Obviously, healthy lungs are essential, and when an illness like asthma causes problems with them, it has a major effect on your life. However, you can still lead a regular normal life as an asthma sufferer. In the following paragraphs, you’ll find suggestions on how to deal with your asthma.
Do not smoke around your children if they have asthma. Secondhand smoke is a trigger for asthma attacks, not to mention the myriad of other diseases it can cause. Keep your child away from cigarette smoke and any other kind of fumes.
If you have asthma, you should definitely avoid smoking or being exposed to any kind of fumes or vapors. Stay far away from any tobacco products. You should also consider where you work, as factories may expose you to harmful vapors or smoke.
You need ongoing treatment for asthma because it’s an ongoing disease. Always be very sure that you’re taking the right type of medication for your condition if you hope to control it. It’s also important to have a quick-relief medication available. Discuss your best options with your allergist and doctor.
If you suffer from asthma, it is critical that you not smoke. When smoke enters your lungs it cuts off your oxygen supply, and if you suffer from asthma it can make breathing extremely difficult, and result in an increased number of attacks.
If you are having an attack that is not severe, push as much air out of the lungs as possible. Exhale quickly and hard. Push that air from your lungs with all that you’ve got! Then, follow three short intakes of breath with one longer inhalation until your lungs are filled with air, although not uncomfortably so. Finally, expel the air from your lungs with force again. This method forces you to pay close attention to your breathing and create a steady rhythm. It also helps to push air out from your lungs so new air can come back in. You may cough or generate sputum, this is okay, your main goal is to get your breathing back on track again.
Some medications that you may take unknowingly can cause you to have asthma symptoms. Examples of medications that may contribute to asthma are aspirin and other NSAIDs. Beta blockers, such as those used to control high blood pressure or heart disease may also have this effect. Make sure you consult with your doctor concerning your asthma and possible drug reactions.
If you have asthma and lack the health insurance coverage to deal with asthma treatment, talk to a social worker. A social worker can possibly help you with finding treatment and low-cost medications.
If you are experiencing a moderately severe attack, try to first exhale completely. Breathe out aggressively, as hard as you can. It can’t be said too strongly: you must force the air out! Follow this by breathing in three times quickly, and a fourth time deeply to ensure your lungs are filled to capacity, then exhale again as forcefully as possible. This gives your breathing a rhythm, which makes you aware of how many breaths you take. 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 you suffer from asthma, avoid smokers, even if you do not smoke yourself. When you inhale tobacco smoke, particularly in closeted areas, the functioning of your lungs can decrease, and you may suffer an attack.
Asthmatics should avoid being exposed to smoke, regardless if you are a smoker. 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.
To minimize the chances of triggering a bout of asthma, keep your house extra clean, particularly rooms where asthma patients sleep. Don’t smoke indoors, or allow any junk food in your home. Don’t use bleach or harsh chemicals inside, and air out the house as much as possible after cleaning.
If you have hay fever or a cold, chances are your asthma treatment will be increased. The effects of some illnesses can exacerbate the effects of your asthma, causing the need for more treatments. Your doctor could add another treatment into your regimen until the illness is better.
For many people, their homes can be triggering their asthma, or even causing their asthma in the first place. These include mold, dust and spores. To stay healthy and reduce the chance of asthma attacks, you should have an inspector visit your house yearly to remove these harmful agents. Additionally, cleaning your home on a regular schedule prevents these unwanted visitors from taking residence en masse.
If your child or yourself are asthma sufferers it is very important that you get the flu shot every single year. Stave off as many of these infections as possible by getting vaccinated every year.
Asthma isn’t often something that pops up over night, but instead takes time to develop and the symptoms are slowly noticeable. There are known cases where someone has actually died from a single asthma attack, because they were unaware that they had the disease. It is advised that you seek out a medical professional if you ever have shortness of breath or experience constant coughing; this may be a sign that you suffer from asthma and need proper medication to prevent an asthma attack and keep your condition under control.
When you are traveling, make sure you have a rescue inhaler with you. When you travel, you sometimes strain your body a little more than you think, which can make you a bit more susceptible to having asthma attacks. 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.
If you’re flying and bringing along your asthma medications, bring a doctor’s written prescription with you. If you have written proof about the item you have,and that it is medically necessary, there will be less hassles going through security.
Do not allow mold or mildew to grow in your home, because they can be extremely dangerous for asthma sufferers. These are harmful substances that can trigger asthma attacks. Therefore, try and keep the home dry. A dehumidifier can be used in the winter, and in the summer, many air conditioner models also help strip moisture from the air.
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. One effective way in preventing these side effects and problems is to brush and gargle right away after you use your inhaler.
Be sure you understand how to use your asthma medication, especially emergency medication. When you have asthma, you should be on a maintenance medication and have an emergency medicine for asthma attacks. Usually this is in the form of an inhaler. Asthma doesn’t go away, so it’s important to be vigilant about taking your daily medication and using your rescue inhaler when an attack occurs.
Make sure you count how many times, within a week, you have to use your inhaler. If you have to use your inhaler more than twice, then our asthma is not being controlled effectively, and you may need to see your doctor for a way to get it under control again. If you notice an increased use in your inhaler, reexamine your management plan and check for any changes in your surroundings that may be triggering the asthma.
Asthma is a disease that effects the respiratory system, and can take many years to develop, often times going undetected. A few people have even died from an asthma attack without knowing they even had this dangerous condition. If you find yourself with a constant cough or have trouble breathing, consult your doctor, so he can tell you if you have asthma and if you need medication. He might even have suggestions on how to prevent it from worsening.
If you have asthma, clean your floors with a wet mop, instead of sweeping with a traditional broom. An asthma attack is one possible outcome of a sweeping session that fills the air around you with allergens and dust. When you dust, try dampening a rag, instead of a feather duster, to avoid spreading things that can trigger your asthma.
Written Prescription
When you are trying to prevent asthma, you should avoid smoke. The inhalation of smoke can easily trigger an asthma attack. Avoid smoke of any kind, including cigarette smoke, if you’ve got asthma. Exposing yourself to these pollutants can have a significant effect on 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 taking an airplane and you need to travel with your asthma apparatus or medications, bring your written prescription with you. The written prescription will help you get through security without difficulty, because it establishes that your nebulizer and supplies are medically necessary.
Asthma sufferers should minimize their contact with animals and pets. Though dander allergies are often seen in conjunction with asthma, even asthmatics who are not allergic may have attacks that are triggered by the ancillary irritants transported by animals, including pollen and dust.
It’s important to keep up with your daily preventative inhaler routine, but watch out for mouth infections, especially in both teeth and gums. Always brush and gargle as soon as you’ve finished using your inhaler to prevent mouth infections.
Avoid smoking. Pretty much everyone is aware that smoking is dangerous, but for people suffering with asthma, it can have devastating effects. Smoke irritates the lungs of an asthma sufferer, so avoid the presence of people who smoke if you have asthma.
Fighting asthma is a life long battle, but it can become easier with each day if you follow good advice, such as that given here or from your doctor. Look into new findings, and perhaps new medications and treatments as research progresses.
If you experience an asthma attack, stay calm. Calmly use the inhaler. Use it again after 30 seconds has elapsed. If the inhaler does not provide immediate help, get medical help right away. Ask someone to drive you to the closest hospital or call an ambulance. Try putting a paper bag up to your mouth and breathing into it to help slow your breaths.