Millions of people, no matter what their age, suffer with asthma everyday. Are you somebody who is dealing with this issue? This article contains several easy tips that can help you control your asthma symptoms.
Some medications that you may take unknowingly can cause you to have asthma symptoms. Aspirin and other NSAIDs are known to be asthma triggers. Common medications used for controlling high blood pressure often times contain beta blockers, which asthmatics may be more sensitive to. Make sure you consult with your doctor concerning your asthma and possible drug reactions.
Figure out what type of asthma you are suffering with. Learning about your type of asthma will help you manage its impact on your life. Asthma caused by exercise can be treated easily if you carry an inhaler when you go to the gym. Knowing when an asthma attack is likely to strike can help you avert disaster.
As a chronic disease, asthma must be managed continuously. Ensure you’re taking the proper medications in order to manage everyday asthma symptoms. In addition, you should have a quick-fix medication handy in the event you suffer from an attack. Speak to an allergist and doctor to see what’s best for you.
Learn what triggers your asthma so that you can avoid it. Asthma triggers will vary greatly between individuals. If you have allergy related asthma, you will want to avoid pollen and dust. Some people get attacks after being physically active. Do your best to understand and figure what exactly triggers your asthma so that you know what you need to avoid.
If you are suffering from a moderate or mild attack, do your best to force as much air out of the lungs as possible. Exhale as fast and hard as you can. Force all the air out of the lungs! Then take three small breaths in, followed by a deeper breath to fill your lungs comfortably. Next, exhale forcefully again. This will create a rhythm and will help you be aware of the way you are breathing. It will also help to get the air to come out of the lungs so more can come in. If you cough or produce sputum, don’t worry. Just remain focused on your objective, which is to regain a normal rate of breathing.
There are some medications that may contribute to asthma symptoms. Aspirin along with other NSAIDs can have this effect. There are some beta blockers that are given to those trying to control their heart disease or who have high blood pressure that may be harmful to an asthmatic, as well. Make sure your doctor knows if you are taking such medicine and also have asthma.
A dehumidifier is an excellent investment for asthma sufferers. With less humidity, there will be fewer dust mites, and that means that there is less of a chance that your asthma will flare up. Dehumidifiers reduce humidity and keep the air in your home dry.
If the room you are in appears to be dusty, refrain from turning on any fans. This can move the dust around and can trigger an attack easily. On smog-free, low pollen days, open your windows to improve airflow in the house.
Unscented products are best for asthma sufferers. Products that contain strong scents, like incense, perfume, or air freshener can trigger an asthma attack just by lingering in the air. Put down some new carpeting and throw up a coat of paint to get rid of indoor odors. Keep your indoor air clean and free of pollutants to stay healthy.
Social Worker
When dealing with hay fever or a cold, you will notice an increase in your asthma symptoms. 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 have asthma and cannot afford health insurance or have no eligibility, bring up your situation with a social worker. You must have the ability to afford your medication, so a social worker might be able to locate a hospital or clinic that can offer them at little cost or free.
Take notes of what can trigger your asthma attacks so that you can be prepared for a future attack or learn how to avoid them all together. Asthma sufferers generally have different triggers in common like pollen, pet dander and smoke. When possible, stay away from these triggers that cause symptoms or ultimately, full-blown attacks.
Get a flu shot every season and make sure your family does as well. Respiratory infections can seriously hurt those who suffer from asthma, so take measures to avoid contracting them. This means that you should take all standard precautions to avoid illness, such as washing your hands, getting vaccinated and avoiding those who are sick.
When you are traveling, make sure you have a rescue inhaler with you. 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 an asthma sufferer, be sure to get the recommended daily dose of Vitamins C and E. These vitamins make lungs function better and keep symptoms of asthma under control. Get these nutrients through supplements or food. The vitamins can help to boost the immune system, which will help you to stay healthy and less ill, which means you will have less asthma attacks.
Keep all your doctors appointments even if your asthma symptoms aren’t bothering you. 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.
Scented products could cause averse reactions to asthma sufferers. It is safest to use unscented products when possible. Products with a strong smell such as air fresheners, incense or perfume can trigger asthma attacks. Freshly painted walls and brand-new carpet can also give off odors that cause irritation to airways. Strive to maintain an indoor environment that is free from these pollutants, keeping the air fresh.
Be sure you understand how to use the medication you’re given for asthma properly, especially your rescue 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 is not curable, so it is very important that you take your medication properly and only use your rescue medication if you need it.
Make sure that your rescue medication is at hand at all times during your travels. Traveling adds strain on the body and increases your susceptibility to asthma triggers. You won’t be able to control factors in your environment, such as air quality, while are away from home. This also adds to the likelihood of an attack or more symptoms than you are used to at home.
Asthma typically develops over a long time, and sometimes the symptoms aren’t very obvious. Many individuals died from their very first asthma attack because they weren’t aware they had the risk factors for an attack. Given that fact, if you have any kind of consistent cough or respiratory ailments, consulting a physician for testing is a good idea, since you want to know if you are suffering from asthma and if so, what to do about it.
Even if you are feeling great, don’t skip your asthma check-ups. Your doctor may be able to prescribe more effective treatments and you may be suffering symptoms you’re not aware are related to your asthma.
When you clean your floors, do so with a wet mop instead of a broom. An asthma attack is one possible outcome of a sweeping session that fills the air around you with allergens and dust. Also, use damp rags instead of feather dusters to dust your furniture.
Many of the most common asthma triggers are found in the home. These include mold, dust and spores. Have an inspector come visit your house to remove any harmful agents that you have so that you can stay healthy and lower your risk for an asthma attack. It also helps to clean your home frequently to prevent a buildup of these allergens.
Asthma sufferers should avoid coming into contact with both domestic and farm animals. Having an allergy to dander or animal hair could be possible asthma complications, even sufferers free of these kinds of allergies could still have an asthma attack that is caused by pollen and dust animals seem to carry around with them.
Asthma Treatment
Bed linens can collect dust, pollen and other allergens, all of which can further aggravate asthma. It is important to wash your bed linens at least once per week in very hot water if you want to reduce or eliminate the potential aggravators. Clean bed linens will help you breathe better while you sleep.
Know the right way to use any asthma medication you are taking, in particular your rescue medication. Asthma treatment is generally two-pronged: Daily asthma treatment and additional emergency medicine to relieve attacks as they happen. Because asthma does not get cured, those afflicted with it must continue to take their regular medication and use their rescue inhaler when needed.
Smoking is particularly bad for people with asthma. There is a general awareness that smoking is not good for your health. But for the asthmatic, smoking can quickly have serious consequences. Not only should smoking be avoided, you need to be careful to stay away from people who do smoke because it is extremely harmful and will irritate your sensitive asthmatic lungs.
When you fly, make sure to take along prescriptions or doctors’ notes for all of your asthma equipment and medications, especially if they are unusual. Having proof that it belongs to you and is medically necessary will make the security check easier.
If asthma does strike, don’t lose your cool. You should use your inhaler immediately upon the first signs of an attack. Once you have used it, use it again 30 seconds later. Seek help if your attack gets worse. If there is someone nearby, have them call an ambulance or drive you to the nearest hospital. Try breathing in a paper bag to slow your breathing on the way there.
Keep in mind that mopping your floors with a wet mop will cause less asthma problems than sweeping will. Sweeping can cause the rise of dust and dander, which may trigger an asthma attack. In the same vein, choose a damp rag as opposed to a feather duster when dusting, as this prevents dust from flying about.
Learn all that you can learn about the condition you have. Having the right information can enable you to choose the treatments that are right for you, and help reduce symptoms. Keep up with trends and new treatment methods, and ensure that the medical professionals on your team are working hard to help you. To know these things, you must keep learning about your disease and the options available for treatment.
When preventing asthma, stay away from smoke. Smoke can induce an asthma attack. Avoid any kind of chemical fumes, vapors, and tobacco smoke as much as you can. These things can cause your asthma symptoms to greatly increase. Ask any smokers not to smoke in your presence.
Schedule regular visits with your doctor to check up on your asthma. Ideally these should occur every few months. Your physician can assess if there’s been any changes in your condition, and adjust your treatment plan accordingly. It is up to you to be proactive about your health and set up regular appointments with your asthma doctor to allow him or her to work with you to keep you healthy and feeling well.
Educate Yourself
Eat more foods that are rich in B6 vitamins. Vitamin B6, aka pyridoxine, is found to reduce asthma attack frequency in a lot of studies. Pyridoxine is very important in the production of certain molecules that will help relax bronchial tissues. You can find a good supply of vitamin B6 in natural foods such as bananas.
Educate yourself about asthma. The more you educate yourself about your asthma condition, the more you are able to be proactive about your treatment. Keep up with trends and new treatment methods, and ensure that the medical professionals on your team are working hard to help you. You can do this only if you learn all about your condition plus the treatment options available to you.
An asthma journal can help you quickly ascertain what triggers your asthma. If you aren’t sure what causes your asthma to act up, keep a journal. Write down what you were doing and where you were just prior to each attack. Bring your journal to your doctor’s office during each appointment so that she can help you figure out your asthma triggers. After you identify substances that trigger your asthma symptoms, you can avoid those substances in your environment or ask your doctor whether there is a medication that will allow you to go into an environment with those triggers and remain free of asthma symptoms.
A lot of helpful advice about controlling asthma was covered in this article. The most important step is to take this advice and use it. Your symptoms will quickly return if you fail to maintain a regimen of prevention and maintenance, even if it is only briefly. Be diligent and protect yourself when you implement the ideas from this article to manage your asthma.
Aim to maintain a clean home. Keeping your bedding clean and washed regularly can really make a difference when trying to control your asthma. By keeping these items clean, you avoid any dust buildup which attracts dust mites, a typical trigger of asthma attacks. As the amount of dust in a home increases, the air becomes contaminated, which increases the probability of an asthma attack.