Regardless of how long you may have had it, asthma can still be a frightening concept for you or your loved ones. It is important to be well informed when it comes to asthma so that you can treat it properly. You can have a good idea what will happen and when it will do so, and the advice in the following paragraphs can assist you.
It is vital that neither you, nor anyone else, smoke around a child with asthma. As far as triggers that cause asthma attacks or causes of the condition in general, secondhand cigarette smoke ranks right up there. Any place where smoking is allowed should be avoided if you have a child with asthma.
What type of asthma are you having to deal with? Being aware of your particular asthma condition can help you to effectively treat it on a daily basis. For example, if you have exercise-induced asthma, you will want to always make sure you have an inhaler in your gym bag. You will be able to prevent asthma attacks if you can recognize symptoms.
Keep away from any and everything that you know triggers your asthma attacks. For some people, this can be pollen or other allergy triggers. For others, physical activity can irritate them. You should know what causes asthma, so you can stay away from these things.
If you have moderate asthma attacks, exhale forcefully, so that you force air from your lungs. Exhale quickly and forcefully. Get the air all out of the lungs. Take in three breaths, and then a deeper breath until your lungs are full of air. Then exhale with force again. This gives your breathing a rhythm and makes you focus on your breathing. It will also empty your lungs of air, so that they’re ready to take in new, fresh air. You might cough or produce sputum, but that is fine; you are trying to get breathing under control again.
Asthma is a chronic condition that is ongoing over time, and as such, will require a continual treatment and management regimen. Ensure you’re taking the proper medications to manage common symptoms of asthma. In case of an attack, you need to have in your possession a medication that will provide almost instant relief. Consult with your physician and allergist to find out what is best for you.
If you are someone who suffers from asthma, stay away from all types of cigarette smoke. Asthma creates breathing problems by constricting airways, and cigarette smoking only exacerbates the problem. Avoid vapors and chemical fumes from cigarettes. A severe asthma attack can be life threatening. If you find yourself in a situation where you are around smokers, remove yourself as quickly as possible.
If you’re having an asthma attack, a great way to handle this is to immediately evacuate the air from your lungs. Breathe out hard and fast. This will force the air from your lungs. Then take three quick breaths, next a deeper breath till your lungs fill with air, then repeat the forceful exhalation again. This will create a rhythm and will help you be aware of the way you are breathing. It pushes air from your lungs so you can breathe more in. You might cough hard or create mucus, but its just a sign your breathing is getting back to normal.
If the room that you’re in is dusty, do not turn on a fan. The fan will circulate the dust along with the air, which can cause it to get into your lungs and make your asthma worse. Open a window to bring clean, cool air inside instead.
If you suffer from asthma and allergy attacks, ask your doctor for a long-lasting allergy injection. Omalizumab is a mediation that is able to control allergic reaction symptoms.
Consider a leokotriene inhibitor if your asthma is not controlled by other methods. Leukotriene inhibitors are used to prevent things called leukotrienes. Leukotriene, a chemical substance, can cause asthma attacks by causing inflammation. Using an inhibitor will counteract the negative effects of leukotriene, thereby decreasing the occurrence of asthma attacks.
If you have been diagnosed with asthma then you should avoid cigarettes and smokers like the plague. When you breathe in smoke, particularly in an enclosed area, your lungs cannot function as well, and it increases your risk of having an asthma attack.
It is best to use products that are unscented in the home with someone who is asthmatic. 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. As much as possible, try to keep your home filled with fresh, pure air.
Keep your home free of dust and other triggers, especially where the person who suffers from asthma sleeps. Also, you should keep food confined to the kitchen, and opt to smoke outdoors only. When cleaning your home, try not to use products that contain harsh chemicals, such as bleach. You should also allow fresh air to thoroughly circulate throughout your home after you’re done cleaning it.
Keep dust and dirt to a minimum in any bedroom where an asthma sufferer sleeps. Do not allow smoking in your house, and keep food in your kitchen. If you clean with any harsh chemicals or bleach, make sure to ventilate thoroughly afterwards.
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. Treatment may be increased in these cases as many illnesses have side effects that can cause flare ups in your asthma. Your doctor could add another treatment into your regimen until the illness is better.
If you or your child suffer from asthma, it is important that you receive a flu shot every year. Get yearly vaccinations to keep these potential infections at bay.
You should know what triggers your asthma attacks; this will allow you to either avoid them or be ready to manage the symptoms. Those who experience asthma are susceptible to some common things like pet dander, smoke, or pollen. Try to avoid these items as much as humanly possible so as to not trigger a full attack.
Rescue Medication
If you suffer from asthma, it’s best to avoid pillows full of feathers. Feathers in a pillow can bring on the symptoms of asthma and decrease lung function. The same goes for bedding – try to buy a comforter and sheets that are made from hypoallergenic materials.
Make sure you understand the correct way to use your asthma medication, especially any rescue medication. Asthma typically is treated so that the sufferer has a regular maintenance medication, but is also prescribed a rescue medication, like an inhaler. Asthma is considered a chronic condition. For this reason, you should take the management of it very seriously.
Even if you have not had any recent breathing problems, you should nonetheless schedule regular checkups. Flare-ups can occur at any time; plus, your doctor may have a new medication that he or she can offer you that will make your treatment safer and more effective.
While using an inhaler can potentially cause mouth or gum sores, it is still important to use it daily if you suffer from severe asthma. Always clean your teeth and rinse your mouth after you use your inhaler.
Asthma typically develops over a long time, and sometimes the symptoms aren’t very obvious. In some cases, people do not even know they might have a chance of an asthma attack and their first one proves fatal. So, if you have difficulty breathing or a cough that doesn’t go away, see a doctor to figure out whether you suffer from asthma and to determine whether you will be needing medication to prevent or treat the condition.
Monitor how often, per week, you find it necessary to use your inhaler. Your medication may need to be adjusted or an alternative treatment considered if you find that you need to use it 3 or more times per week. The frequency of your inhaler use is a good way to remember to check out your environmental surroundings and be mindful of all factors relating to your asthma regimen.
Avoid smoke to prevent asthma and asthma attacks. Breathing in smoke can trigger an asthma attack. So do whatever you can to stay away from vapors, chemical fumes and smoke from cigarettes. These are all common triggers and can aggravate asthma symptoms. If a person is smoking around you, politely ask him to smoke at times when you are somewhere else.
Contact with pets and other animals should be minimized for the asthma sufferer. While allergies to dander or animal hair can possibly complicate your asthma, even those with no such allergies can have asthma attacks by inhaling the pollen and dust animals usually carry about with them.
Dust, pollen, allergens and other asthma aggravators tend to collect in bed linens. The easiest way to get rid of these triggering agents is by washing all of your bedding using your washer’s hot setting every Sunday. Fresh bed linens, washed regularly, will ensure that you can breathe a little easier while you sleep.
As previously mentioned, there is so much you can learn about asthma. This article is a small portion of the information that is available when it comes to asthma and it’s management. You can reduce the difficulty of asthma with loved ones, and improve their life quality.
Have more than one medical professional look at your asthma problems. You may use your primary physician for most things, but a specialist can be very helpful as well. Asthma centers, pulmonologists, nutritionists and allergists can all work with you, making sure you are getting all the treatment you need.