Dealing with asthma presents a number of challenges, but it does not have to reduce your quality of life. Many solutions can be efficient in your situation. This article will help you get more done and spend less time dealing with asthma attacks.
An important part of symptom management is knowing what type of asthma you have. Being aware of your specific condition will help you combat the effects it has over your body day in and day out. 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.
What type of asthma do you suffer from? Being aware of your specific condition will help you combat the effects it has over your body day in and day out. For example, if you have exercise-induced asthma, you will want to always make sure you have an inhaler in your gym bag. Knowing your symptoms’ patterns can help you avoid big problems.
If you are experiencing a moderately severe attack, try to first exhale completely. Breathe out hard and fast. Expel the air in your lungs with great force! Inhale three times with short breaths, and then on the fourth one take a deeper breath so your lungs are full of air but still comfortable. Then breath out as hard as you can again. This will make your breathing rhythmic and help you pay more attention to it. Expelling the air from your lungs in this fashion also allows you to breathe in deeper. If you cough or produce sputum, don’t worry. Just remain focused on your objective, which is to regain a normal rate of breathing.
Asthma Sufferer
Asthma patients without health insurance can get help by asking a social worker and getting access to programs with the resources asthma patients need. It’s vital that you stay on medication, so there may be programs available to help you get them at a discount.
Smoking is a horrible habit, even deadly, for an asthma sufferer. While smoking is bad for everyone, it’s particularly hard on an asthma sufferer as it restricts oxygen getting to the lungs.
A dehumidifier is a beneficial investment for anyone with asthma. Cutting down the humidity in the house will lower the amount dust mites in the air, and that will mean fewer asthma flare-ups. Dehumidifiers work by pulling the moisture out of the air of your home.
Learn what triggers your asthma so that you can avoid it. For some people, it may be related to allergies, such as a reaction to dust or pollen. Or, you may need to avoid certain activities that overexert your body. You need to determine what your triggers are so that you can avoid them.
In order to minimize the chance of an asthma attack, be sure to keep your living area very clean, most definitely the bedroom area. Food should be eaten only in the kitchen or dining room, and cigarettes are best relegated to outdoor smoking areas. After cleaning around the house, open windows and allow fresh air into the house. This can reduce the smell and pervasiveness of household cleaners like bleach.
Be aware of certain medications that can lead to asthma problems. Some anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, can flare up asthma symptoms. Common medications used for controlling high blood pressure often times contain beta blockers, which asthmatics may be more sensitive to. It is important for your doctor to know your complete medical history, including any medications you are currently taking, so they can best treat your asthma.
Receiving a flu shot annually is very important if you or a loved one are asthmatic. Therefore, it is very important to avoid as many infections to the lungs as possible by getting a vaccine each year.
Chemical Fumes
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. Smoke, pollen, or pet dander are common triggers. Try to avoid the things that make your asthma flare up.
If you have asthma, you need to avoid any kind of tobacco smoke. You should not smoke! Stay away from vapors and all chemical fumes so you are not able to breathe them in. A severe asthma attack can be life threatening. Do everything you can to avoid cigarette smoke, air pollution, allergens and harsh chemical fumes to keep your asthma symptoms under control.
You may want to join an online or offline support group. Asthma is a disease that can affect your everyday life and prove debilitating in so many ways. Furthermore, these groups will keep you informed about any changes in medicines or any other scientific discoveries that are relevant.
Injections are available to people who suffer from asthma related to allergies, to help give them some long term relief. Omalizumab is one such medication, and can control the allergic symptoms you may be experienced. An allergist will be able to tell you if this is a good option.
Mildew and mold grow best in a home with high humidity. You can get asthma attacks because of these substances. Keeping a home dry and mold-free is important. When it’s cold, a dehumidifier can keep moisture to a minimum; in hot months, your A/C unit will do the same thing.
Leukotriene inhibitors may be helpful to you if you suffer from asthma. Leukotriene inhibitors block the effects of leukotrienes. The chemical leukotriene is a common cause of inflammation in the lungs which in turn, can trigger asthma attacks. When used properly, an inhibitor can help reduce symptoms and prevent attacks.
Know the right way to use any asthma medication you are taking, in particular your rescue medication. Asthma is generally treated with a rescue medication, usually an inhaler, in addition to a regularly-taken maintenance medication. Asthma lasts a lifetime, so you must manage your treatment and lifestyle to ensure you’re taking the best care of yourself.
Be certain to properly use your inhaler. Find a good place and follow all of the directions that have been provided by the maker of the product. Your inhaler will only help if you breathe very deeply. Spray the dosage into the mouth while you inhale air. Hold in your breath for 10 seconds so the medicine works properly.
If traveling by plane with your asthma equipment or medications, always carry your written prescription with you to avoid problems. Having written documentation supporting this medically necessary item will eliminate any hassles when going through the security check point.
Make sure that everyone in your family, including you, gets annual flu shots. If you have asthma, it’s important to prevent all respiratory infections, if at all possible. Take standard precautions against any kind of illness, and start washing those hands and getting vaccinations that will protect you from getting very sick.
Use your maintenance or preventative inhaler every day. However, you should know that the drug may cause mouth infections near your gums and teeth. Always brush and gargle as soon as you’ve finished using your inhaler to prevent mouth infections.
People who have asthma should stick to using unscented products. Products that contain fragrance, such as perfumes, colognes, or air fresheners, introduce irritants into the air around you that can trigger your asthma. New carpeting and even a fresh coat of paint can aggravate the airway and lungs as well. Take all necessary measures to ensure that your home is always filled with fresh, clean air.
Using a wet mop is superior to using a broom to clean your floors. Sweeping stirs up irritants that can trigger an asthma attack. Use a dampened rag when dusting, instead of a feather duster, so as to prevent stirring up loose dust particles and other asthma triggers.
If you or your child suffer from asthma, it is important that you receive a flu shot every year. A yearly vaccination will help minimize the number of infections your children have to deal with.
Asthma sufferers need to know which types of animals and breeds won’t trigger their asthma attacks. Having an allergy to dander or animal hair could be possible asthma complications, even sufferers free of these kinds of allergies could still have an asthma attack that is caused by pollen and dust animals seem to carry around with them.
Take notes of what can trigger your asthma attacks so that you can be prepared for a future attack or learn how to avoid them all together. Common triggers among asthma sufferers are smoke, pollen, or pet dander. Make a special effort to avoid agents that bring on even minor asthma symptoms, much less a major attack.
You should have a team of medical professionals to help you craft your asthma treatment. The first place to consider visiting is your main doctor, but they might also be able to recommend a specialist. Certain specialists, such as pulmonologists and allergists, can provide extra treatment options for your asthma.
Many of the most common asthma triggers are found in the home. These causes can include dust, spores and mold. 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. Cleaning the house on a regular basis will also help prevent the buildup of these hazardous substances.
If asthma does strike, don’t lose your cool. Try taking inhaled medication to get your asthma back under control. Breathe the medication in as deeply as you can. Take two doses, timed 30 seconds apart, before determining whether the medication is working. If this doesn’t start to control your attack, get assistance right away. Have someone drive you directly to the hospital or call an ambulance for you. Inhaling and exhaling into a paper bag can slow your breathing while en route.
Asthma is a condition that typically will develop over a long period of time, with symptoms that are not very obvious. People can even die from their very first asthma attack as they’re not prepared for it! Given that fact, if you have any kind of consistent cough or respiratory ailments, consulting a physician for testing is a good idea, since you want to know if you are suffering from asthma and if so, what to do about it.
If you’ve been diagnosed with asthma, it is crucial that you understand how to properly use your inhaler. It is not as simple as spraying it into your mouth and breathing in. Breath deeply each time you push your inhaler button. When your doctor prescribes your inhaler, ask him for detailed instructions in using it correctly.
Instead of sweeping your floors with a broom, it is preferable to clean using a wet mop. An asthma attack is one possible outcome of a sweeping session that fills the air around you with allergens and dust. When dusting, use a damp cloth, as feather dusters just move dust around.
If you suffer from asthma and have to use your inhaler in excess of two or three times per week, you should see a doctor and ask about changing your medication. This means your inhaler isn’t working right. This same advice also goes for those who must refill their inhalers more frequently than every six months.
Smoking cigarettes is not a choice that should be made. Smoking is an unhealthy habit for everyone, but it poses an even greater danger to people with asthma. Not only should smoking be avoided, you need to be careful to stay away from people who do smoke because it is extremely harmful and will irritate your sensitive asthmatic lungs.
Find out as much as possible about your condition. Knowledge is power, and enlightened proactive steps yield immeasurable dividends in your treatment and management regimen. Look into cutting-edge treatments, and seek the best medical care you can find. The best way to ensure this is to know as much as you can about asthma and your options for treatment.
Don’t use humidifiers or vaporizers in your home until they have been rigorously cleaned, if you suffer from either asthma, allergies or both. The moist environment of a humidifier can become a breeding ground for bacteria, which can irritate allergies or trigger an asthma attack.
Go to your doctor a few times every year to check up on your asthma, and ensure that it is being managed effectively. Your doctor can check to see if your condition has changed, and if it has, update your treatment plan. The responsibility of scheduling these appointments falls on you. Make sure you attend each and every one so that your doctor can stay updated on how your treatment plan is working in order to help you remain healthy.
As you have read, there are many options available to you that can help control your asthma. Asthma need not control your life, so be proactive and create a plan for treating your asthma and living a full, healthy life.
Asthma support groups can also provide moral support to help you deal with difficult times and the frustration of asthma. By talking to fellow sufferers, you will learn more about asthma and what you should do in case of an attack. Having supportive people that care about you is imperative.