Not only can asthma be a burden to your everyday life, but it can even be fatal. It is critical that you follow all available measures to keep your asthma well managed. You can manage your asthma and reduce your symptoms by applying the tips below.
Never smoke around a child with asthma, or you could kill them! Secondhand smoke is a trigger for asthma attacks, not to mention the myriad of other diseases it can cause. If your child is in an area where people are smoking, remove him quickly to avoid an asthma attack.
There are medications that can unknowingly cause asthma-like symptoms. Examples of medications that may contribute to asthma are aspirin and other NSAIDs. Additionally, beta blockers, a type of medication used for heart disease and hypertension, may cause asthma symptoms. If you have asthma and these other conditions, let your physician know.
As a chronic disease, asthma must be managed continuously. 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. Work with your allergist and doctor to find the right treatment program that makes you feel good and allows you to still do the things you want to do.
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. Omalizumab is a mediation that is able to control allergic reaction symptoms.
If you find yourself having a mild asthma attack, force the air from your lungs until they are empty. Exhale in a hard and fast manner. Force all the air out of the lungs! Then take three small breaths in, followed by a deeper breath to fill your lungs comfortably. Next, exhale forcefully again. Using this strategy provides your breathing with a rhythm that forces you to focus on it. It also expels air from your lungs so more can enter. Do not be alarmed if you cough or generate excess mucous; this is perfectly normal. Your only concern is to return your breathing to normal.
When suffering from asthma, there are vitamins that can help, including E and C. These vitamins can help improve your lung function, ultimately controlling asthma. You can take a supplement or consume these vitamins in food. Another great benefit of vitamin C is that it will help to strengthen your immune system overall.
Make certain that all members of your family get their annual flu shot. If you suffer from asthma, it is best to avoid respiratory infections of any type as much as possible. This means that you should take all standard precautions to avoid illness, such as washing your hands, getting vaccinated and avoiding those who are sick.
To keep from triggering any bad symptoms of asthma or a full-blown attack, it’s important to keep the home clean and tidy, free of dust and other particulates. This is particularly important in a bedroom. Keep food in a kitchen or on the dining room table, and avoid cigarette smoking inside. Try to avoid using any harsh chemicals or bleach in the home while cleaning; and, once the home is cleaned, air it out.
Asthma sufferers should take Vitamins E and C. These vitamins help to control asthma symptoms and improve the function of your lungs. You can choose to ingest this vitamins by eating foods that are rich in the vitamins or through a supplement. These vitamins will also help prevent illnesses by boosting your body’s immune system.
Make sure you know what triggers asthma attacks so you can either avoid those triggers or be prepared to manage your asthma symptoms. Most asthma sufferers have a few common triggers such as smoke, pet dander or pollen. Try to avoid the things that make your asthma flare up.
Stay away from any tobacco smoke, even people that are smoking tobacco. When you inhale smoke, especially in close quarters, lung functioning is decreased, and it can trigger an attack.
Even if you are feeling great, never skip your regular asthma checkup. 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.
Even if you are feeling great, don’t skip your asthma check-ups. A flare up can come at any time and your doctor can always look into safer medications for your particular symptoms.
Join an online or offline support group. Asthma can be quite debilitating, especially if the asthma is severe, and this condition can interfere with daily life. Also, other asthma sufferers can help keep you aware of new medications or other medical treatments.
Most of the triggers for attacks, and causes of asthma, are found inside the home. These can include dust, mold and spores. Have an inspector come visit your house to remove any harmful agents that you have so that you can stay healthy and lower your risk for an asthma attack. Additionally, cleaning your home on a regular schedule prevents these unwanted visitors from taking residence en masse.
Humidity is a problem in the home, because it creates conditions that are perfect for mildew and mold growth. Protect yourself against allergens, dust mites and fungus to avoid exacerbating your asthma symptoms. Therefore, it is important to maintain a dry 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.
Protect yourself against breathing in cold air that aggravates your asthma by wearing a scarf that covers your nose and mouth. This will warm the air before it gets in your lungs. Cool air has been known to trigger an asthma attack, particularly in very young children who have severe or moderate asthma.
Take the time to understand the proper usage of your asthma medication, particularly any that is labelled as rescue medication. A typical asthma treatment plan is daily medication backed up with an emergency inhaler. Asthma is a serious, chronic health condition, and it’s vital that you take medicine to manage the disease properly and use the rescue medications as directed.
Pay attention to how often you reach for your asthma inhaler each week. If you are using it more than twice, your asthma may not be as well-controlled as you think or you may be experiencing unusual circumstances bringing on more frequent attacks. How often an inhaler is used can help to monitor the environment.
Written Prescription
For a deeper and more thorough cleaning, mop your floors instead of simply sweeping them. An asthma attack is one possible outcome of a sweeping session that fills the air around you with allergens and dust. Use damp rags instead of a dry feather duster so triggers won’t be filling the air.
If you are going on a plane trip with asthma medications, make sure to bring your written prescription along with you. The written prescription will help you get through security without difficulty, because it establishes that your nebulizer and supplies are medically necessary.
For those struggling with their asthma, avoiding regular contact with pets is important to control symptoms. Though dander allergies are often seen in conjunction with asthma, even asthmatics who are not allergic may have attacks that are triggered by the ancillary irritants transported by animals, including pollen and dust.
Asthma sufferers should have minimal contact with animals including pets. An allergy to an animal will worsen asthma symptoms, and an animal can carry enough dust or pollen to trigger an attack.
Avoid smoking and people who are smokers. There is a general awareness that smoking is not good for your health. But for the asthmatic, smoking can quickly have serious consequences. The lungs of someone with asthma are irritated by smoking, whether by that person or someone nearby.
Bed Linens
To improve your asthmatic condition, use a clean humidifier or vaporizer while you sleep. 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.
Bed linens tend to collect asthma triggers like pollen, dust and other allergens. To reduce the chance that your bed linens will induce an asthma attack, wash your sheets every week in hot water. Fresh linens, washed regularly, can ensure you breathe better as you sleep.
If you find it necessary to use an inhaler more than two times a week, you should talk to your doctor about changing your medication. Frequent asthma attacks indicate that your inhaled medication isn’t keeping your asthma under control. Also, if you have to refill your inhaler more than twice in one year, then a visit to the doctor for a medication change is also in order.
If you are suffering from asthma, you should learn how to utilize your inhaler the right way. In order for the inhaler to work, you must carefully follow the directions. You must breathe deeply in conjunction with the spray. Failure to properly use your inhaler can lead to deadly effect.
Vitamin B6 intake should be increased in order to help control asthma. Known as pyridoxine, vitamin B6 has been proven to reduce the intensity and frequency of asthma attacks. Vitamin B6 helps your body to produce molecules that work to relax your bronchial tissues. Bananas are an easily accessible source of vitamin B6.
Educate yourself about asthma. Knowledge is power, and enlightened proactive steps yield immeasurable dividends in your treatment and management regimen. Keep current with treatments and ensure you have the greatest possible care that you can have. You can easily know this information by further developing your knowledge about your condition, as well as, discovering treatment options.
You will want to get stronger, and gradually work to expand your lung capacity. The last thing you should do is a frenetic workout. You will surely trigger an attack. Start slow and build your stamina.
Vitamin B6
The following symptoms can signify a serious attack worthy of emergency room attention. Some signs of an attack that is very serious include blue-ish or gray fingernails and lips and increased medication use with diminished or no effect. Additionally, your child may have trouble speaking.
Increase the amount of vitamin B6 in your diet. Recent research has shown that vitamin B6 , widely known as pyridoxine, is effective at reducing the occurrence of asthma attacks. Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) is instrumental in the production of specific molecules which help the bronchial tissue to relax. Bananas are a great source of Vitamin B6.
If you start to have an asthma attack but can’t find your medication, try to find some caffeine instead. Strong tea, chocolate or even coffee can help to reduce the severity of your attack. Caffeine closes the blood vessels, which makes it easier for you to breathe.
Asthma may be caused by environmental factors, genetics, or possibly both. If someone closely related has asthma, you need to pay special attention to asthma-like symptoms your or your children have. Things in the environment like smoke, mold, dust and pollution can aggravate asthma. It is important to keep your family and self away from these things.
A non-humid, clean environment will help you reduce or eliminate any asthma attacks that happen at your home. Using a dehumidifier will control moisture levels in your house. By keeping these levels steady, the chance of seasonal attacks occurring will be reduced.
Keep your home is clean, and sweep often. Also, wash sheets, pillows and blankets frequently. Cleaning will prevent dust and mites from building up, lessening the risk of asthma attacks. If dust increases, the air is more likely to irritate the lungs of asthma sufferers. This can quickly turn into an asthma attack.
To deal with your asthma attacks better, it is important to make a plan for dealing with attacks when they happen. By being properly prepared, you are better able to handle your asthma.
Many people underestimate asthma, or at least think that they can’t do anything about it since it is an incurable disease. However, you’ll be amazed at how much difference you can make simply by following these simple steps to try and relieve symptoms and reduce the sources of asthma attacks.
If you or somebody you know is an asthmatic, don’t do anything physical that can trigger an attack, unless your doctor suggests it. Exercise with care, and learn to stop before you get an asthma attack that could end up in you visiting the emergency room.