Asthma is a chronic disease that requires changes in many areas of your life. Education and practice are necessary to keep your asthma under control. Advice for management of your asthma is contained in this article.
Ask everyone in your family to get a flu shot every year. If you have asthma, you can protect your health by taking all steps possible to avoid any type of cold, flu or other upper respiratory infection. It is important to do things like hand washing and receiving proper vaccinations.
If you are an asthma patient, do not expose yourself to vapors, fumes and cigarette smoke. This means you need to keep away from tobacco products and only seek out jobs where you aren’t exposed to any harmful chemicals, smoke or vapors.
If you suffer from asthma, be sure your diet includes lots of Vitamins C and E. They are believed to aid respiratory function and to be instrumental in keeping your asthma in check. Vitamin C is available in multiple forms. You can find it in citrus fruits, supplements, and in many other places. These vitamins can improve your immune system to prevent asthma triggers.
When you are suffering from an asthma attack, exhale all of the oxygen from your lungs. Breathe out fast and hard. Really expel the air from your lungs! 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. Breathing in this rhythmic manner helps you to concentrate on the breaths you’re taking. This is a good way to empty your lungs and let more air come in. There may be periods of harsh coughing and a substantial generation of sputum, but this is actually what you want in order to get the airways opened and the breathing back on a regular pattern.
If you use any more than four kinds of cleaning product around your home, then the risk of an asthma attack is increased. Opt for organic cleaning products that do not contain irritating chemicals.
If you suffer from asthma, and have many attacks that are related to your allergy symptoms, there is a medication that is injected and provides long term effects. An antibody medicine known as omalizumab is very effective at countering asthma attacks related to allergies. Ask your allergist about it.
Scented products could cause averse reactions to asthma sufferers. It is safest to use unscented products when possible. Scented products, like air fresheners, incense and perfume, raise indoor pollution levels and can trigger asthma attacks. Fresh paint and new carpeting also give off odors that may aggravate the airways. As much as possible, try to keep your home filled with fresh, pure air.
Learn how to properly use your inhaler. Locate a quiet place, and follow the label to a tee. The inhaler is only useful if the medication within it actually gets to your lungs. Spray the required dosage into your mouth while inhaling air. Hold your breath for at least 10 seconds to allow the medicated mist to fill your lungs.
To keep from triggering any bad symptoms of asthma or a full-blown attack, it’s important to keep the home clean and tidy, free of dust and other particulates. This is particularly important in a bedroom. Food must only be allowed in the kitchen area, and there should be no smoking in the house at all. Harsh chemicals, like bleach and ammonia, can trigger asthma.
If you’re having asthma problems, a dehumidifier is a beneficial purchase. Lowering humidity will reduce the amount of dust mites in your home, and help your asthma improve. Dehumidifiers remove the humidity by drying out the air that flows through your house.
An annual flu shot is crucial if you have asthma or have an asthmatic child. This annual flu shot will prevent infectious damage to your lungs.
Stay away from cigarette smoke, even if it’s secondhand. 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.
Mildew and mold grow best in a home with high humidity. These fungi are both common triggers for asthma attacks. Thus, keep the air in your home as moisture-free as possible to avoid asthma-related problems. When you are using a heater in winter time, you can run a dehumidifier for help controlling humidity. In the summer, running your air conditioner will allow you to keep your humidity down.
Stand ready for a boost to your asthma treatment should you suffer from illnesses like colds or hay fever. Some illnesses create issues that make it necessary to increase medication temporarily. It is possible your doctor will want to add additional therapies to your treatment program until you are back on your feet.
Know how to properly use asthma medicine, especially 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.
If you are an asthma patient, you may want to sleep with a pillow that does not contain feathers. The feathers can make it harder to breathe right and trigger an attack. This applies to bedding, as well. Purchase sheets and comforters that are made of hypoallergenic materials.
When flying and bringing along asthma medications and equipment, be sure to pack your prescriptions. This is especially true for large items like a nebulizer. Having written proof that the item in question is in fact medically necessary can cut down on hassles at the security check.
Even if you are feeling great, never skip your regular asthma checkup. You cannot be certain when you will next have an issue with your asthma, or when there may be a better medication available to utilize for your condition.
When you are cleaning your home, it is always better to use a wet mop rather than sweeping your floors. When you are sweeping with a broom, you stir up triggers like dirt and dust mites that can cause you to go into an asthma attack. Dust will adhere to a wet towel instead of being loose in the air like feather dusters do where it can aggravate your asthma.
Look into becoming a part of a support group. There are many to choose from both online and offline. Many people who suffer from asthma are unable to live a full life. Also, communicating with other people with asthma will keep you in the know about changes in how the condition is understood and treated.
See more than one doctor. It’s true your primary doctor should be your main source for all your asthma help, but it may be wise to see one or two asthma specialists. There are a number of different approaches used to treat asthma. See what a pulmonololist, an allergist or a nutritionist has to say about your asthma problems.
Humidity in your home causes an environment where mildew and mold are more likely to grow. Protect yourself against allergens, dust mites and fungus to avoid exacerbating your asthma symptoms. Try, then, to ensure your home is dry. Whenever you use a heater, you should use a dehumidifier, and air conditioning will help in the summer.
Do not smoke! While smoking is a dangerous habit in general, it is far more damaging to those who have asthma. Your lungs could become very irritated if you smoke, and you should avoid being around others that are smoking.
When flying and bringing along asthma medications and equipment, be sure to pack your prescriptions. This is especially true for large items like a nebulizer. If you have written proof about the item you have,and that it is medically necessary, there will be less hassles going through security.
If you suffer from asthma and allergies, make sure you clean your humidifier before using it. If the vaporizer or humidifier has not been thoroughly cleaned there could be bacteria growing inside of it. When you turn it on it will pump allergens that you will inevitably breath in.
It’s important to keep up with your daily preventative inhaler routine, but watch out for mouth infections, especially in both teeth and gums. You can prevent this by brushing your teeth and gargling immediately following the use of your inhaler.
If you are suffering from asthma, you should learn how to utilize your inhaler the right way. It is not as simple as spraying a little into your mouth and inhaling. Each time you spray your inhaler, breath in deeply for a few seconds. Using the inhaler in a proper manner can make all the difference for those who deal with asthma.
When you are cleaning your home, it is always better to use a wet mop rather than sweeping your floors. Those particles that can trigger asthma attacks are stirred up when you sweep. A moist rag chosen over a feather duster is the best choice for an asthmatic.
If you are utilizing the inhaler more than two times a week, ask your doctor to change your medicine. Frequent asthma attacks indicate that your inhaled medication isn’t keeping your asthma under control. This is also true if you find yourself refilling the inhaler prescription more than twice in a calendar year.
Bed Linens
Ensure your house is clean and tidy. Keeping your bedding clean and washed regularly can really make a difference when trying to control your asthma. Doing this eliminates the dust and dust mites that can cause asthma attacks. When there is a lot of dust in your house, the air will be irritating to any asthma sufferer, and they will be at a higher risk for having an attack.
Bed linens attract things that cause asthma attacks. 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. These fresh, regularly washed linens can help you breathe easier when sleeping.
Strengthen your core and gradually increase lung capacity. Don’t start strenuous exercise if you know that your asthma wont let you finish!
You should pay a visit to your doctor if you feel like your symptoms are becoming worse. If you desire less symptoms, less stress, less pain, or less discomfort from your asthma; you will certainly want to give these tips a read and learn how they apply to you.
There are certain symptoms that you should look for to help you understand whether your child is having an asthma attack and needs to be transported to the hospital. Two common symptoms of an unusually serious asthma attack are asthma medication having no effect and lips and extremities that are blue or gray in color. If your child is having difficultly talking normally, this may also be an indication of a life threatening attack.