People of any age can suffer from the symptoms of asthma. Always be aware of warning signs and certain environments that may worsen your symptoms. By avoiding things and places that bother your system, and by seeing a professional about your asthma, you will be better able to prevent an attack. By following the ideas presented here, you can lessen your symptoms of asthma and reduce the chances that you will have an asthma attack.
Consider a leokotriene inhibitor if your asthma is not controlled by other methods. As its name suggests, this inhibitor works by preventing the release and build-up of leukotriene. Leukotriene is a chemical substance that can lead to inflammation that can cause an asthma attack. If you get a leukotriene inhibitor, it can get rid of them in the air and help you with asthma symptoms.
Do all you can to learn not just about asthma, but your particular asthma. Being aware of your particular asthma condition can help you to effectively treat it on a daily basis. An example would be to bring in your gym bag an inhaler if you happen to have exercise-induced asthma. Knowing when an asthma attack is likely to strike can help you avert disaster.
Use your inhaler as directed. Find a quiet spot and follow the instructions the manufacturer has given. The inhaler will only work if the medicine reaches your lungs. While taking a deep breath, spray in the recommended dosage. You should keep your breath held for 10 seconds at a minimum to let the medicated mist fill up your lungs.
A great idea to help your child with asthmatic problems is to avoid smoking in any areas they frequent. Secondhand smoke is one of the leading culprits that causes asthma. You also need to be sure that your child isn’t around those that choose to smoke.
Everyone in your family, including you, should get the flu vaccination every year. Respiratory infections can seriously hurt those who suffer from asthma, so take measures to avoid contracting them. Precautions include washing your hands and staying current with vaccinations.
Asthma Triggers
If you are someone who suffers from asthma, you should consider buying a dehumidifier for your home. Not only will a dehumidifier decrease humidity, but it will also be helpful in controlling the dust mite population. Both are causative factors in asthma attacks. Use a dehumidifier, and the air you breath will be much less likely to cause your asthma to flare up.
You need to avoid all of the asthma triggers that you know. Perhaps you have allergies or are sensitive to dust and pollen. Others find themselves suffering from attacks when they overexert themselves. Try to determine your asthma triggers, so you can avoid them and prevent attacks.
Figure out your asthma triggers. Once you know what they are, you can change your lifestyle to prevent asthma attacks. If you can’t avoid a trigger, you can pack your inhaler, take allergy pills or engage in other preventive measures so you don’t have an attack. Common triggers among asthma sufferers are smoke, pollen, or pet dander. Try to avoid the things that make your asthma flare up.
Because asthma is a continuing condition, you have to continually manage your health. Be sure to take the correct medicines to keep your daily asthma symptoms under control, and always have emergency medication available in case an attack occurs. Consult with your physician and allergist to find out what is best for you.
During colder months, wear a shawl, scarf or muffler to avoid asthma. This allows you to warm air before it enters your lungs. In multiple studies, breathing cold air is linked to increased asthma attacks. This link is especially pronounced in younger children.
If you find yourself in a room that is dusty, don’t turn on any kind of fan. A fan will spread dust and debris all over. This can very easily aggravate your asthma, and cause serious symptoms. If you feel you need airflow, open a window instead.
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. To prevent these issues, brush and use mouthwash immediately after inhaler usage.
Proper knowledge of how to use your inhaler is necessary if you have asthma. An inhaler is most effective if used in a relaxed location and according to the maker’s instructions. Remember that the medication must reach your lungs if the inhaler is to work properly. Spray the dosage into the mouth while you inhale air. Make sure you hold your breath for 10 seconds or more to get the medications into your lungs.
Keep an asthma diary and record how often, each week, you must use a rescue inhaler. Using it more often than twice weekly means that you should have your asthma assessed by a doctor. Counting how many times you reach for your inhaler can be a good aid to remind you of what environments you need to control and what else you may need to manage.
Make sure that everyone in your family gets their flu shot. If you suffer from asthma, it is best to avoid respiratory infections of any type as much as possible. This means you should also be sure to wash your hands frequently and get vaccinated.
Avoid aggravating your asthma condition while sleeping by covering your mattress and pillows with plastic before putting clean linens on. If you put your pillowcases and sheets in hot water weekly, these inducers will be reduced or completely eliminated. Fresh bed linens, washed regularly, will ensure that you can breathe a little easier while you sleep.
If you are using a lot of different cleaners around your house you can trigger a asthma attack. Organic products are preferable to more chemically loaded, commercially produced cleaning products.
Avoid smoking. If you have asthma, you could have serious health complications from smoking. 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.
Asthma Attacks
During times that pollen counts are high, asthma sufferers should try to stay indoors. Despite being different conditions, asthma and allergies can be triggered by the same kinds of irritants. The air quality information should be used to find out when it is better to stay indoors to avoid irritants present in the air.
Some of the most notorious causes of asthma attacks exist in normal households. Three triggers comprise the asthma triad of doom: spores, dust and mold. To reduce asthma attacks and stay healthy, have an inspector remove any harmful agents yearly. Additionally, cleaning your home on a regular schedule prevents these unwanted visitors from taking residence en masse.
If you have asthma and you’re also an allergy sufferer, you must only use a vaporizer or humidifier that’s been cleaned thoroughly. Bacteria can build up in the moisture of these machines, and get relayed into the very environment that you are attempting to make more conducive to your condition.
Mold and mildew can grow in your home where there is humidity. Both of these allergens can be contributing factors in asthma attacks. Therefore, it can benefit you to ensure your home stays as dry as possible. During the cold, winter months, a dehumidifier can help. In the summer, an air conditioner naturally takes out a lot of the humidity in the air.
You need to know how to properly use your inhaler if you have been diagnosed with asthma. You can’t just spray into your mouth and softly inhale. Each time you spray your inhaler, breath in deeply for a few seconds. A rescue inhaler will not help you if you aren’t breathing it in correctly.
You should always take asthma seriously. Keep your asthma under control and have a fast-acting inhaler to avoid a possibly fatal asthma attack. Be sure that you always have the necessary equipment for preventing and treating them. If you apply the tips you’ve read here to your daily life, you should be better able to control your asthma and live more freely.
Learn as much as possible about asthma. The more you know about the condition, the better you can help yourself. Keep yourself up to date about new findings and find a good doctor. The best way to ensure this is to know as much as you can about asthma and your options for treatment.