This article is designed for those of you who need help dealing with your asthma. A handful of the most helpful hints and tips have been selected for this article to enable you to lead more fulfilling life.
If you suffer from asthma, don’t smoke, and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke. That means you have to avoid all tobacco, and seriously consider think about what jobs you take; for example, factories are probably not a healthy place for you because of all the vapors and smoke.
When you suffer from asthma, avoiding cleaning products is really important to do. Many chemicals that are in these products can cause the triggering of asthma attacks. If you’re the one who regularly cleans the house, look for natural cleaning products which are much safer to use.
It is very important that an asthma sufferer refrain from smoking, if you do then it is advisable you quit now. Smoking is unhealthy for anyone, but it is especially dangerous for someone with asthma. This is because your lungs and airway are already compromised by your condition.
Never use a fan in a dirty, dust-filled room. If you do, the dust will move around, and you can trigger your asthma. The better way would be to open a window to increase the airflow in the room.
Make certain that you and your loved ones receive annual flu shots. Asthma patients should try their best to avoid getting respiratory infections. Take standard precautions against any kind of illness, and start washing those hands and getting vaccinations that will protect you from getting very sick.
Leukotriene inhibitors can help control the symptoms of asthma. A leukotriene inhibitor stops the release of a chemical that causes the inflammation that is responsible for some asthma attacks. Leukotriene is a substance that may cause inflammation. This can make a person have an asthma attack. When used properly, an inhibitor can help reduce symptoms and prevent attacks.
If you’ve got asthma, don’t smoke or be near smokers. When you inhale tobacco smoke, the lung’s function can be decreased, and you will increase the chance you have an asthma attack. Smaller areas without proper ventilation make you even more susceptible to an attack.
Social Worker
If you have hay fever or a cold, chances are your asthma treatment will be increased. Some illnesses create issues that make it necessary to increase medication temporarily. Your doctor may need to add new treatments to your typical asthma regimen until you are well.
If you have asthma that is not covered by health insurance, contact someone in a government agency, like a social worker. If you cannot afford medicine for asthma, your social worker can help you locate someone that can help.
If you suffer from asthma, you might want to use a pillow that doesn’t contain feathers. Feathers can aggravate symptoms of asthma and lower lung function. This applies to bedding, as well, so it’s best to make sure that everything on your bed is hypoallergenic.
Make certain that you and your loved ones receive annual flu shots. If you have asthma, you can protect your health by taking all steps possible to avoid any type of cold, flu or other upper respiratory infection. This means you should also be sure to wash your hands frequently and get vaccinated.
Take your rescue inhaler and keep it handy when you travel. Traveling is hard on your body, opening you up to an asthma attack. The change in environment can also have a negative impact, since it is impossible to control. This can lead to more frequent attacks or attacks with symptoms that are worse than normal.
For those who have asthma, the safest choice is to stick with unscented products. Indoor air pollution rises with the constant use of anything scented, ranging from air fresheners to incense, and all this can trigger asthma attacks. You should also avoid fresh paints or new carpets, as they give off fumes that can irritate the airway. Try to make it your goal to keep the indoor air as fresh and allergen free as possible.
Join a support group, online or in “real life”, to find help from your peers. If you have asthma, it can stop you from participating in basic activities like sports, especially if the condition is severe. 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 suffer with asthma, get a flu shot each year. Prevent these infections from occurring by going to get vaccinated each year.
Many of the biggest triggers for asthma can, and do, exist in your home. These include mold, dust and spores. To keep healthy, lower your risk of an asthma attack by getting rid of these triggers from your home. In addition, cleaning the house regularly can greatly contribute to keeping these substances from building up.
While traveling, always keep emergency asthma medication on hand and close by. It’s easy to get thrown off your regular eating and sleeping routine while traveling, which strains your body and increases your vulnerability to asthma attack triggers. It is also hard to predict what will come up or to control your environment when you travel, which increases the chances of experiencing more severe symptoms or an attack.
The more humid your home is, the easier it is for mildew and mold to grow. Mold and mildew can easily cause severe asthma attacks. You should therefore try to keep your home dry. When you are using a heater in winter time, you can run a dehumidifier for help controlling humidity. In the summer, running your air conditioner will allow you to keep your humidity down.
Support Group
Wear scarves, shawls and mufflers to cover your noise and mouth during colder weather. This allows you to warm air before it enters your lungs. Breathing in air that’s cold can trigger an attack, particularly in younger children that have moderate or severe asthma.
You may want to join an online or offline support group. Suffering from asthma can mean many days are spent at home with your condition stopping you from participating in a full and fulfilling lifestyle. By joining a support group, you will be able to discuss new scientific breakthroughs or treatment alternatives with those who are interested.
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. Having proof that it belongs to you and is medically necessary will make the security check easier.
Be sure you understand how to use your asthma medication, especially emergency medication. Asthma is usually treated by using a regular medicine supplemented with a rescue medicine, like an inhaler. It’s crucial that medication for management of asthma is taken regularly, and that rescue medication is also used when appropriate.
If you have asthma, don’t stop using your inhaler unless your doctor tells you to. However, watch for infections in your gums or other mouth discomfort after using your inhaler. A good way to prevent these complications and side effects is to brush your teeth and gargle immediately after using your inhaler.
Asthma typically develops over a long time, and sometimes the symptoms aren’t very obvious. There are many cases where people have died from their first asthma attack, without even being aware that they were at risk. So, if you are having trouble coughing and breathing, talk to a doctor to see if you need treatment. You might receive a prescription to treat or prevent asthma.
Go to several doctors. You may use your primary physician for most things, but a specialist can be very helpful as well. 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.
When you are cleaning your home, it is always better to use a wet mop rather than sweeping your floors. Sweeping can stir up some asthmatic triggers that will exacerbate your symptoms. Dusting with a damp cloth rather than a feather duster can be a considerable help in reducing the amount of dust and other things that might start an attack.
Smoking cigarettes is not a choice that should be made. Most people are educated about how dangerous smoking is, but it is much more harmful for people who have asthma. Asthmatics have sensitive lungs and tobacco smoke is very, very irritating. Smoke is so bad, that asthmatics should never allow themselves to be in the same vicinity as someone who is smoking.
When preventing asthma, stay away from smoke. Inhaling smoke makes it harder for you to breathe and might result in an asthma attack. Keep away from chemical fumes, chemical vapor, and tobacco smoke as much as you can. These can aggravate your asthma symptoms. If a person is smoking around you, politely ask him to smoke at times when you are somewhere else.
If you are going to be painting in your house, wear a mask, as it will protect you from harmful fumes. Asthma is strongly irritated by paint, so a mask will put a shield between you and it, and lessen the problem. Avoid chemicals, substances and scents that aggravate your asthma.
The information in the article above will help you live a healthier life with asthma, as long as you heed it. With this information you have learned, you can go back to being healthy and lively, enjoy getting back into shape!
In order to ward off asthma attacks, it is crucial that you pinpoint your triggers. If you aren’t sure what causes your asthma to act up, keep a journal. Write down what you were doing and where you were just prior to each attack. Bring your journal to your doctor’s office during each appointment so that she can help you figure out your asthma triggers. After you figure them out, try to stay away from your triggers, and take them out of your environment if you can.