If not managed properly, asthma can have serious consequences. Asthma attacks can cause serious health problems, and even death. Ask for advice from qualified professionals, and be proactive in taking steps to improve your health. The following tips will help you manage your asthma symptoms and live an active lifestyle.
Don’t turn on any fans if you see that your room is dusty. 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.
Cleaning Products
If you are having trouble dealing with asthma, a leukotriene inhibitor might be of good use. A leukotriene inhibitor stops the release of a chemical that causes the inflammation that is responsible for some asthma attacks. A leukotriene will cause inflammation in the respiratory system, causing an asthma attack. The inhibitor can prevent them and decrease your asthma attacks.
When you have asthma, you need to be careful around chemical cleaning products. Many of the harsh chemicals inside cleaning products might trigger symptoms or even a full blown asthma attack. If you have the job of cleaning your house, you should safer, natural products.
If you’ve got asthma, don’t smoke or be near smokers. 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.
Avoid using a fan in any room that has excessive dust. The fan will circulate the dust along with the air, which can cause it to get into your lungs and make your asthma worse. Instead, you should consider opening a window to get some fresh clean air going through your lungs.
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. Your doctor could add another treatment into your regimen until the illness is better.
Social workers are there for your assistance if you live with asthma, yet can’t get approved for health insurance. You will need asthma medications, and if you are unable to afford them, a social worker can find a hospital or clinic that can offer you medication for free or for a little cost.
A yearly flu shot is necessary if you suffer from asthma. Stave off these infections immediately by getting your vaccinations yearly.
Think about buying a dehumidifier if your asthma symptoms are bad. Cutting down the humidity in the house will lower the amount dust mites in the air, and that will mean fewer asthma flare-ups. Dehumidifiers keep your home dry by keeping the humidity out.
You can wear warm things like a shawl, muffler or scarf, which can help cover your nose and mouth in the colder months. This way, the air will be warm before entering your lungs. Breathing in the cold air has been shown to trigger asthma attacks, especially in younger children with moderate to severe asthma.
If you are an asthma patient, be sure to stay away from people who smoke, even if you are not a smoker yourself. When you breathe in smoke, particularly in an enclosed area, your lungs cannot function as well, and it increases your risk of having an asthma attack.
Take the time to understand the proper usage of your asthma medication, particularly any that is labelled as rescue medication. Typical asthma treatment includes regular medicine supplemented by a rescue inhaler. It’s important to use both forms of medication properly to treat your chronic condition.
Make sure you get a flu shot each year if you have asthma or if your child does. Avoid a lot of these infections by getting vaccinated each year.
If you’re flying with asthma medications, be sure you get a prescription from your physician. If you have the proof that this is a medical necessity, it can cause less hassles during the security check.
Avoid using a feather or down pillow if you have asthma. The feathers can make asthma worse and take away from your ability to breathe. Same thing with bedding – purchase sheets and a comforter that are constructed from hypoallergenic materials.
For those struggling with their asthma, avoiding regular contact with pets is important to control symptoms. Some asthma sufferers are allergic to animal fur or dander on top of their asthma, but even those who don’t have such an allergy can bring on an attack if they breathe in too much of these irritants.
Most of the triggers for attacks, and causes of asthma, are found inside the home. Three triggers comprise the asthma triad of doom: spores, dust and mold. To stay healthy and reduce the chance of asthma attacks, you should have an inspector visit your house yearly to remove these harmful agents. Conscientious house-cleaning can help prevent buildup of substances in your home that might trigger an asthma attack.
Bed linens often trap allergens, dust, pollen and other things that can aggravate asthma. A weekly wash cycle using hot water can eliminate these potential triggers for asthma attacks. The freshly laundered linens will make it easier for you to breath when you are sleeping.
Mold and mildew thrive in homes with high humidity levels. These substances are prime triggers for asthma attacks. It is best if you keep the air in your home as dry as possible. In the winter, use a dehumidifier along with your heater, and in the summer months, you can use your air conditioner to help control the amount of water in the air within your home.
Go to several doctors. Of course your regular doctor will be the one you go to for help with your asthma, but you should also see a specialist. Some specialists to consider visiting are those who deal directly with allergies or nutrition. This is a great way to attack asthma from all angles.
For people with serious asthma, exposure to household pets should be limited. Even people that do not have allergies are prone to suffer an asthma attack from the pollen and dust on animals.
During times that pollen counts are high, asthma sufferers should try to stay indoors. A lot of the same things that can bother people with allergies will bother people with asthma as well. Given the widespread availability of air quality indices for local communities, anyone who is afflicted with asthma can easily avoid unnecessary outdoor exposure when the atmosphere has likely exacerbants floating around.
You should have a team of medical professionals to help you craft your asthma treatment. Your family doctor or primary care physician can be the person you go to regularly for asthma symptoms, but also talk to a few specialists. Asthma doctors, allergists, and pulmiologists are the people who you want to consult with to help with asthma.
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 breeds in moist environments and can build up in dirty machines, pumping allergens into the air.
Smoking cigarettes is not a choice that should be made. While smoking is a dangerous habit in general, it is far more damaging to those who have 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.
If you are dealing with asthma it is critical you understand how to properly use an inhaler. 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. Follow the instructions on your inhaler exactly to get the most benefit.
If you suffer from asthma attacks, familiarize yourself with how to properly use your inhaler. When you spray the inhaler into your mouth, you cannot just lightly inhale. Once you spray the inhaler you must take deep breaths for a couple of seconds. If you are having trouble using it correctly, ask your doctor for help at your next visit.
Do all you can to educate yourself about asthma. You can take faster, more effective action to treat your asthma condition the better you understand it. Keep current with recent developments in asthma treatment and research so that you can maintain cutting edge care in your personal case. The best thing to do is learn and research as much as you can about this condition and the treatment options that would be best for you.
Asthma is an uncurable disease, but that doesn’t mean that the symptoms are permanent and can’t go away. However, just like most things in life, overcoming your asthma symptoms takes time and effort. If you follow these easy tips, you’ll find that your symptoms will get better over time and you’ll be able to enjoy a healthier, more active lifestyle.
Asthmatics should always wear a mask when dealing with the harsh chemicals in fresh paint. The fumes from paint can easily cause your asthma to flare up. Having a mask will help you to prevent this. Avoid chemicals, substances and scents that aggravate your asthma.