Do you count yourself amongst the millions who suffer from symptoms related to asthma? This article contains helpful advice on how to take control of your asthma.
If you suffer from asthma, avoid smoke, fumes and vapors. You should avoid all tobacco products. You also need to consider where you see employment. If you have asthma, you should not work in areas where you will be exposed to smoke or vapors as they could cause you to have an asthma attack.
It is important that you try to stay clear of cleaning products if you have asthma. Many of the harsh chemicals inside cleaning products might trigger symptoms or even a full blown asthma attack. If you’re the one who regularly cleans the house, look for natural cleaning products which are much safer to use.
Do all you can to learn not just about asthma, but your particular asthma. You can learn to combat the life changing effects of asthma by understanding your specific type. An example would be to bring in your gym bag an inhaler if you happen to have exercise-induced asthma. Knowing the patterns of your symptoms will help you avoid crises.
If you have mild to moderate asthma attack, breathe out forcefully to get every bit of air out from your lungs. Breathe out aggressively, as hard as you can. Really force that air out of your lungs! Take in three breaths, and then a deeper breath until your lungs are full of air. Then exhale with force again. This method forces you to pay close attention to your breathing and create a steady rhythm. It also voids your lungs of old air so that new air can enter. This may cause you to cough or it may cause phlegm, but your breathing will be back to normal again.
Learn what triggers your asthma so that you can avoid it. This is different for everyone, but some people, things like dust or pollen can trigger an attack. Others find themselves suffering from attacks when they overexert themselves. Keep a journal of your attacks so that you can start to learn what your triggers are so that you can prevent flareups before they begin.
Asthma Attacks
Asthma is a disease that is ongoing and must be attended to every day. Make sure to take the right medication for controlling everyday asthma symptoms, but also have quick relief medication with you in case of an attack. Find out from your allergist and your doctor what is best for you.
You may want to use a leukotriene inhibitor if your asthma is being particularly problematic. These medications prevent the production of leukotrienes. The chemical leukotriene is a common cause of inflammation in the lungs which in turn, can trigger asthma attacks. Get the inhibitor to prevent the leukotrienes, and your asthma attacks may drop in number.
If you’re suffering from an asthma attack that’s moderate or mild, then work to force all the air you can from your lungs. Exhale in a hard and fast manner. Force all the air out of the lungs! Take three breaths in succession. These breaths don’t have to be deep, just breathe a little. Then take a deep breath, pulling as much air as possible into your lungs. When your lungs are as full as you can stand, force the air out. This will create a rhythm and will help you be aware of the way you are breathing. This is a good way to empty your lungs and let more air come in. This may cause you to cough or it may cause phlegm, but your breathing will be back to normal again.
If you are an asthma sufferer, be sure to get the recommended daily dose of Vitamins C and E. It is widely believed that these vitamins can help control asthma symptoms by improving lung function. You can get both of these vitamins from eating certain foods, or by taking the vitamins in supplement form. Your immune system gets a boost with these vitamins, and this helps protect your body against illnesses and asthma.
Injections are available to people who suffer from asthma related to allergies, to help give them some long term relief. It is called omalizumab, and it is an antibody medicine used to control allergic reaction symptoms. You will need to speak to your allergist to find out if this would be helpful to you.
To cut the risk of an asthma attack, keep your house as clean as you can, particularly the bedroom of the person with asthma. Never allow anyone to smoke in the home of an asthmatic, and consider using plastic to cover your mattress and pillows. Try to avoid using any harsh chemicals or bleach in the home while cleaning; and, once the home is cleaned, air it out.
An increased propensity for asthma attacks has been linked with the utilization of multiple cleaning products. The more you use, the greater the risk of an attack. Try to use organic based cleaning products that are not harmful to asthma sufferers.
If you or someone in your family has asthma, all family members need to get flu shots every year. Keep yourself safe from these outbreaks by getting a yearly shot.
Receiving a regular flu shot is a great tip to implement if you or someone you love suffers from asthma. Prevent these infections from occurring by going to get vaccinated each year.
If you are an asthma patient, you may want to sleep with a pillow that does not contain feathers. Feathers can have a negative effect on the lungs and can worsen asthma symptoms. Same thing with bedding – purchase sheets and a comforter that are constructed from hypoallergenic materials.
If you suffer from asthma, you might want to use a pillow that doesn’t contain feathers. Pillow feathers are known to worsen asthma and affect the lungs. The same rule holds true for bedding. Choose sheets and a comforter that are constructed from materials known for being hypoallergenic.
Support Group
Even if you are feeling great, don’t skip your asthma check-ups. You don’t know when another flare-up will happen, or when your physician can offer you safer or superior medicine for your symptoms.
Find a good support group in the Internet or in your area. Asthma can be devastating and lead to lethargy and withdrawal from normal life – especially if it is quite 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.
Instead of sweeping your floors, clean them with a damp mop. Sweeping the floor kicks up dust and other debris that can set off an attack of your asthma. 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.
Find out how you are supposed to use your asthma medication and rescue treatments. Asthma is usually treated on two fronts. One is a standard medication, taken daily, and the other is an inhaler, intended for use in an emergency. It’s important to use both forms of medication properly to treat your chronic condition.
Stay away from smoke if you have asthma. Smoke can cause you to have an asthma attack. Vapors, cigarette smoke, and chemical fumes should be avoided. The more you are exposed to fumes, vapors and smoke, the more likely you are to have an asthma attack. Ask your family to smoke outside, and consider moving if they refuse.
Asthma is a health condition that usually develops over a period of time, and has symptoms that may not be obvious. Many individuals died from their very first asthma attack because they weren’t aware they had the risk factors for an attack. Therefore, if you find yourself having difficulties breathing or with a chronic cough, it is essential that you see a doctor and get tested for asthma. The sooner you get the needed treatment and medication, the better.
Contact with animals and pets should be avoided for asthma sufferers. While an allergy to animal hair or dander is a possible asthma complication, even those sufferers free of such allergies can experience an asthma attack caused by the dust and pollen all animals tend to carry along with them.
When you are trying to prevent asthma, you should avoid smoke. Smoke can cause asthma attacks. So do whatever you can to stay away from vapors, chemical fumes and smoke from cigarettes. These things can cause your asthma symptoms to greatly increase. If there is someone who always smokes around you, you should politely ask this person to smoke when you aren’t present.
When pollen counts begin to rise, then anyone who suffers from asthma should just stay inside as much as they can. While asthma isn’t an allergy, many allergy irritants can affect it. Technology has brought with it real-time air quality reports that can be consulted before exposure to outdoor air that may cause irritation to asthmatics.
This article offers a variety of tips and tricks for managing the symptoms of asthma. You must remain consistent and persistent with applying the tips found here. If you don’t take care of the warning signs when they arise, asthma can start to affect your life again. Be diligent and protect yourself when you implement the ideas from this article to manage your asthma.
If you have asthma attacks, remember to stay calm. Use your inhaler, wait 30 seconds and use it again. If the attack gets worse, then seek help immediately. Have someone call an ambulance for you, or have them bring you to a hospital. Try breathing in a paper bag to slow your breathing on the way there.