Having asthma can completely change your life. At its worst, this condition can be life-threatening. And, even having mild asthma can greatly restrict the things you love to do in life. You should take the correct measures to avoid and manage asthma. Use these simple ideas to manage your asthma symptoms and regain your life.
It is vital that neither you, nor anyone else, smoke around a child with asthma. Secondhand smoke is one of the leading culprits that causes asthma. While making sure to never light up around your children, it is also vital that you make sure your kids are not around others who do not show the same courtesy.
Cleaning Products
If you are afflicted with asthma, it is critical that you don’t smoke. 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.
If you have been diagnosed with asthma, you should avoid cleaning products. Many chemicals contained in common cleaning products can aggravate your asthma, triggering an attack. Use natural cleaners instead of chemical cleaners to reduce your chances of asthma attacks after cleaning.
If you have mild to moderate asthma attack, breathe out forcefully to get every bit of air out from your lungs. Blow your breath out as hard and fast as you can. Force all the air out of the lungs! Take three short breaths, and then take a fourth, deeper breath to fill your lungs comfortably; then, breathe out with force again. Breathing in this rhythmic manner helps you to concentrate on the breaths you’re taking. It also helps to push air out from your lungs so new air can come back in. You might cough hard or create mucus, but its just a sign your breathing is getting back to normal.
Keep clear of anything that you know to be a trigger for your asthma. For many people, allergens such as dust and pollen can induce an attack. For others, it may be linked to physical exertion. It is important to determine what triggers your asthma attacks so you can try to avoid those things.
Cigarette smoke will make your asthma worse. Asthma creates breathing problems by constricting airways, and cigarette smoking only exacerbates the problem. Avoid vapors and chemical fumes from cigarettes. Doing so can cause an asthma attack you might not have the ability to stop. Leave a room if people smoke, or ask them to stop.
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that requires constant management. Ensure you’re taking the proper medications in order to manage everyday asthma symptoms. In addition, you should have a quick-fix medication handy in the event you suffer from an attack. See your doctor or allergist to find out which treatment plan is best for your situation.
Avoid using a fan in any room that has excessive dust. Dust blown around by fans can cause your asthma to rear up. If you feel you need airflow, open a window instead.
Smoke Yourself
Both Vitamin C and Vitamin E are important if you suffer from asthma. These particular vitamins are believed to better your lung function and help manage your symptoms of asthma. These vitamins can be easily obtained, either through your diet or a supplement. These vitamins also help boost your immune system, which helps to prevent illnesses that trigger asthma.
Anyone suffering from asthma or asthma-like symptoms needs to stay clear of cigarette smoke, whether you smoke yourself, or even if you’re breathing secondhand smoke. You should not smoke yourself! Stay away from vapors and all chemical fumes so you are not able to breathe them in. This can set off an Asthma attack that you might not be able to stop. Never visit a home or establishment where people will be smoking, and if people start to smoke, walk out.
If you are an asthma patient, be sure to stay away from people who smoke, even if you are not a smoker yourself. 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.
Never turn on a fan when the room you are in is very dusty. 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. It is much better to open a window when you are in need of some air flow.
Scented products could cause averse reactions to asthma sufferers. It is safest to use unscented products when possible. Fragrances are present in hundreds of common consumer products, including cleaning supplies, perfumes, detergents and room sprays. Any of these items could easily increase the of triggering an attack. Certain things in the home, such as newly installed carpet or fresh paint, can also release chemical irritants. Clean your indoor air and keep it as fresh as you can.
Talk to your doctor about getting a leukotriene inhibitor if you have asthma. There are modern medicines that are highly effective at blocking leukotrienes. Leukotriene is a chemical substance that can lead to inflammation that can cause an asthma attack. Get the inhibitor to prevent the leukotrienes, and your asthma attacks may drop in number.
Make sure you are aware of what triggers your asthma so you can avoid it or prepare properly. If you have asthma, it’s most likely triggered by things such as being around animals or pollen. Most asthmatics also can’t tolerate smoke. Whenever possible, avoid those substances that trigger either symptoms or full-blown attacks.
Know how to use your inhaler correctly. Get to a place out of the way, and read the directions before starting. Proper use delivers the medication to your lungs. Breathe in through your mouth while you’re pressing the spray button. After inhaling, it’s important that you hold the medication in by holding your breath for 10 seconds at the least.
Your home can be the cause of your asthma and its triggers. These triggers inside the home are usually spores, mold and dust. In order to remain healthy and lessen any chances of having an asthma attack, it is recommended you have your home inspected yearly to have these harmful triggers removed. You can help keep your house safe from these harmful substances by regularly cleaning and dusting your home.
If you suffer from asthma and do not smoke, make sure to avoid people who do smoke. Inhaled smoke from tobacco can drastically reduce lung function, increasing your chances of an asthma attack. This is especially true in closed-in areas.
Your home’s humidity can cause mold and mildew growth within it. Mold and mildew can easily cause severe asthma attacks. To halt the growth of mold and mildew keep your home’s humidity low. Using a dehumidifier during cold weather and turning on your air conditioner when the weather gets hot again can help keep humidity out of your home to ensure your asthma is under control.
Know that your asthma treatment or medication may have to be increased a bit if you are suffering from allergies, hay fever or a cold. The effects of some illnesses can exacerbate the effects of your asthma, causing the need for more treatments. Your physician might also add more treatments to your regimen until your asthma is under control again.
During cold, winter months, asthma sufferers should wear a shawl, muffler, or scarf that will cover both their nose and mouth. This allows you to warm air before it enters your lungs. Breathing cold air can set off an asthma attack, particularly in small children who have have somewhat severe asthma.
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.
If you do have an asthma attack, make sure to stay calm. Grab your inhaler and use it, then wait to see if it helps. If not, then use it again in thirty seconds. If the attack gets worse, then seek help immediately. Have some one call for an ambulance or take you to the hospital. Breathing in and out of a paper bag on the way will help slow down your breathing.