Asthma can impede your lifestyle and is potentially life-threatening. Therefore, it’s important to figure out how you can control your asthma symptoms. You can use the following tips to take control of your life and not let asthma control it any longer.
If you are afflicted with asthma, it is critical that you don’t smoke. Smoking is bad for everyone, but it’s particularly dangerous for an asthma sufferer, as it cuts off vital oxygen to the lungs.
People afflicted by asthma should make it a priority to always avoid exposure to smoke, vapors and fumes. Thus, you need to avoid cigarettes and cigars and be vigilant about steering clear of environmental or workplace exposure to smoke.
Keep clear of anything that you know to be a trigger for your asthma. Certain outdoor areas may be off-limits because they cause allergies to flare up. Or, you may need to avoid certain activities that overexert your body. Know your asthma causes so you can avoid putting yourself in a situation where you may suffer from an attack.
If you are an asthmatic, it is vital that you never smoke, and if you already do, you should quit as soon as possible. Smoking is bad in general for everyone, but it is particularly worse for asthma suffers because it decreases the amount of oxygen in the lungs, putting you at higher risk for asthma attacks.
Any type of smoke can bring on a serious asthma attack. You should not smoke! Avoid breathing in the vapors and any other types of chemical fumes. Doing so can cause an asthma attack you might not have the ability to stop. If you see people smoking in your vicinity, you should get away from them as soon as possible.
There are medications that can unknowingly cause asthma-like symptoms. Aspirin and some other NSAIDs may do this. Many medications for heart disease and hypertension can also cause asthma symptoms. It is important to talk openly with your doctor about your asthma so that you do not take any medications that could be harmful to you.
Dust will make you have an attack, so keep the air calm in dirty rooms. The fan will circulate the dust along with the air, which can cause it to get into your lungs and make your asthma worse. If you need airflow, simply opening a window would be better.
You might want to purchase a dehumidifier to use at home if you have asthma. Lowering the level of humidity present in your home can reduce the numbers of dust mites, a prime trigger of asthma. A dehumidifier works to dry the air by removing moisture.
If allergies lead to constant attacks from your asthma, there has been a recent solution that is administered via injection that provides long term care! Ask your allergist about omalizumab, an antibody drug that can reduce the severity of asthma symptoms and the frequency of attacks.
It’s been proven that you should use no more than four cleaning products in the home. If you do it can increase the risk of asthma attacks. Choose natural and organic products which don’t have chemicals that will irritate your disease.
Asthmatics should have a flu shot every year to prevent contracting a serious respiratory infection. You do not want to have a respiratory infection if you have asthma. It’s important to take the standard precautions against these illnesses, such as hand washing and vaccinations.
In order to minimize the chance of an asthma attack, be sure to keep your living area very clean, most definitely the bedroom area. Also, you should keep food confined to the kitchen, and opt to smoke outdoors only. Don’t use bleach or harsh chemicals inside, and air out the house as much as possible after cleaning.
Stay away from cigarette smoke, even if it’s secondhand. If you inhale the smoke, it will harm your lungs and increase the possibility of an asthma attack. Always be mindful of this, especially in small spaces that do not have very much air flowing.
If you or someone in your family has asthma, all family members need to get flu shots every year. Make sure your child’s vaccinations are up-to-date to avoid as many infections as possible.
While everyone appreciates the look and feel of a clean house, asthma sufferers in particular benefit from a healthy environment as it can decrease the risk of asthma attacks, especially in a sleeping area. Only permit food in designated eating areas, such as the kitchen or dining room, and don’t allow smoking inside the house at all. Thoroughly air out your house after every cleaning, and stay away from bleach and similar harsh chemicals while cleaning indoors.
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. The majority of people suffering from asthma have several common triggers, like pet dander, smoke or pollen. When it is possible avoid substances that make you have symptoms or attacks.
Hay fever and colds can worsen asthma symptoms so prepare to need increased treatments. Adjusting your medication may be necessary to manage the symptoms of these and other illnesses. Your physician might also work an additional treatment into your therapy until such time as you are healthier.
Mold and mildew will often grow in a humid home. These fungi are both common triggers for asthma attacks. You should therefore try to keep your home dry. When you use the heater in the winter, be sure to have a dehumidifier control the humidity in your home. During the summer time, be sure to use the air conditioner to maintain a dry home.
If you are on the road, be certain to travel with your inhaler at all hours. The stress of travel may temporarily weaken your body and make you more vulnerable to attack triggers. You can’t exert as much control over your environment when you travel, so you may have an asthma attack or exacerbation of symptoms under unfamiliar conditions.
If you are flying with your asthma medications, especially a large piece of equipment such as a nebulizer, be sure to bring along a written prescription from your doctor. When you have written proof that these items are necessary it can help speed along the security procedures.
Many of the biggest triggers for asthma can, and do, exist in your 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.
You should definitely use your preventative inhaler on a daily basis. However, you should be warned that the drug can also cause infections in your mouth, particularly near your teeth and gums. To best method to prevent these side effects and complications is by brushing your teeth, then gargling directly after using the inhaler.
Humidity in your home causes an environment where mildew and mold are more likely to grow. These can very easily cause an attack. Thus, keep the air in your home as moisture-free as possible to avoid asthma-related problems. Whenever you use a heater, you should use a dehumidifier, and air conditioning will help in the summer.
Many people underestimate asthma, or at least think that they can’t do anything about it since it is an incurable disease. However, you’ll be amazed at how much difference you can make simply by following these simple steps to try and relieve symptoms and reduce the sources of asthma attacks.
Smoke should always be avoided when you suffer from asthma. Inhaling smoke makes it harder for you to breathe and might result in an asthma attack. So do whatever you can to stay away from vapors, chemical fumes and smoke from cigarettes. Exposure to these substances can worsen your asthma considerably. When anyone lights up a cigarette or cigar in your presence, politely inform them that you have asthma and ask them not to smoke beside you.