Living with asthma, both daily and during an attack, can be frightening and draining. With the right education, dealing with asthma and having a good quality of life is possible. You can learn some methods by continuing on through the tips below. Read each line carefully and consider how it can be implemented into your unique situation.
Do you know what type of asthma you have? Gaining as much knowledge as you can about the type of asthma you have can make your day-to-day activities a little easier. For instance, people with exercise-induced asthma would do well to carry an inhaler in their gym bag! If you are familiar with your symptoms and their patterns, you will be better able to avoid emergencies.
Quit smoking or avoid smoke if you suffer from asthma. Smoking is terrible for everyone, but it lowers the oxygen supply in asthma patients who need as much oxygen as possible.
You want to make sure you can avoid situations that could trigger your asthma. This can vary from person to person, as small particles like dust can cause asthma attacks. Some people get attacks after being physically active. Knowing exactly what sets off your asthma is thus, very important.
There are medications that can unknowingly cause asthma-like symptoms. Some NSAIDs and aspirin might do this. Beta blockers can also have this affect, as well as other medications for controlling high blood pressure and heart disease. Make sure you consult with your doctor concerning your asthma and possible drug reactions.
Some medications that you may take unknowingly can cause you to have asthma symptoms. Various NSAIDs and aspirin have been reported to do this. Additionally, beta blockers, a type of medication used for heart disease and hypertension, may cause asthma symptoms. Let your doctor know about your asthma and what prescriptions you’re taking.
Leukotriene Inhibitor
Unfortunately, asthma sufferers must realize that their condition is chronic which requires ongoing treatment. Always be very sure that you’re taking the right type of medication for your condition if you hope to control it. It’s also important to have a quick-relief medication available. Your physician and allergist are the ones to approach with any questions you have about this disease and its treatment.
Try a leukotriene inhibitor if you have asthma. A leukotriene inhibitor prevents the formation of leukotrienes. Inhibiting this chemical can lead to a decrease in asthma symptoms. If you use an inhibitor, you may find that the your asthma attacks significantly decrease.
Learn how to use an inhaler in the correct manner if you do not already know. A lot of people use inhalers improperly, so be sure that you’re adhering to the manufacturer’s suggested instructions. Remember that the medication must reach your lungs if the inhaler is to work properly. Inhale air while spraying the necessary amount of medication into your mouth. Hold your breath at least ten seconds, so that the medicated mist can fill your lungs.
Make sure that everyone in your family gets their flu shot. Do everything you can to avoid a respiratory infection if you have asthma. To do this you must take extra precautions against getting sick, like washing your hands often and getting vaccinated every year.
Get annual flu vaccinations for your entire family. If you suffer from asthma, it is best to avoid respiratory infections of any type as much as possible. You can start by taking simple precautions, such as washing your hands and getting proper vaccinations when due.
If you have been diagnosed with asthma then you should avoid cigarettes and smokers like the plague. When you breathe in smoke, especially in small spaces, it diminishes breathing ability, which greatly increases the probability of an asthma attack.
If you suffer from asthma, make sure that you consume enough Vitamin C and Vitamin E. These vitamins make lungs function better and keep symptoms of asthma under control. You can get these vitamins from food or take a supplement. These vitamins can also boost the immune system and help prevent asthma attacks.
Avoid pillows with feathers if you have asthma. The pillow feathers can cause asthma to flare up and minimize your lung function. The same can be said for bedding, try to get hypoallergenic comforters and sheets.
Stay away from any tobacco smoke, even people that are smoking tobacco. Inhaling smoke from tobacco products can compromise your lung function, which then makes you more susceptible to an attack. The risk of an attack from cigarette smoke is increased as the space you are in decreases.
Make regular asthma checkups with your doctor, even if you are not having any issues come up. It is impossible to predict the next attack. Furthermore, newer or safer asthma medications may be approved in the time since you last visited your doctor.
You may have to take more asthma medicine if you suffer from seasonal hay fever or catch a cold. Many of these illnesses will worsen your asthma symptoms bad enough to require more treatments than you typically need. It is possible your doctor will want to add additional therapies to your treatment program until you are back on your feet.
If your home is damp, it can encourage the growth of mildew and mold. They are a nuisance for people with asthma; the asthma attacks they trigger require you to eliminate them. You should do your best to maintain a dry home. When you use the heater in the winter, be sure to have a dehumidifier control the humidity in your home. During the summer time, be sure to use the air conditioner to maintain a dry home.
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. Some common asthma triggers include pet dander, pollen, and cigarette smoke. Whenever possible, avoid those substances that trigger either symptoms or full-blown attacks.
Monitor how many times, on a weekly basis, you are using your rescue inhaler. If your records start to show you need the inhaler more than two times weekly, your environment might be causing you problems or your asthma is not being controlled as well as it could be. The number of times you use your inhaler can serve as a good reminder to monitor your environment and other aspects of your asthma management plan.
A humid home environment is a healthy environment for mildew and mold to develop. These fungi are both common triggers for asthma attacks. You will benefit greatly from keeping the moisture out of your home’s air. Using a dehumidifier during cold weather and turning on your air conditioner when the weather gets hot again can help keep humidity out of your home to ensure your asthma is under control.
Clean your home with a wet mop instead of a broom. If you choose to sweep, you’re swirling up a tornado of dust and allergens, both of which are common triggers for asthma symptoms. You can greatly reduce this by using a wet sponge, damp rag, or moist cloth instead of your old-fashioned feather duster.
Making mouth and nose coverings such as mufflers, shawls or scarves a routine part of your winter wardrobe can help you ward off asthma attacks. This helps warm the air prior to it entering your lungs. Breathing cold air can trigger severe asthma attacks. This is especially true for young children with asthma.
Asthma Issues
Understanding how to properly administer your asthma medications is important, particularly in regard to rescue medications. Asthma is usually treated by using a regular medicine supplemented with a rescue medicine, like an inhaler. Because asthma does not get cured, those afflicted with it must continue to take their regular medication and use their rescue inhaler when needed.
Watch the pollen counts and adjust your activity accordingly to protect yourself from seasonal asthma issues. Asthma is in no way an allergy, but a lot of the same burdens that bother allergy suffers also affect people who suffer from asthma. The same air quality reports available in the local news for allergy problems can also help those with asthma issues stay indoors on particularly hazardous days.
Keep in mind that mopping your floors with a wet mop will cause less asthma problems than sweeping will. Sweeping stirs up irritants that can trigger an asthma attack. When dusting, try to use a damp rag rather than a feather duster to cut down on the spread of the triggers.
It is important to remain calm during an asthma attack. Use the inhaler, wait thirty seconds, and use once more. If the inhaler does not provide immediate help, get medical help right away. Go to the hospital immediately or call 911. Try breathing in a paper bag to slow your breathing on the way there.
Asthma sufferers need to know which types of animals and breeds won’t trigger their asthma attacks. Animals carry pollen and dust with them and can trigger serious asthma attacks.
When you have asthma, it is very important to have regular check-ups with your doctor. Your doctor needs to be able to evaluate your current situation and make any necessary changes. You need to stay on top of scheduling doctor visits. Otherwise, your condition might deteriorate suddenly.
Knowing how to appropriately and safely use your inhaler is essential if you are afflicted with asthma. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that it’s as easy as pumping lightly into your mouth. Each time you spray your inhaler, breath in deeply for a few seconds. Proper techniques with your inhaler will keep your symptoms from increasing out of control.
Once you know what sets your asthma off, you can keep attacks from happening as frequently. Keeping a journal will help you and your doctor develop a plan to combat some of the triggers. Once they are identified, you should make every attempt to avoid the triggers and remove them from the environment that you live in when at all possible.
Buy a mask to keep yourself from breathing in harmful fumes if you plan on painting in your home. Asthma is strongly irritated by paint, so a mask will put a shield between you and it, and lessen the problem. Avoid substances and chemicals which can worsen your asthma.
You can contract asthma through genetics or through environmental conditions. If anyone in your family history had asthma, pay attention to signs of it in you or your children. Keep yourself and your family away from environmental hazards like smoke, pollution, excess dust and mold spores.
A support group for those with asthma can really help, and so can simply talking to people about your condition. They will provide tips on how to deal with asthma, or what to do in certain situations that may be new to you. Being with supportive people will give you the motivation to take control.
Be on the lookout for allergy attacks. You should switch medications if you have more than two asthma attacks each week. Most health professionals agree that having attacks more than twice a week is both dangerous and avoidable.
The best way to avoid having an asthma attack is to know what your trigger are. You need to think about maintaining a journal that can assist you in determining potential triggers of asthma. Talk to your doctor about these results. Once they are known, do whatever it takes to prevent triggers from going off, and if possible, just wipe them out of your life and environment completely.
If someone in your household is an asthma sufferer, do not smoke in your home, car, or anywhere around them. Anyone that needs to smoke can go outside and do so at a distance from the house. Heavy smokers can cause an asthma attack by carrying the smoke smell on their clothes.
Work on gradually training your lungs to be able to take more stress. Do not attempt a strenuous workout that will end up triggering an asthma attack.
If you suffer from asthma, it is crucial to learn how to manage it. Things will become easier when you learn how to manage your asthma. We have, thankfully, learned a lot about living with asthma and how you can be happier if you have it.
Know what symptoms indicate a serious asthma attack that requires immediate medical intervention is occurring. The symptoms of a severe attack include reduced efficacy of medication, even in higher doses, along with gray or blue lips and fingernails. Speech may also become difficult.