Living with asthma is very hard, but if you manage it correctly, you can lead a better life. There are many ways to control or prevent asthma from interfering with your life. Here you will find tips on making the most out of your life with asthma.
If you are an asthmatic, it is vital that you never smoke, and if you already do, you should quit as soon as possible. Smoking is horrible for people, it is really bad if asthma becomes worse and blocks oxygen to your body, you need oxygen to work and stave off asthma.
Do not smoke around your children if they have asthma. Secondhand smoke is something that can lead to serious asthma. Any place where smoking is allowed should be avoided if you have a child with asthma.
Exhale as hard as you can during an asthma attack. If you can’t breathe at all, go to the hospital; however, controlling your exhalation rate can sometimes help stop a less severe attack. Exhale in a hard and fast manner. Get the air all out of the lungs. Then take three small breaths in, followed by a deeper breath to fill your lungs comfortably. Next, exhale forcefully again. This will create a rhythm and will help you be aware of the way you are breathing. Expelling the air from your lungs in this fashion also allows you to breathe in deeper. You might cough or produce sputum, but that is fine; you are trying to get breathing under control again.
There are medications that can unknowingly cause asthma-like symptoms. A couple of common culprits that do this are aspirin and NSAIDs. This can also be caused by beta blockers, like medications that are used in managing high blood pressure or heart problems. Let your doctor know about your asthma and what prescriptions you’re taking.
If you have asthma and find yourself having frequent attacks caused by alleries, it may be time to consider a long-lasting medication. An antibody medicine known as omalizumab is very effective at countering asthma attacks related to allergies. Ask your allergist about it.
You should always have your rescue medication with you when you are traveling. Being in odd environments can cause undue stress on your body, which makes you more prone to an asthma attack. It’s also hard to control the environment you’re in when traveling, which is another reason you might experience more symptoms or have an attack.
If you have been diagnosed with asthma then you should avoid cigarettes and smokers like the plague. When you breathe in smoke, especially in small spaces, it diminishes breathing ability, which greatly increases the probability of an asthma attack.
A handful of primary initiators of asthma, and its attack triggers, lie right in your residence. These can include dust, mold and spores. To reduce asthma attacks and stay healthy, have an inspector remove any harmful agents yearly. In addition, cleaning the house regularly can greatly contribute to keeping these substances from building up.
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. Refrain from smoking inside the home, and keep edibles inside your kitchen. After using chemical to clean, air out the house.
A humid home environment is a healthy environment for mildew and mold to develop. Mold and mildew can have a hand in making you suffer a asthma attack! Thus, keep the air in your home as moisture-free as possible to avoid asthma-related problems. 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 have hay fever or a cold, chances are your asthma treatment will be increased. An increase in treatment is necessary sometimes because side effects of other sicknesses can cause your asthma symptoms to flare up. Your doctor may choose to also add an additional treatment until the illness gets better.
During cold, winter months, asthma sufferers should wear a shawl, muffler, or scarf that will cover both their nose and mouth. This will warm the air before it enters your lungs. By breathing in cold air, it has been proven that it could trigger an asthma attack more so in children that are younger and suffer from severe to moderate asthma.
If you’ve been diagnosed with asthma, be sure to get flu shots every year. This is doubly important for asthmatic children. This annual flu shot will prevent infectious damage to your lungs.
Daily Routine
If you plan to take a trip, you must always keep your rescue medication with you at all times. Being in odd environments can cause undue stress on your body, which makes you more prone to an asthma attack. It is also difficult to control your environment while traveling, making it more likely that you may experience an attack or worsening symptoms.
As this article shows, you can control the symptoms of asthma and keep on with your daily routine. Soon, you will consider dealing with asthma as a part of your daily routine and be able to focus on things that matter to you.
Don’t miss your appointment for an asthma checkup simply because you aren’t currently having any problems with your condition. Asthma can flare-up at any time, and you never know, perhaps your doctor has safer or better medications which can help your symptoms.