Asthma is a serious medical condition that can have a huge impact on your life. When you understand what increases the likelihood of an asthma attack, you put yourself in the best position for dealing with it. This article contains several tips and methods to help manage your asthma.
If you suffer from asthma, avoid smoke, fumes and vapors. This means avoidance of all tobacco products, as well as taking into consideration any smoke or vapors you might be exposed to in a prospective workplace.
You should avoid smoking and any type of fumes if you suffer from asthma. This includes all tobacco products, and you also need to be careful if you are going to apply for a job in a factory or where you have the potential to be exposed to vapors and harmful smoke.
Suffer from asthma? It is vital that you not smoke tobacco; if you do, quit. Smoking is bad for everyone, but it’s particularly dangerous for an asthma sufferer, as it cuts off vital oxygen to the lungs.
Do you know what sub-type of asthma you’re plagued with? Gaining as much knowledge as you can about the type of asthma you have can make your day-to-day activities a little easier. Asthma caused by exercise can be treated easily if you carry an inhaler when you go to the gym. If you are familiar with your symptoms and their patterns, you will be better able to avoid emergencies.
If you’re in a room that has a lot of dust in it, don’t turn on a fan. Otherwise, the dust will fly into the air and could give you an attack. Open a window to bring clean, cool air inside instead.
Asthmatics should not smoke. If you smoke – quit immediately. Smoking is bad in general for everyone, but it is particularly worse for asthma suffers because it decreases the amount of oxygen in the lungs, putting you at higher risk for asthma attacks.
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. There are antibody medications used to control allergic reactions that come recommended by allergists.
You should stay away from anything you might believe which can trigger an asthma attack. For some people, this can be pollen or other allergy triggers. Others have asthma attacks when they participate in physical activities. Determine what sets your asthma off so you can stay away from these things.
Using more than four different types of cleaning products in your home has been shown to increase the risk of an asthma attack. Choose organic products, and stick to as few products as possible.
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that requires constant management. Make sure you are taking the right medications to control your everyday asthma symptoms, and have a quick relief medication on hand if you have an attack. To determine the best options for you personally, consult your physician and an allergist.
Buy products that are unscented if you suffer from asthma. Products that contain fragrance, such as perfumes, colognes, or air fresheners, introduce irritants into the air around you that can trigger your asthma. Fresh paint and new carpeting also give off odors that may aggravate the airways. Aim to keep the air as fresh as possible indoors.
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. Force all the air out of the lungs! Then, follow three short intakes of breath with one longer inhalation until your lungs are filled with air, although not uncomfortably so. Finally, expel the air from your lungs with force again. Doing this means breathing in a conscious rhythm that makes you mindful of your breathing. It also voids your lungs of old air so that new air can enter. You may generate sputum, but the primary goal is to start breathing regularly again.
You can help to prevent asthma attacks by maintaining a clean home, particularly the asthmatic’s bedroom. Keep food consumption to the kitchen and the dining room, and never allow anyone to smoke in the house. Try not to use bleach or other irritants inside, and always thoroughly change the air in your house after cleaning.
Cleaning Products
Feather pillows can be bad for those with asthma. Feathers in a pillow can bring on the symptoms of asthma and decrease lung function. The same it true for bedding, try purchasing sheets and comforters that are created from hypoallergenic materials.
It has been shown that use of four or more different kinds of cleaning products can raise the risk of asthma attacks. A great way to prevent this is to purchase some organic, non-chemical cleaning products. These all-natural products are safe when inhaled.
To stay out in front of your asthma, make sure that you see the doctor to receive regular checkups. You don’t know when another flare-up will happen, or when your physician can offer you safer or superior medicine for your symptoms.
For those who have asthma, the safest choice is to stick with unscented products. Simple everyday things such as air fresheners, incense and perfume can cause indoor air pollution levels to increase and trigger an attack. You should also avoid fresh paints or new carpets, as they give off fumes that can irritate the airway. As much as possible, try to keep your home filled with fresh, pure air.
Mold and mildew can grow in your home where there is humidity. These are harmful substances that can trigger asthma attacks. Thus, keep the air in your home as moisture-free as possible to avoid asthma-related problems. One way to control the humidity in the house is to employ a dehumidifier to pull out the excess moisture.
Make sure you are aware of what triggers your asthma so you can avoid it or prepare properly. Some common asthma triggers include pet dander, pollen, and cigarette smoke. Make a special effort to avoid agents that bring on even minor asthma symptoms, much less a major attack.
Avoid cold-induced asthma attacks by protecting your mouth and nose with a scarf. This will keep you from breathing cold air. Breathing in the cold air has been shown to trigger asthma attacks, especially in younger children with moderate to severe asthma.
When it’s colder, wear a shawl, scarf or muffler that will cover your mouth and nose to avoid asthma attacks. This will warm the air that you breathe before it enters your lungs. Cool air has been known to trigger an asthma attack, particularly in very young children who have severe or moderate asthma.
Be sure you understand how to use the medication you’re given for asthma properly, especially your rescue medication. Asthma treatment is generally two-pronged: Daily asthma treatment and additional emergency medicine to relieve attacks as they happen. Because asthma can be a lifelong issue, it is vital to take both regular and rescue medications according to the instructions.
Asthma develops over an extended time period, and its symptoms aren’t always obvious. There are known cases where someone has actually died from a single asthma attack, because they were unaware that they had the disease. Therefore, if you find yourself having difficulties breathing or with a chronic cough, it is essential that you see a doctor and get tested for asthma. The sooner you get the needed treatment and medication, the better.
Although it is wise to use your inhaler as needed, be aware that the medication itself may cause problems with gums and teeth. Prevent these unnecessary side effects by gargling and brushing your teeth right after you use the inhaler.
If you are going on a trip on a plane and need to take your asthma medicine, take your prescription with you! Having proof that it belongs to you and is medically necessary will make the security check easier.
If you have asthma, clean your floors with a wet mop, instead of sweeping with a traditional broom. Sweeping the floor kicks up dust and other debris that can set off an attack of your asthma. You can greatly reduce this by using a wet sponge, damp rag, or moist cloth instead of your old-fashioned feather duster.
You should track how often, in a week’s time, you require the use of a rescue inhaler. Using it more often than twice weekly means that you should have your asthma assessed by a doctor. How frequently you need to use the inhaler can help you recognize any environmental changes you need to make.
See more than one doctor. Your primary physician should always be your first stop when dealing with asthma, but you may find it helpful to add a specialist’s knowledge. Pulmonologists, allergists, asthma centers and nutritionists can help you take advantage of the many treatments available to those with asthma.
Contact with animals and pets should be avoided for asthma sufferers. Asthmatics can be affected by the dander or pollen that comes from the animals, even if they have no allergies to them. This can be a very risky situation to put yourself in and should be avoided.
Do not smoke cigarettes. Most people are aware of the dangers of smoking, but for someone with asthma, the consequences are even more serious. Asthmatic lungs are extremely sensitive, and should not be exposed to smoke. Someone who has asthma should not only avoid smoking, but should also try to avoid being exposed to people smoking in their vicinity.
Do not smoke! Although bad for everyone, cigarettes can cause greater problems for those with asthma. Asthmatic lungs are extremely sensitive, and should not be exposed to smoke. Someone who has asthma should not only avoid smoking, but should also try to avoid being exposed to people smoking in their vicinity.
If you do have an asthma attack, make sure to stay calm. Wait half a minute and try the inhaler one more time. Should your asthma get even worse, seek medical attention immediately. Get somebody to phone for EMS or even transport you themselves to the nearest emergency medical facility. On your way to the hospital, breath in and out in a paper bag in order to help calm yourself and get your breathing down to a normal pace.
When pollen counts are high, people who have asthma should stay inside. Even though asthma is not considered to be an allergy, asthma is triggered by the same things that cause allergies. 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.
Vitamin B6 intake should be increased in order to help control asthma. This vitamin, which is sometimes called pyridoxine, offers many benefits, including reducing the overall frequency of severe asthma attacks. Pyridoxine can produce specific molecules which can relax your bronchial tissue. People who need additional vitamin B6 should eat bananas.
Pay a visit to your physician if you feel that your symptoms are taking a turn for the worse. Try using the tips in the article so that you can reduce the frequency of attacks and keep your symptoms in check, and possibly enjoy life more.
Watch for serious asthma symptoms to see if your kid needs to go to the ER. The symptoms of a severe attack include reduced efficacy of medication, even in higher doses, along with gray or blue lips and fingernails. During these severe attacks, it may be difficult for your child to speak.