If you have recently been given a diagnosis of asthma you may be feeling some panic. Asthma, being a chronic condition, has no cure. However, this doesn’t mean life ends when you get diagnosed. The following article will lay out some easy ways to care for asthma carefully and effectively.
What kind of asthma do you have? Being aware of your particular asthma condition can help you to effectively treat it on a daily basis. Asthma caused by exercise can be treated easily if you carry an inhaler when you go to the gym. By knowing the pattern to your symptoms it will be a big help to you avoiding crises.
Stay away from smoking, or being around any smoke, vapors or fumes. You should avoid jobs where you might be exposed to fumes and chemicals, such as factories.
Some medications are known to cause asthma symptoms. Various NSAIDs and aspirin have been reported to do this. Common medications used for controlling high blood pressure often times contain beta blockers, which asthmatics may be more sensitive to. Let your doctor know about your asthma and what prescriptions you’re taking.
What type of asthma are you having to deal with? Learning about your type of asthma will help you to deal with it. Asthma caused by exercise can be treated easily if you carry an inhaler when you go to the gym. If you are familiar with your symptoms and their patterns, you will be better able to avoid emergencies.
Asthma is ongoing. Therefore, it also requires continual management of your health. Be certain that you are prescribed or using the appropriate medicine to manage your daily symptoms, and that you have an emergency medicine readily available in the event of an attack. Discuss your best options with your allergist and doctor.
To keep your child healthy, make sure they are never around smoke. Secondhand smoke is a trigger for asthma attacks, not to mention the myriad of other diseases it can cause. It’s best to also keep your child away from places in which others will be smoking.
It is always a problem if you have asthma and don’t have health insurance, but talking to a social worker may help you resolve this issue. Asthma medications are a necessity, and a social worker can help you find an affordable way to keep your prescriptions current.
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.
Vitamins E and C are beneficial to anyone with asthma. These vitamins are thought to help improve lung function and control asthma symptoms. It doesn’t matter if you get the vitamins for food or a supplement; just get them. The vitamins will help improve the immune system, which will help you fight off illnesses that cause asthma.
It is imperative that you do your best to avoid cleaning chemicals if you are asthmatic. Asthma sufferers are often sensitive to chemical cleaners; using these products can sometimes trigger asthma attacks. When you are tidying your home consider using natural products that are effective for cleaning rather than traditional cleansers.
If you use more than four cleaning products, you are increasing the risks of an asthma attack. Use organic cleaning products since they don’t have irritating chemicals.
As a chronic disease, asthma must be managed continuously. You need to keep taking your medications to control the asthma symptoms every day, and if an attack should occur, you should have quick relief medication at your disposal. Your physician and allergist are the ones to approach with any questions you have about this disease and its treatment.
If you have asthma, you should get a flu shot once per year. Get vaccinated every flu season to avoid a high number of infections.
Social Worker
Be knowledgeable about the factors that cause asthma attacks in order to avoid the triggers or develop a plan for managing the symptoms of asthma. Most asthma sufferers have a few common triggers such as smoke, pet dander or pollen. When it is possible avoid substances that make you have symptoms or attacks.
If you have asthma that is not covered by health insurance, contact someone in a government agency, like a social worker. Having the financial ability to purchase your asthma medications is essential, and a social worker can help you locate a hospital or clinic that can provide you with these medications for free or at a significantly reduced rate.
Protect yourself against breathing in cold air that aggravates your asthma by wearing a scarf that covers your nose and mouth. This way, the air will be warm before entering your lungs. Cold air can be a nuisance and breathing it has actually proven to trigger asthma attacks. This is especially true for younger children who have severe or moderate asthma.
Make certain that you and your loved ones receive annual flu shots. If you are afflicted with asthma, avoid getting any infections if possible. The easiest way to start is by performing routine hand-washing, limiting your touching of surfaces while in public places, and getting vaccinations recommended by your doctor.
If you’re flying with asthma medications, be sure you get a prescription from your physician. Written proof of needing your equipment can help you with any issues you might have in the security line.
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, can pollute the air triggering your asthma. In addition, paint that is fresh or carpet that is new release odors that can cause breathing irritations that lead to an asthma attack. Try to keep the indoor air as clean and fresh as possible.
Using a preventative inhaler is important, but you need to know the side effects it can cause such as mouth infections. Always brush and gargle as soon as you’ve finished using your inhaler to prevent mouth infections.
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. Common triggers among asthma sufferers are smoke, pollen, or pet dander. Whenever you can, just steer clear of these triggers when you know what they would result in.
See multiple doctors to keep asthma under control. Your family doctor will be in charge of your asthma treatment, but seeing a specialist can provide you with invaluable help. Asthma centers, allergists, pulmonologists, and nutritionists can all help ensure you are attacking your asthma on all fronts.
90% of dealing with asthma is about preparing for attacks. Once you know how to effectively care for yourself and your asthma problems, you will be able to avoid big problems. Hopefully, this article will leave you better informed and well prepared to effectively combat this very serious and potentially life changing disease.
Do not smoke cigarettes. Most people know that smoking is unhealthy, but the consequences are even worse for someone who has asthma. Smoke greatly irritates the sensitive lungs of the person with asthma, so in addition to not smoking, someone with asthma should avoid people that are smoking.