People of any age can suffer from the symptoms of asthma. Along with seeing your doctor, you need to also be aware of the warning signs that can make your symptoms worse. There are several ways you can reduce your asthma symptoms, and your chances of having an attack, and this article explains those to you.
A great idea to help your child with asthmatic problems is to avoid smoking in any areas they frequent. Secondhand smoke is a huge health risk and directly plays a role in why people develop asthma. Any place where smoking is allowed should be avoided if you have a child with asthma.
Do all you can to learn not just about asthma, but your particular asthma. One of the best ways to combat asthma and its limiting effects on your life is to know and understand as much as you can about your specific condition. For example, if your asthma is often triggered by workouts, your inhaler should always be on hand when you exercise. When you know what triggers your asthma, you will be more prepared to stop attacks before they begin.
Keep clear of anything that you know to be a trigger for your asthma. For many, allergens like dust and pollen, can trigger their attacks. For others, it may be linked to physical exertion. Know your asthma causes so you can avoid putting yourself in a situation where you may suffer from an attack.
When you suffer a medium-intensity attack, try and forcefully exhale all air from your lungs. Force air out of your lungs with quick, powerful exhalations. You have to force the air out. Breathe in by taking three quick breaths, followed by one very deep breath. Doing this will fill your lungs completely, and allow you to expel the air forcefully again. This will force you to pay careful attention to all of your breaths. It will also help to get the air to come out of the lungs so more can come in. You may cough or generate sputum, this is okay, your main goal is to get your breathing back on track again.
There are certain medications that cause or exacerbate asthma symptoms. Not everyone knows this. Aspirin and other NSAIDs are known to be asthma triggers. Beta blockers, such as those used to control high blood pressure or heart disease may also have this effect. If you have any of these conditions along with your asthma, make sure you tell your doctor.
Cigarette Smoke
Any type of smoke can bring on a serious asthma attack. Asthmatics should also never smoke. Avoid breathing in vapors from smoke or other chemical-type fumes. This can set off an Asthma attack that you might not be able to stop. If people smoke around you, you should get away form that area.
If you are suffering from asthma, stay away from any type of cigarette smoke. This cannot be emphasized enough: Stay away from cigarette smoke! Avoid breathing in any of the vapors or other chemical fumes. A severe asthma attack can be life threatening. When you see people smoking in your area avoid them and move away.
Make sure that everyone in your family gets their flu shot. Try to avoid getting any respiratory infections if you have asthma. This includes taking standard precautions against illness, like hand washing, as well as getting vaccinations that can keep you from getting sick.
If you’re someone who gets an asthma attack related to allergy like symptoms, there’s medication you can use to help. An antibody medicine known as omalizumab is very effective at countering asthma attacks related to allergies. Ask your allergist about it.
A dehumidifier is a beneficial investment for anyone with asthma. Lowering the level of humidity present in your home can reduce the numbers of dust mites, a prime trigger of asthma. Dehumidifiers reduce attacks in your home by making the air cleaner and drier.
Utilize the inhaler correctly. Try to locate a calming location, and be certain to adhere to any directions given by the inhaler’s maker. Remember that using an inhaler is only going to help you if the medication contained within makes its way to the lungs. While inhaling air, spray required dosage in your mouth. After inhaling, it’s important that you hold the medication in by holding your breath for 10 seconds at the least.
The use of multiple (more than four) household cleansers can cause an increase in asthma attacks. To limit the chemicals in the air, look for organic cleaning alternatives.
Be sure to take plenty of Vitamins C and E if you have asthma. It is widely believed that these vitamins can help control asthma symptoms by improving lung function. Many foods have these vitamins in abundance, but you can also use a supplemental pill. Vitamins C and E are necessary for a healthy immune system. If your immune system isn’t healthy, it won’t be able to fight off illnesses that cause asthma attacks.
Keep your home meticulously clean to reduce attack potential if there is an asthma sufferer living there, especially the bedroom. Do not allow smoking in your house, and keep food in your kitchen. After you clean, let the house air out completely, and stay away from using any harsh chemicals (especially bleach) inside.
Always choose unscented products for your home if you have asthma. Products that contain fragrance, such as perfumes, colognes, or air fresheners, can pollute the air triggering your asthma. Fresh paint and new carpeting also give off odors that may aggravate the airways. Take all necessary measures to ensure that your home is always filled with fresh, clean air.
Be prepared for your asthma treatment to be increased if you have a cold or hay fever. Some illnesses create issues that make it necessary to increase medication temporarily. Your family doctor may recommend adding another treatment or medication to your current regimen until you recover from your illness.
Make sure you get a flu shot once a year if you suffer from asthma. Keep yourself safe from these outbreaks by getting a yearly shot.
Make regular asthma checkups with your doctor, even if you are not having any issues come up. You cannot be certain when you will next have an issue with your asthma, or when there may be a better medication available to utilize for your condition.
Be certain you are aware of all your asthma attack triggers so you know both how to steer clear of them and also be ready to take care of your symptoms. Common triggers among asthma sufferers are smoke, pollen, or pet dander. When possible, stay away from triggers of asthma symptoms in an effort to prevent a severe attack.
If you are flying with your asthma medications, especially a large piece of equipment such as a nebulizer, be sure to bring along a written prescription from your doctor. The written prescription will help you get through security without difficulty, because it establishes that your nebulizer and supplies are medically necessary.
Support Group
Track how often you use your inhaler during each week. 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.
A support group can offer empathy and information about new treatments and medication. Since severe asthma can be quite debilitating, it can have a huge impact on your everyday life. Being a part of a support group can help provide you with honest information about products and helpful hints, as well as medical news.
If you’d like to avoid asthma attacks, avoid cigarette smoke as much as possible. Smoke can seriously affect the lungs and is a common asthma trigger. Make sure to stay away from chemical fumes and cigarette smoke whenever possible. All of these will increase your asthma symptoms. Politely request that smokers abstain from smoking in your presence.
You should not take asthma lightly. Asthma attacks can accelerate and spin into life-threatening situations, even with an inhaler in hand, so you should take every precaution to prevent them in the first place. Always have an emergency inhaler on you at all times, and try decreasing the number of allergens and airborne dust in your home. Hopefully, by using the tips in this article your symptoms will improve and you can have more control of your asthma.
You want to make certain you visit more than just one doctor. While your asthma treatment should start with your primary care doctor, visiting one or two asthma specialists can make a real difference in how well you understand and manage your condition. Nutritionists, allergists, pulmonologists and asthma centers can all help you, so make sure that you are using all of the different treatment avenues that you can.