Do you suffer from asthma like millions of others do? The tips in this article will help you manage your asthma better.
Do you know what sub-type of asthma you’re plagued with? Understanding the specifics of your asthma will help you to avoid attack triggers in your day-to-day life. For example, if you have exercise-induced asthma, you will want to always make sure you have an inhaler in your gym bag. If you are familiar with your symptoms and their patterns, you will be better able to avoid emergencies.
Figure out what type of asthma you are suffering with. Learning about your type of asthma will help you to deal with it. One example of this is exercise-induced asthma. This type of asthmatic will need to carry his inhaler with him when he goes for a run. Knowing your symptoms’ patterns can help you avoid big problems.
If you are afflicted with asthma, it is critical that you don’t smoke. Smoking is, of course, unhealthy for anyone. The habit is even more dangerous for asthma patients, however, because anything that reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the lungs can trigger an attack.
If you suffer from asthma and you smoke, it’s crucial that you quit. Smoking is a bad habit for everyone, but patients that suffer from asthma are negatively affected by smoke as it cuts the oxygen supply off and induces an asthma attack.
Unfortunately, asthma sufferers must realize that their condition is chronic which requires ongoing treatment. You need to always take your medications for your everyday symptoms, and keep your quick relief medication with you in case you do have an attack. Have a discussion with your doctor or allergist to determine what the best plan for you might be.
Asthma is a continuous disease that needs ongoing management. 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. Discuss your best options with your allergist and doctor.
Exhale as hard as you can during an asthma attack. If you can’t breathe at all, go to the hospital; however, controlling your exhalation rate can sometimes help stop a less severe attack. Breath out as hard and fast as you can. Forcefully push the air out from your lungs. Take three short breaths, and then take a fourth, deeper breath to fill your lungs comfortably; then, breathe out with force again. This gives your breathing a rhythm, which makes you aware of how many breaths you take. It will also empty your lungs of air, so that they’re ready to take in new, fresh air. You may generate sputum or cough but that is alright, since your main objective is getting you to breathe normally again.
If the room that you’re in is dusty, do not turn on a fan. Dust blown around by fans can cause your asthma to rear up. It would be better to just open a window if you are needing to get some airflow.
Cigarette smoke will make your asthma worse. You should not smoke! Avoid breathing chemical fumes and vapors. This can aggravate your asthma and it might not stop. If you find yourself in a situation where you are around smokers, remove yourself as quickly as possible.
A leukotriene inhibitor may be an excellent way for you to deal with asthma. As its name suggests, this inhibitor works by preventing the release and build-up of leukotriene. Leukotriene is a chemical substance that can lead to inflammation that can cause an asthma attack. Using an inhibitor will counteract the negative effects of leukotriene, thereby decreasing the occurrence of asthma attacks.
Make sure that everyone in your family, including you, gets annual flu shots. Try to avoid getting any respiratory infections if you have asthma. This includes taking standard precautions against illness, like hand washing, as well as getting vaccinations that can keep you from getting sick.
Proper knowledge of how to use your inhaler is necessary if you have asthma. Discover a location that is peaceful, and ensure you follow all the instructions that are given by the manufacturer. Remember that using an inhaler is only going to help you if the medication contained within makes its way to the lungs. The dosage that is required should be sprayed into the mouth while you inhale air. Hold your breath at least ten seconds, so that the medicated mist can fill your lungs.
Studies show that using a variety of cleaning products in the home can actually increase the odds of triggering an asthma attack. Organic cleaning products should be selected due to their lack of irritating chemicals.
You might want to purchase a dehumidifier to use at home if you have asthma. Reducing the amount of humidity in your home reduces the number of dust mites, which in turn reduces the chances of your asthma flaring up. A dehumidifying device reduces the moisture in the air.
Unscented products are the safest option for those who suffer from asthma. Products with fragrance, such as perfumes, colognes, and air fresheners, introduce irritants into the air around you and can cause asthma attacks. Other asthma irritants include fresh paint fumes and new carpeting. Try to keep the indoor air as clean and fresh as possible.
If you have been diagnosed with asthma then you should avoid cigarettes and smokers like the plague. When you inhale tobacco smoke, you are severely increasing the likelihood of an asthma attack. This is especially true in small, confined areas with little to no ventilation.
Your asthma treatments will likely increase when you suffer from hay fever or a cold. Many illnesses have side effects that could cause your asthma to flare up so badly that you need to have an increase in treatment. It is also possible that your physician will add an additional treatment to your routine until you recover from your illness.
To minimize the chances of triggering a bout of asthma, keep your house extra clean, particularly rooms where asthma patients sleep. Avoid smoking inside, and only let people eat in the kitchen. Make sure that the home is properly ventilated and aired out, especially after cleaning with harsh products, like bleach or ammonia.
Pay attention to your symptom triggers. The more aware of your triggers you become, the easier it will be to avoid them and reduce the number of attacks you suffer. Asthma sufferers generally have different triggers in common like pollen, pet dander and smoke. If at all possible, strive to avoid substances and locations that trigger your asthma symptoms or attacks.
If you’ve been diagnosed with asthma, be sure to get flu shots every year. This is doubly important for asthmatic children. This annual flu shot will prevent infectious damage to your lungs.
You may want to join an online or offline support group. Asthma, especially if it is severe, can be quite debilitating and can keep you from being an active participant in life. In addition, a community of other asthma sufferers will let you know about changes in medications or other relevant scientific discoveries.
Take your rescue inhaler and keep it handy when you travel. The stress of travel may temporarily weaken your body and make you more vulnerable to attack triggers. You can’t control the weather or the environment when you travel, so keep in mind you are more vulnerable to symptoms and attacks when you go to a new area.
Some of the major causes of asthma, and triggers for asthma attacks, can exist right in the home. These triggers inside the home are usually spores, mold and dust. To keep your body healthy and to cut down the frequency of asthma attacks, it is important to have your house professionally inspected and cleaned to remove these harmful substances. Cleaning your house on a regular basis is one way to keep these substances from accumulating.
Control Asthma
The more humid your home is, the easier it is for mildew and mold to grow. You can get asthma attacks because of these substances. Therefore, it is important to make sure your home is dry. During the cold, winter months, a dehumidifier can help. In the summer, an air conditioner naturally takes out a lot of the humidity in the air.
This article laid out many ways to control asthma symptoms. However, what is most important is your own persistence when you apply them. Your symptoms will quickly return if you fail to maintain a regimen of prevention and maintenance, even if it is only briefly. The above article outlined ways in which you can protect yourself and control asthma symptoms.
When it’s colder, wear a shawl, scarf or muffler that will cover your mouth and nose to avoid asthma attacks. This will keep you from breathing cold air. Cool air has been known to trigger an asthma attack, particularly in very young children who have severe or moderate asthma.