthma know there are common irritants like pollen, pet dander and smoke. It is best to do all that is possible to avoid triggers that can cause attacks.
If you are going to be flying and are bringing your asthma medicine with you, take written prescriptions from your physician with you, especially if you will be taking large equipment like a nebulizer. If you have written proof about the item you have,and that it is medically necessary, there will be less hassles going through security.
If you plan to take a trip, you must always keep your rescue medication with you at all times. Travel adds stress on your physical body, and it might increase your chances of falling prey to asthma triggers. You also have little control over your environment when traveling, which can make you more susceptible to an attack and symptoms of greater severity.
You can use the preventative inhaler daily, but know that it can cause mouth infections near your gums and teeth. Prevent these unnecessary side effects by gargling and brushing your teeth right after you use the inhaler.
Do not allow mold or mildew to grow in your home, because they can be extremely dangerous for asthma sufferers. Both mold and mildew are associated with asthma attacks. So, it makes sense to keep dry air in your home. During the winter, you can use a dehumidifier to control humidity when using a heater, and an air conditioner during the summer will help keep your home dry.
Keep notes on how often you are compelled to use your inhaler each week. If you use it very often, you may not have it under control. How often an inhaler is used can help to monitor the environment.
It is essential that you learn the proper ways to use all of your asthma medications, especially those used in rescue situations. Asthma is usually treated with an everyday medication that is sometimes supplemented with an emergency treatment, like an inhaler. Because asthma can be a lifelong issue, it is vital to take both regular and rescue medications according to the instructions.
If you have asthma, clean your floors with a wet mop, instead of sweeping with a traditional broom. An asthma attack is one possible outcome of a sweeping session that fills the air around you with allergens and dust. When you need to dust, do so with a damp rag instead of a feather duster so that you reduce spreading around anything that will trigger your asthma.
Anytime you clean your house or apartment, wet mopping is superior to sweeping. Sweeping can stir up some asthmatic triggers that will exacerbate your symptoms. Dusting with a damp cloth rather than a feather duster can be a considerable help in reducing the amount of dust and other things that might start an attack.
Avoid smoking. People know that smoking is dangerous, but it is even more dangerous to those with asthma. Smoke is extremely irritating to the already sensitive asthmatic lungs, so care should be taken to not only smoke, but also avoid being in the presence of other people who are smoking.
When preventing asthma, stay away from smoke. Smoking can trigger a person who has asthma to have an attack. Stay away from cigarettes, chemicals, and anything else that may emit smoke. These things can cause your asthma symptoms to greatly increase. Politely request that smokers abstain from smoking in your presence.
If not controlled it can become fatal. Asthma in no way has to be a death sentence, however. In fact, it is a condition that is easily treatable. If you can implement the advice you have learned throughout in the article above, you can begin to control your asthma symptoms.
The only way that you should use a vaporizer or humidifier when you have asthma or allergies is if it has been cleaned thoroughly. Bacteria can breed in moist parts of the machine, and if it is unclean when you turn it on, it will just pump out allergens.