Your doctor has just informed you that you have asthma, and you feel very worried about what to do next. Asthma is a life-long health condition without a cure. Although there is no cure for asthma, treatments and medications exist to help asthma sufferers enjoy normal activities. This article offers ways in which you can effectively and safely manage asthma.
You should avoid smoking at all costs and being exposed to vapors and perfumes if you suffer from asthma. Stay far away from any tobacco products. You should also consider where you work, as factories may expose you to harmful vapors or smoke.
If you suffer from asthma, you should not smoke or expose yourself to any type of vapors or fumes. This does mean avoiding all tobacco products as well as being mindful of sources of employment, with special attention to factories that might provide exposure to smoke and vapors.
An important tip to help protect your asthma-afflicted children is to always refrain from smoking around them. Secondhand smoke is almost as dangerous to asthmatics as actually smoking a cigarette. Make sure you keep your child away from other people who are smoking, too.
Do you know what type of asthma you have? When you know in-depth information about your asthma, you can figure out how to fight against it. People who suffer from exercise-induced asthma should consider carrying an emergency inhaler in their bag. Knowing symptom patterns will help you prevent emergencies.
If you’re suffering from an asthma attack that’s moderate or mild, then work to force all the air you can from your lungs. Exhale quickly and with power. Really expel the air from your lungs! Inhale a series of three quick breaths, followed by a deeper one, before exhaling with force again. This gives your breathing a rhythm and makes you focus on your breathing. It will also help to get the air to come out of the lungs so more can come in. This may cause you to cough or it may cause phlegm, but your breathing will be back to normal again.
Avoid those things that you know can trigger your asthma. Some people have allergies that cause asthma, and allergens such as dust and pollen can cause an attack. Or, you may need to avoid certain activities that overexert your body. 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.
Consider getting allergy shots if you have asthma that is caused by allergies that aren’t under control. Your allergist might recommend Omalizumab, which is an antibody type medicine that can regulate your symptoms of allergic reactions.
Asthma is a chronic disease that requires ongoing, consistent management and care. Ensure you’re taking the proper medications in order to manage everyday asthma symptoms. In addition, you should have a quick-fix medication handy in the event you suffer from an attack. To find which treatment options are the best for you and your condition, make sure you speak with a doctor and allergist.
Social workers are there for your assistance if you live with asthma, yet can’t get approved for health insurance. It is crucial that you be able to pay for your asthma medications, and a social worker might be able to locate a hospital or clinic for you that offers medications at a much cheaper price.
Exhale Forcefully
If you have asthma, it is imperative that you stay away from smokers. When tobacco smoke is inhaled, especially in closed-in areas, your lung function can be drastically decreased, which can increase your chances of suffering from an attack.
If you have moderate asthma attacks, exhale forcefully, so that you force air from your lungs. Exhale quickly and with power. Force all the air out of the lungs! Inhale in three short breaths and one fourth deeper breath so that your lungs are comfortably full of air, then exhale forcefully again. This method forces you to pay close attention to your breathing and create a steady rhythm. It also allows you to take in more air by completely emptying your lungs. It is okay that you cough up some sputum, you really want to breathe right again.
While everyone appreciates the look and feel of a clean house, asthma sufferers in particular benefit from a healthy environment as it can decrease the risk of asthma attacks, especially in a sleeping area. Food should be restricted to the kitchen, and smoking inside the home should never be permitted. If you clean with any harsh chemicals or bleach, make sure to ventilate thoroughly afterwards.
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. When you turn on the fans they will move the dust in the room around and this can trigger your asthma very easily. If possible, open a window to increase the flow of air into the room.
If you are dealing with asthma, a good idea is to use a pillow without feathers. Feathers can have a negative effect on the lungs and can worsen asthma symptoms. Your other bedding, such as sheets, blankets and comforters, should be hypoallergenic, too.
Properly use the inhaler every time you must use it. Find a quiet secluded area so that you can calmly take the inhaler as directed by the instructions from the manufacturer. The medicine in the inhaler only works if it actually makes it to your lungs. As you are inhaling air, spray the correct dosage in your mouth. Allow the mist to fill up your lungs by holding your breath at least ten seconds.
Travel with your rescue medication on your person at all times. Traveling is hard on your body, opening you up 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.
Your asthma medication may need to be adjusted if you become ill. Make sure your doctor prescribes a fast acting inhaler for emergency situations. Your doctor may choose to also add an additional treatment until the illness gets better.
A humid home will cause mold or mildew to appear. Protect yourself against allergens, dust mites and fungus to avoid exacerbating your asthma symptoms. You should therefore try to keep your home dry. Use a dehumidifier during the winter time so that you can keep humidity in control when you use a heater. You can use the air conditioning in your household during summer time to get the same affect.
If you suffer with asthma, get a flu shot each year. Prevent these infections from occurring by going to get vaccinated each year.
Wear scarves, shawls and mufflers to cover your noise and mouth during colder weather. This will warm the air before it gets in your lungs. Breathing in air that’s cold can trigger an attack, particularly in younger children that have moderate or severe asthma.
Avoid pillows with feathers if you have asthma. The feathers from a pillow can cause asthma symptoms and decrease your lung function. Also, make sure your other bedding is made with hypoallergenic materials.
Asthma generally takes a long time to develop, and the symptoms may be vague at first, making it difficult to diagnose the problem. There are known cases where someone has actually died from a single asthma attack, because they were unaware that they had the disease. So, if you have difficulty breathing or a cough that doesn’t go away, see a doctor to figure out whether you suffer from asthma and to determine whether you will be needing medication to prevent or treat the condition.
Have your rescue inhaler with you at all times, especially when on vacation. You may find that the stress of traveling makes an asthma attack more likely. Traveling can make asthma symptoms worse, and it is difficult, nearly impossible to control environmental triggers during travel.
Try using a inhaler that prevents asthma every day, but you should know that one of the side effects is mouth infections of teeth and gums. Always brush and gargle as soon as you’ve finished using your inhaler to prevent mouth infections.
Keep all your regularly scheduled asthma appointments, regardless of how you are feeling. Your health care provider may have new prescriptions that could benefit you in case the need arises.
Make note of how often, on a weekly basis, you use your inhaler. When you find you are depending on it more than thrice during a week’s period on an ongoing basis it is a sign your asthma is not under proper control and could lead to serious attacks if not addressed. Remembering the times you use the inhaler provides a good way to keep checking your environment, as well as other things in your plan to manage your asthma.
When you are trying to prevent asthma, you should avoid smoke. Smoking can actually trigger an asthma attack. Stay away from all types of fumes as well as cigarette smoke. These environmental conditions can exacerbate your asthma symptoms. If a person is smoking around you, politely ask him to smoke at times when you are somewhere else.
Keep in mind that mopping your floors with a wet mop will cause less asthma problems than sweeping will. An asthma attack is one possible outcome of a sweeping session that fills the air around you with allergens and dust. When dusting, try to use a damp rag rather than a feather duster to cut down on the spread of the triggers.
Allergens, pollen, dust and some other asthma aggravators can collect in your bed linens. Clean your linen and pillow case every week to prevent asthma attacks. You’re less likely to have an asthma attack while asleep or upon first waking up if your bedding is fresh and clean.
See a specialist. While your primary care physician should be your go-to source for asthma help, consider making an appointment with a specialist or two. You’ll want to visit an asthma center, or consult with a pulmonologist to get additional help improving your lung function. In addition, you should get tested for allergies so that you can avoid allergic reactions that trigger asthma attacks.
Go to several doctors. Although your primary doctor can treat your asthma, a specialist may be able to provide further help. 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.
If you need to use your inhaler more often than twice each week, this means your asthma isn’t adequately controlled and a medication change is required. If you need to use your inhaler that often, the medicine in it isn’t working as well as it should. Having to restock your inhaler more frequently than once every six months is also a concern.
Do not smoke! The dangers surrounding smoking are well documented, but for asthma sufferers the issues can be much 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.
Consume more foods which contain vitamin B6. Studies have shown that pyridoxine, also known as vitamin B6, can reduce the severity and frequency of asthma attacks. This substance helps your body produce the molecules needed to relax the tissues of the bronchial tubes. One excellent source of vitamin B6 is bananas.
If you are using a vaporizer or humidifier, you should thoroughly clean it prior to use. If the vaporizer or humidifier has not been thoroughly cleaned there could be bacteria growing inside of it. When you turn it on it will pump allergens that you will inevitably breath in.
You need to identify your particular triggers so that you can prevent an asthma attack. Write down anything that triggers an asthma attack, then share what you’ve written with your asthma specialist. By identifying the causes of your asthma symptoms, you can then work to eliminate these triggers from your life completely.
As you are now aware, living with asthma has to do with preparation. If you know about what kind of arthritis you have, you can find ways to manage it. After reading this article, you should know how to manage your asthma better.
Make sure you ban any type of smoking inside your home, or any place that can harm someone in your household who suffers from asthma. People who smoke need to do it away from the vicinity of the house, and especially away from a person with asthma. A heavy smoker can trigger someone’s asthma attack simply because they are carrying a heavy smoke scent on their clothing.