At the worst asthma can kill, but most of the time it just affects your lifestyle. Things, such as walking outside, can become a hassle. It is critical that you follow all available measures to keep your asthma well managed. Take steps using the advice provided here to bring your symptoms back under control, and take your life back.
An important part of symptom management is knowing what type of asthma you have. 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. If you have exercised-induced asthma, for example, you’ll want to bring your inhaler with you to the gym or other locations where you might be involved in physical activity. If you are familiar with your symptoms and their patterns, you will be better able to avoid emergencies.
Avoid the things that trigger your asthma. Asthma triggers will vary greatly between individuals. If you have allergy related asthma, you will want to avoid pollen and dust. For others, certain physical activities may be the trigger. Look for the trigger points in your life, so you can work around them.
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.
There are certain medications that cause or exacerbate asthma symptoms. Not everyone knows this. Examples of medications that may contribute to asthma are aspirin and other NSAIDs. Other medications that may have an effect on the respiratory system include beta blockers used to treat high blood pressure. If you’ve been diagnosed as asthmatic and are taking medications unrelated to your asthma, be sure your doctor is aware of them.
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 hard. Expel the air in your lungs with great force! After that, take in three shallow breaths and one deep breath. Once your lungs are full again, do another forceful exhale. This will create a rhythm and will help you be aware of the way you are breathing. This is a good way to empty your lungs and let more air come in. You might cough hard or create mucus, but its just a sign your breathing is getting back to normal.
If you have asthma, avoid cigarette smoke of all kinds. Asthma creates breathing problems by constricting airways, and cigarette smoking only exacerbates the problem. It is also a good idea to stay away from the fumes or vapors from harsh chemicals, such as those used in cleaning. Doing so can cause an asthma attack you might not have the ability to stop. If you find that you have people smoking around you, get yourself out of that area rather quickly.
Make sure that you and your loved ones get a flu vaccination yearly. Asthma sufferers need to be careful and guard against any upper-resperatory illnesses. Precautions include washing your hands and staying current with vaccinations.
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. Omalizumab, an antibody medicine, might be suggested by an allergist and controls allergic reactions.
An increased propensity for asthma attacks has been linked with the utilization of multiple cleaning products. The more you use, the greater the risk of an attack. Organic cleaners are also a safer choice since they contain fewer chemical irritants.
Annual Flu
Stay away from any tobacco smoke, even people that are smoking tobacco. The functionality of your lungs can be dramatically impaired if you inhale tobacco smoke, especially in areas with little ventilation, and you run a greater risk of attack.
Make certain that all members of your family get their annual flu shot. Asthma patients should try their best to avoid getting respiratory infections. The preventative measures you can take against such sickness range from simple habits of hand washing to getting your annual flu shot.
If you’re suffering from a cold or allergies, you should talk to your doctor about taking additional asthma medication. An increase in treatment is necessary sometimes because side effects of other sicknesses can cause your asthma symptoms to flare up. Your physician might also work an additional treatment into your therapy until such time as you are healthier.
Asthma sufferers should take Vitamins E and C. These vitamins help to control asthma symptoms and improve the function of your lungs. You can get both of these vitamins from eating certain foods, or by taking the vitamins in supplement form. These vitamins can boost immune systems, which helps you to avoid illnesses that can be a trigger for your asthma.
Some of the major causes of asthma, and triggers for asthma attacks, can exist right in the home. Typical asthma triggers in the home are dust and mold spores. To reduce asthma attacks and stay healthy, have an inspector remove any harmful agents yearly. On top of that, doing housecleaning regularly can prevent build up of these particles.
Stay away from cigarette smoke, even if it’s secondhand. The functionality of your lungs can be dramatically impaired if you inhale tobacco smoke, especially in areas with little ventilation, and you run a greater risk of attack.
Your home’s humidity can cause mold and mildew growth within it. Both of these substances are known to trigger asthma attacks. 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.
Stand ready for a boost to your asthma treatment should you suffer from illnesses like colds or hay fever. These kinds of illness can inflame you asthma to a degree that a treatment increase is necessary. Your doctor may need to add new treatments to your typical asthma regimen until you are well.
You should have limited contact with animals, as it can cause you to have an asthmatic reaction. Animals are a danger to asthma sufferers who are already allergic to them, but pets also carry a wide array of dust particles and pollen, so avoiding them is a good move for anyone dealing with asthma.
An annual flu shot is crucial if you have asthma or have an asthmatic child. Avoid a lot of these infections by getting vaccinated each year.
Do not smoke! Smoking is one of the worst things a person with asthma can do. 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.
Asthma Triggers
Don’t use a humidifier unless it’s been cleaned thoroughly if you suffer from asthma or allergies. Not cleaning a humidifier allows bacteria to grow in the machine’s moist water tank area, and the machine will pump dangerous allergens into yoru environment every time you use it.
A lot of the main causes, and triggers, of asthma may exist right in your home. These include dust, mold and spores. Having your house inspected yearly is a good way to reduce the presence of these asthma triggers. Keep your house clean to keep these asthma triggers out of your home.
If you find it necessary to use an inhaler more than two times a week, you should talk to your doctor about changing your medication. If you need to use your inhaler that often, the medicine in it isn’t working as well as it should. In addition, if you must change the cartridge in the inhaler more than two times in a year, you may need to see your doctor regarding a medication switch.
If you need to travel with your asthma medication, particularly if you plan on bringing a nebulizer or other large equipment, it can be helpful to obtain a letter from your doctor explaining their use. The written prescription will help you get through security without difficulty, because it establishes that your nebulizer and supplies are medically necessary.
Take in every piece of asthma information available to you. The more you know, the more proactive you’ll be in your own treatment. Stay current with treatment technology and get yourself the best care that you can. The best thing to do is learn and research as much as you can about this condition and the treatment options that would be best for you.
Although it is wise to use your inhaler as needed, be aware that the medication itself may cause problems with gums and teeth. One way to reduce the probability of such infections is to immediately brush and gargle after inhaling the medicine.
If you are planning on painting a room in your house, buy a mask in advance to protect you from breathing in fumes. Not surprisingly, paint fumes are a known irritant for asthma. Specially designed masks can filter out these fumes. Avoid all substances and chemicals which trigger problems with your asthma.
Make sure you count how many times, within a week, you have to use your inhaler. If you use it three or more times each week, your treatment plan may not be working effectively or else an atypical situation may be triggering an increased number of attacks. 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.
Up your intake of vitamin B6. Research has shown that pyridoxine, commonly referred to as vitamin B6, can lower the number of asthma events and lessen their intensity. Pyridoxine produces molecules that facilitate the relaxation of bronchial tissues. Bananas are a great source of Vitamin B6.
Many people underestimate asthma, or at least think that they can’t do anything about it since it is an incurable disease. However, you’ll be amazed at how much difference you can make simply by following these simple steps to try and relieve symptoms and reduce the sources of asthma attacks.
Asthma can be caused by genetics, environmental factors, or a little bit of both. If anyone in your family suffers from asthma, watch very closely for any asthma-like symptoms in yourself or your children. Protect your children and yourself from the many common pollutants in the air, such as mold, dust and pollen to prevent or reduce asthma symptoms.