Asthma affects many different ages of people. On top of appropriate medical advice and frequent doctor visits, you must remain aware of warning signs and things that could trigger attacks. This article provides several easy tips on making your symptoms better and reducing the likelihood of asthma attacks.
If you’re suffering from asthma, it helps if you can avoid any harsh cleaning products out there. Many of the chemicals in cleaning products can trigger asthma symptoms or attacks. If you’re the one who regularly cleans the house, look for natural cleaning products which are much safer to use.
If you suffer from asthma, don’t smoke or expose yourself to smoke, fumes or vapors. 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.
If you are suffering from a moderate or mild attack, do your best to force as much air out of the lungs as possible. Breathe out quick and forcefully. You have to force the air out. Follow this by breathing in three times quickly, and a fourth time deeply to ensure your lungs are filled to capacity, then exhale again as forcefully as possible. This method forces you to pay close attention to your breathing and create a steady rhythm. It also pushes the air out of your lungs, so that more air can 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.
If you suffer from asthma, it is critical that you not smoke. Smoking is not recommended for anyone, but it creates worse complications for asthma patients by cutting off part of the oxygen supply needed to breathe properly.
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. The fan will cause the dust to circulate through the air, which can cause you to suffer an asthma attack. Open a window instead to get the air flowing.
In order to prevent asthma attacks, keep away from triggers. This is different for everyone, but some people, things like dust or pollen can trigger an attack. While in other people, all it takes is physical activity and an attack can trigger. Keep a journal of your attacks so that you can start to learn what your triggers are so that you can prevent flareups before they begin.
If you’re someone who gets an asthma attack related to allergy like symptoms, there’s medication you can use to help. Known as Omalizumab, this antibody medicine can control the body’s allergic senses and lower the symptoms or reactions that asthma patients suffer.
Never use a fan in a dirty, dust-filled room. This could trigger an asthma attack because this will move the dust around. If you wish to have a breeze, open a window instead of running a fan.
Be sure not to smoke as well as stay away from any smokers in general, this can be very harmful for you if you have asthma. When you inhale tobacco smoke, you are severely increasing the likelihood of an asthma attack. This is especially true in small, confined areas with little to no ventilation.
Asthma sufferers should take Vitamins E and C. They are believed to aid respiratory function and to be instrumental in keeping your asthma in check. Get these nutrients through supplements or food. These vitamins can also boost the immune system and help prevent asthma attacks.
For asthma sufferers, the unscented option is always the best choice among different products. Scented products such as air fresheners and perfumes can trigger an asthma attack. Fresh paint and new carpeting can also irritate the airway. Try to maintain the air in your house as free from possible asthma triggers as possible.
Using over four kinds of cleaning products in the home can trigger asthma attacks. Choose instead organic products that are not filled with harmful chemicals.
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. Common asthma triggers include pollen, smoke or dander. Do your best to avoid coming into contact with substances that you know will trigger your symptoms.
If you suffer from asthma, don’t expose yourself to secondhand smoke. When you inhale smoke, especially in close quarters, lung functioning is decreased, and it can trigger an attack.
Make sure that your rescue medication is at hand at all times during your travels. You may find that the stress of traveling makes an asthma attack more likely. The change in environment can also have a negative impact, since it is impossible to control. This can lead to more frequent attacks or attacks with symptoms that are worse than normal.
Always choose unscented products for your home if you have asthma. Using products in your home such as incense, perfume or air fresheners can increase the amount of microscopic pollutants indoors and trigger 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 keep the indoor air as clean and fresh as possible.
Know the right way to use any asthma medication you are taking, in particular your rescue medication. Most people treat their asthma with regular daily medication, and carry supplemental emergency medication in the form of a rescue inhaler. Because you will have asthma for the rest of your life, it is important that you take your maintenance medication properly, and that you use your emergency medication correctly.
If you are on the road, be certain to travel with your inhaler at all hours. Being in odd environments can cause undue stress on your body, which makes you more prone to an asthma attack. You also have less control of your surroundings while you are away from home, so it is difficult to avoid potential triggers and to maintain control over your attack.
Asthma often takes time to develop, the symptoms appearing slowly. Some people have even died from having an asthma attack, and they didn’t even know they had asthma. It is advised that you seek out a medical professional if you ever have shortness of breath or experience constant coughing; this may be a sign that you suffer from asthma and need proper medication to prevent an asthma attack and keep your condition under control.
Asthma Attacks
Instead of sweeping your floors with a broom, it is preferable to clean using a wet mop. Sweeping your floor can kick allergens into the air, triggering an asthma attack. Use damp rags instead of a dry feather duster so triggers won’t be filling the air.
Some of the major causes of asthma, and triggers for asthma attacks, can exist right in the home. These are dust, mold and spores. To stay healthy and reduce the chance of asthma attacks, you should have an inspector visit your house yearly to remove these harmful agents. On top of that, doing housecleaning regularly can prevent build up of these particles.
You may want to consider having numerous doctors treat your asthma. Your PCP can be the person you go to for help with asthma, but it’s also a good idea to talk to a specialist. Asthma centers, pulmonologists, nutritionists and allergists can all work with you, making sure you are getting all the treatment you need.
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. Having evidence from a doctor that the medication is necessary for your health will greatly help with security at the airport.
Asthma sufferers should stay indoors as much as possible when pollen counts rise. The same pollens and other irritants that cause trouble for allergy sufferers are also concerns for asthma sufferers, even though the two are quite distinct conditions. Now that you have information on local air quality in most areas, people who suffer from asthma will be able to decrease outdoor activities if there is potential irritants in the air.
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. Prevent these unnecessary side effects by gargling and brushing your teeth right after you use the inhaler.
If you use your rescue inhaler more than two times a week, see a doctor to have your medication adjusted. If that’s the case, the medication in the inhaler isn’t working right. This is also true if you find yourself refilling the inhaler prescription more than twice in a calendar year.
You should always realize that asthma is a serious condition. Asthma attacks are potentially lethal, and you should take precautions to make sure that your asthma is under control. For example, always keep with you an inhaler which is good should you suffer from an attack. Also, lessen the amount of allergens and airborne dust in your home. With the tips you just learned, you should, hopefully, feel a little better about getting your asthma symptoms under control.
If you are going to paint your home, purchase a mask beforehand so that you will not breath the fumes. The fumes from paint are very irritating to the lungs of asthma sufferers, but a mask goes a long way towards filtering out these irritants. Avoid substances and chemicals which can worsen your asthma.