If you suffer from asthma, you know that this chronic condition can limit your freedom and happiness. With medication and coping strategies, however, you can live a full, healthy life, despite your asthma. In this article you can learn some of these strategies.
If you suffer from asthma, strong cleaning products should be avoided. A lot of agents in cleaners tend to trigger asthma attacks and symptoms. When you are tidying your home consider using natural products that are effective for cleaning rather than traditional cleansers.
If you suffer from asthma, avoid smoke, fumes and vapors. You should avoid jobs where you might be exposed to fumes and chemicals, such as factories.
If you are experiencing a moderately severe attack, try to first exhale completely. Exhale as fast and hard as you can. Really expel the air from your lungs! Inhale in three short breaths and one fourth deeper breath so that your lungs are comfortably full of air, then exhale forcefully again. Not only will you breathe in rhythm, but you’ll focus more intently on how you are breathing and become aware of breathing problems. By repeatedly forcing air out, you make room for new air so that your breathing can get back on track. It may cause you to cough or even generate sputum, but that’s fine, you goal is for your breathing to get back to normal.
Asthma Symptoms
If you are a person with asthma and have persistent attacks related to allergy symptoms, a medication that can be used for a long term effect is one that can be injected. Your allergist may recommend a variety of medications to control your reactions and the onset of asthma.
There are some common medications that you could be using that will cause asthma symptoms. Aspirin along with other NSAIDs can have this effect. Many medications for heart disease and hypertension can also cause asthma symptoms. If you have asthma and these other conditions, let your physician know.
Try a leukotriene inhibitor if you have asthma. These work by preventing the formation of leukotrienes. The chemical leukotriene is a common cause of inflammation in the lungs which in turn, can trigger asthma attacks. Using an inhibitor will counteract the negative effects of leukotriene, thereby decreasing the occurrence of asthma attacks.
Asthma is a disease that is continuous. As such, it requires long-term health management. Ensure you’re taking the proper medications to manage common symptoms of asthma. In case of an attack, you need to have in your possession a medication that will provide almost instant relief. Discuss your best options with your allergist and doctor.
If you’ve got asthma, don’t smoke or be near smokers. When you inhale tobacco smoke, you are severely increasing the likelihood of an asthma attack. This is especially true in small, confined areas with little to no ventilation.
During an attack that isn’t severe, force all air from your lungs. Make your exhalations quick and forceful. Push that air from your lungs with all that you’ve got! Inhale a series of three quick breaths, followed by a deeper one, before exhaling with force again. This will make your breathing rhythmic and help you pay more attention to it. It will also help to get the air to come out of the lungs so more can come in. There may be periods of harsh coughing and a substantial generation of sputum, but this is actually what you want in order to get the airways opened and the breathing back on a regular pattern.
Try to keep your home as clean as possible, especially the bedroom of the asthma sufferer, to reduce the risk of an asthma attack. Do not allow smoking in your house, and keep food in your kitchen. Make sure that the home is properly ventilated and aired out, especially after cleaning with harsh products, like bleach or ammonia.
If you have asthma, avoid cigarette smoke of all kinds. Avoid smoking altogether. Avoid fumes and vapors of any kind. This can trigger an unstoppable asthma attack. If others are smoking nearby, leave that area as quickly as you can.
If your kid or you suffer from asthma, you should get a yearly flu shot. Get yearly vaccinations to keep these potential infections at bay.
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. While it may seem smart to get the air circulating, in reality this will only stir up the dust, making it easier to inhale and trigger an attack. Open a window instead to get the air flowing.
Take your rescue inhaler and keep it handy when you travel. Traveling to different places might expose you to unexpected triggers, as your body is put under more strain when you travel. You can’t control the weather or the environment when you travel, so keep in mind you are more vulnerable to symptoms and attacks when you go to a new area.
Respiratory Infection
For many people, their homes can be triggering their asthma, or even causing their asthma in the first place. These causes are sources, such as, but not limited to dust, mold and spores. Have your home inspected for and cleaned of these things to reduce the occurrence of asthma attacks. Cleaning the house on a regular basis will also help prevent the buildup of these hazardous substances.
Asthmatics should have a flu shot every year to prevent contracting a serious respiratory infection. You do not want to have a respiratory infection if you have asthma. Precautions include washing your hands and staying current with vaccinations.
During cold months, you could avoid asthma attacks by constantly wearing a shawl, muffler or a scarf that covers both your mouth and nose. This will keep you from breathing cold air. Cool air has been known to trigger an asthma attack, particularly in very young children who have severe or moderate asthma.
If you are someone who suffers from asthma, you should consider buying a dehumidifier for your home. Dust mites are a major source of asthma attacks, and dehumidifiers are great at getting rid of the little buggers. Dehumidifiers keep your home dry by keeping the humidity out.
While using an inhaler can potentially cause mouth or gum sores, it is still important to use it daily if you suffer from severe asthma. You may be able to avoid this problem by brushing your teeth or rinsing your mouth thoroughly after each use of the inhaler.
Scented products could cause averse reactions to asthma sufferers. It is safest to use unscented products when possible. Products that contain strong scents, like incense, perfume, or air freshener can trigger an asthma attack just by lingering in the air. Be aware that fresh paint and new carpet also can emit harmful odors that irritate sensitive airways. Keep the air inside your house as fresh as you can.
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. Dust will adhere to a wet towel instead of being loose in the air like feather dusters do where it can aggravate your asthma.
Be aware that your asthma medication may need to be adjusted if you are suffering from a cold, flu or hay fever. The side effects of many illnesses can flare up your asthma so bad that you have to have an increase in treatment. Your physician might also work an additional treatment into your therapy until such time as you are healthier.
Stay away from smoke if you have asthma. Sometimes smoke can cause an asthma attack. Avoid smoke of any kind, including cigarette smoke, if you’ve got asthma. Exposure to these substances can worsen your asthma considerably. Politely request that smokers abstain from smoking in your presence.
Asthma Triggers
For asthma sufferers having contact with pets or other animals need to be minimized. Even sufferers not allergic to a certain animal need to remember that dust and pollen on the animals can still trigger an attack.
You need to know what the asthma triggers are so that they can be avoided or treated promptly. The majority of individuals afflicted with asthma know there are common irritants like pollen, pet dander and smoke. Avoid your asthma triggers as much as you can to prevent attacks.
Bed linens are a magnet for nasty allergens and asthma triggers, including dust and pollen. You may cut down on these potential inducers of an asthma attack by cleaning your sheets and pillows in hot water each week. Fresh, laundered bedding will help you sleep that much easier at night.
When traveling, make sure to have your rescue medication handy at all times. Traveling can make you more likely to suffer from attacks due to the extra strain and stress on your body. 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.
Asthma sufferers need to stay inside as much as they can when the air’s pollen content is high. While asthma isn’t a type of allergy, those with asthma are frequently bothered by the same kinds of irritants that cause problems for allergy sufferers. Asthma suffers can now minimize exposure to outdoor pollutants and irritants by checking online for current air quality in their areas.
Asthma generally takes a long time to develop, and the symptoms may be vague at first, making it difficult to diagnose the problem. Sometimes, a person can die from their first asthma attack without actually knowing they had the disease to begin with! If you find yourself with a constant cough or have trouble breathing, consult your doctor, so he can tell you if you have asthma and if you need medication. He might even have suggestions on how to prevent it from worsening.
Find out as much as possible about your condition. The greater your knowledge base regarding asthma, the more involved you can be in determining treatment plans. Make sure you are learning the newest information about treatments and get the best doctor to help you with it. You need to learn about asthma and the treatment options available.
If you have asthma, clean your floors with a wet mop, instead of sweeping with a traditional broom. When you sweep, you are stirring up asthma triggers that can cause you to have an asthma attack. When dusting, try to use a damp rag rather than a feather duster to cut down on the spread of the triggers.
Be mindful of any allergy attacks that you suffer. If you experience these attacks more than twice each week, you need to switch medications. Doctors agree that suffering from more than two asthma attacks every week is not only dangerous, but avoidable.
Again, asthma isn’t to be taken lightly. If you ignore your symptoms, you could end up in the hospital or even die. Avoid allergens, smoke, and excessive amounts of air pollution and always carry a fast acting inhaler for emergency situations. Put these tips to use, and free yourself from the constant fear of having an asthma attack.
Monitor your child’s asthma symptoms to see whether they should be going to the hospital or not. Some symptoms of a dangerous attack include blue or gray nails and lips and a lack of response to medications. Also, your child could have difficulty talking.