Asthma is one of a handful of medical conditions that can hugely impact your daily life. It may not be something you can simply get rid of, but with a little work it becomes manageable. Learning ways to manage your asthma will keep your condition from becoming a potentially life-threatening issue. The following article will provide you with techniques for controlling asthma.
You should not smoke or be anywhere near smoke if you suffer from asthma. This means you need to keep away from tobacco products and only seek out jobs where you aren’t exposed to any harmful chemicals, smoke or vapors.
Cleaning Products
What type of asthma are you having to deal with? You can learn to combat the life changing effects of asthma by understanding your specific type. For example, if you have exercise-induced asthma, you will want to always make sure you have an inhaler in your gym bag. When you know what triggers your asthma, you will be more prepared to stop attacks before they begin.
If you suffer with asthma, avoid cleaning products. Cleaning products may contain chemicals which can trigger an asthmatic episode, such as ammonia. If you are responsible for cleaning your residence, think about purchasing natural products, which are less likely to set off your asthma.
If you have any children who suffer from asthma, avoid smoking around them at all costs. One of the primary causes of asthma is secondhand smoke. If your child is in an area where people are smoking, remove him quickly to avoid an asthma attack.
Avoid anything that is known to trigger your asthma. Asthma triggers will vary greatly between individuals. If you have allergy related asthma, you will want to avoid pollen and dust. Others have asthma attacks when they participate in physical activities. You should know what causes asthma, so you can stay away from these things.
If asthma is something that you are afflicted with, then don’t smoke or immediately quit. When smoke enters your lungs it cuts off your oxygen supply, and if you suffer from asthma it can make breathing extremely difficult, and result in an increased number of attacks.
If you have asthma and cannot afford health insurance or have no eligibility, bring up your situation with a social worker. Social workers are often able to locate a hospital or clinic that can offer free or low cost options to make sure you can fill your medication prescriptions.
If you’re suffering from asthma, it helps if you can avoid any harsh cleaning products out there. Cleaning products may contain chemicals which can trigger an asthmatic episode, such as ammonia. There are many all-natural organic cleaning products available that may help eliminate asthmatic problems.
If you have asthma, a dehumidifier is something you should consider purchasing for you home. Decreasing the humidity in the house decreases dust mites, which decreases asthma flare ups. Use a dehumidifier, and the air you breath will be much less likely to cause your asthma to flare up.
Avoid being around any known asthma triggers. This can vary from person to person, as small particles like dust can cause asthma attacks. Others experience an attack from physical activities. Know your asthma causes so you can avoid putting yourself in a situation where you may suffer from an attack.
You should be ready to increase asthma treatments if you suffer from hay fever or a cold. An increase in treatment is necessary sometimes because side effects of other sicknesses can cause your asthma symptoms to flare up. Your doctor could add another treatment into your regimen until the illness is better.
Asthma is a chronic disease that requires ongoing, consistent management and care. Be certain that you are using the right maintenance medicines to control your asthma and that you also have a rescue or emergency medication when you have an acute asthma attack. Have a discussion with your doctor or allergist to determine what the best plan for you might be.
Asthma Attacks
When you are suffering from an asthma attack, exhale all of the oxygen from your lungs. Force air out of your lungs with quick, powerful exhalations. Forcefully push the air out from your lungs. Inhale a series of three quick breaths, followed by a deeper one, before exhaling with force again. Pay attention to what you are doing and follow a regular rhythm. It also will push all of your air out of the lungs so that you can get more air in. If you cough up mucus, don’t worry – just get the breathing back to normal.
Be keenly aware of the triggers for your asthma attacks. If you know the cause, you can stay away to prevent asthma attacks. Asthma sufferers generally have different triggers in common like pollen, pet dander and smoke. Whenever you can, stay away from these agents that can trigger symptoms or cause full-blown asthma attacks.
If you have asthma and have frequent attacks that are related to allergies, there are medicines that can be injected to provide you with long-term relief. Your allergist might recommend Omalizumab, which is an antibody type medicine that can regulate your symptoms of allergic reactions.
While traveling, always keep emergency asthma medication on hand and close by. It’s easy to get thrown off your regular eating and sleeping routine while traveling, which strains your body and increases your vulnerability to asthma attack triggers. You also have little control over your surroundings as you travel, and this may result in an increase in symptoms or frequency of attacks.
Try a leukotriene inhibitor if you have asthma. This prescription will prevent the product of leukotrines and help to abate the symptoms of asthma. The chemical leukotriene is a common cause of inflammation in the lungs which in turn, can trigger asthma attacks. The inhibitor will block leukotrienes from getting into your lungs and lessen the chances of you suffering an asthma attack.
Use your inhaler when you need to, but be aware that this product can cause infections near your gums and teeth. You can prevent these side effects with proper tooth brushing and gargling after you use your inhaler.
Make sure if you have an inhaler that you are using it the right way. Find a comfy spot, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. The inhaler is only useful if the medication within it actually gets to your lungs. Inhale air while spraying the necessary amount of medication into your mouth. Then hold it and try not to breathe for a minimum of 10 seconds. This will give enough time for the medication to properly fill out your lungs.
Pay attention to how often you reach for your asthma inhaler each week. Using it two times or may may mean that your asthma is not as controlled as you may think it is. It could also mean that something else is bringing on these frequent attacks. The frequency of your inhaler use is a good way to remember to check out your environmental surroundings and be mindful of all factors relating to your asthma regimen.
Travel with your rescue medication on your person at all times. Traveling can put additional strain on your body, making you more susceptible to asthma triggers. You won’t be able to control factors in your environment, such as air quality, while are away from home. This also adds to the likelihood of an attack or more symptoms than you are used to at home.
Avoiding smoke is one of the best asthma-prevention tips out there. Smoke can cause asthma attacks. Avoid any kind of chemical fumes, vapors, and tobacco smoke as much as you can. Exposing yourself to these pollutants can have a significant effect on your asthma symptoms. If a person is smoking around you, politely ask him to smoke at times when you are somewhere else.
Don’t skip appointments for your checkups, even if you haven’t had any recent asthma attacks. You never know when you might suffer another flare-up, or when your doctor might have a better or safer medication to prescribe for your symptoms.
If you frequently use your inhaler (more than two to three times per week), you should talk to your doctor about alternative methods of treatment or a different prescription. Frequent need of an inhaler is an indication that the medication prescribed is not the right strength. This same advice also goes for those who must refill their inhalers more frequently than every six months.
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. You can prevent this by brushing your teeth and gargling immediately following the use of your inhaler.
Do all you can to educate yourself about asthma. Having the right information can enable you to choose the treatments that are right for you, and help reduce symptoms. Do your research, and keep current on available treatment information so you can be sure you’re doing all you can to feel well. You can easily know this information by further developing your knowledge about your condition, as well as, discovering treatment options.
Bed linens tend to collect asthma triggers like pollen, dust and other allergens. You can cut down on these irritants or eliminate them altogether by washing your bedding and pillow cases in very hot water once a week. If you are sleeping on freshly laundered linens, you will sleep much easier.
Breathing Mask
Stay away from smoking. Pretty much everyone is aware that smoking is dangerous, but for people suffering with asthma, it can have devastating effects. A person with asthma has sensitive lungs that can react adversely to smoke, causing an asthmatic attack. So an asthmatic should not even be in a room where other people are smoking.
Consider purchasing a breathing mask that filters out paint fumes if a painting project is in your future. A proper breathing mask will help to protect asthma sufferers from paint fumes. Take similar steps to avoid any chemical or other substance that tends to trigger your asthma attacks.
It is important to remain calm during an asthma attack. Use your rescue inhaler, rest for a half to one minute, then use the inhaler again. If your attack worsens, get help. Go to the emergency room, or call an ambulance if it’s extreme. To calm yourself on the drive, bring a paper bag and breathe into it, as this will slow your breathing.
Eat foods high in vitamin B6. Research has shown that pyridoxine, commonly referred to as vitamin B6, can lower the number of asthma events and lessen their intensity. Through this research, it has been proven that pyridoxine helps produce molecules that aid in relaxing the bronchial tissue. Foods that are rich in B6 include the easy-to-find banana.
Buy a mask to keep yourself from breathing in harmful fumes if you plan on painting in your home. Paint can irritate asthma a great deal, so a mask will create a protective shield to combat this issue. Do not go use certain chemicals that will make your asthma worse.
One of the most important things that you can do to prevent asthma attacks is to identify your triggers. A daily journal can be a powerful tool to help you pinpoint frequent triggers and it can also help your doctor to prescribe the treatment that is right for you. After you figure them out, try to stay away from your triggers, and take them out of your environment if you can.
The mere act of discussing your asthma condition with other people can have a soothing and positive effect. Other asthma sufferers often have the best tricks for dealing with dangerous situations, and fighting the battle against asthma. Being with supportive people will give you the motivation to take control.
Let your asthma specialist know if treatments are not effective. As much as possible, take steps to use these tips to manage your symptoms, and improve life quality.
Know what your triggers are to safeguard yourself against asthma. Write down potential asthma triggers in a journal and talk to your doctor about them. 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.