Living with asthma has definite challenges, but it’s possible to manage it and find solutions to help you live an active and healthy life. There are a variety of methods you can utilize to maintain and stop asthma from taking over your life. Read on for tips and suggestions to make the most of your life and struggles with asthma.
There are many different types of asthma. You can learn to combat the life changing effects of asthma by understanding your specific type. If you have exercised-induced asthma, for example, you’ll want to bring your inhaler with you to the gym or other locations where you might be involved in physical activity. Knowing your asthma symptom patterns will help keep you safe.
An important part of symptom management is knowing what type of asthma you have. Being fully informed about the specific type of asthma you have is very important. For instance, people with exercise-induced asthma would do well to carry an inhaler in their gym bag! Knowing symptom patterns will help you prevent emergencies.
There are some common medications that you could be using that will cause asthma symptoms. A couple of common culprits that do this are aspirin and NSAIDs. Additionally, beta blockers, a type of medication used for heart disease and hypertension, may cause asthma symptoms. Tell your doctor if you are an asthmatic and you are using these medications.
Ensure your child is never around smoke to handle their asthma. One of the biggest reasons people have asthma is secondhand smoke. You also need to be sure that your child isn’t around those that choose to smoke.
If you’re suffering from an asthma attack that’s moderate or mild, then work to force all the air you can from your lungs. Exhale quickly and forcefully. Force your lungs to expel as much air as possible. Take three short breaths, then one last deep breath to ensure your lungs have enough air, then forcefully breath out. Paying attention this way will help you stabilize your breathing and make it rhythmic. It also expels air from your lungs so more can enter. This may cause you to cough or it may cause phlegm, but your breathing will be back to normal again.
During a mild to moderate attack, force all of the air out of your lungs. When you breathe out, exhale the air quickly and as hard as you can. Force all the air out of the lungs! Inhale in a series of three, or three shallow breaths and one deep breath. After your lungs are filled with air, forcefully exhale again. This will force you to pay careful attention to all of your breaths. By repeatedly forcing air out, you make room for new air so that your breathing can get back on track. Do not be alarmed if you cough or generate excess mucous; this is perfectly normal. Your only concern is to return your breathing to normal.
Asthma sufferers should avoid smoking cigarettes and any place that has cigarette smoke. Do not smoke yourself, either! Avoid breathing in any of the vapors or other chemical fumes. These irritants can be a trigger for a severe asthma attack. Leave a room if people smoke, or ask them to stop.
If you have been diagnosed with asthma, you must avoid cigarette smoke at all costs. Never smoke yourself! Do not breathe in the vapors or any other chemical fumes. This can trigger an asthma attack, which may be difficult to stop. If people smoke around you, you should get away form that area.
Keep rooms free of dust, and do not turn on a fan if you do have dusty rooms. Turning on a fan is going to cause the dust to leave its surface and begin filling the air of your environment. It would be better to just open a window if you are needing to get some airflow.
If you suffer from asthma, try seeing if a leukotriene inhibitor helps. Leukotriene inhibitors are used to prevent things called leukotrienes. The chemical leukotriene is a common cause of inflammation in the lungs which in turn, can trigger asthma attacks. This inhibitor can prevent leukotrienes, which makes you less likely to have an asthma attack.
If you have asthma that is not covered by health insurance, contact someone in a government agency, like a social worker. If you cannot afford medicine for asthma, your social worker can help you locate someone that can help.
Social Worker
Take a lot of Vitamin E and C if you are suffering from asthma. These vitamins help reduce asthma flare-ups by improving lung function. You can find the vitamins you need in food or supplements. Vitamins C and E are necessary for a healthy immune system. If your immune system isn’t healthy, it won’t be able to fight off illnesses that cause asthma attacks.
Asthma patients without health insurance can get help by asking a social worker and getting access to programs with the resources asthma patients need. Asthma medications are a necessity, and a social worker can help you find an affordable way to keep your prescriptions current.
If you use more than four types of chemical cleaning agents in your house the risk of your child having an asthma attack increases. Use organic products as often as possible, as these contain fewer harsh chemicals.
Get annual flu vaccinations for your entire family. When you are afflicted with asthma, steer as clear as you can of all types of respiratory infections. The preventative measures you can take against such sickness range from simple habits of hand washing to getting your annual flu shot.
Asthma treatment dosages will need to be increased if you are sick with a cold or are dealing with hay fever. Make sure your doctor prescribes a fast acting inhaler for emergency situations. Your doctor may also add another treatment to your regimen until your illness gets better.
Make sure you are taking plenty of Vitamins E and C if you suffer from asthma. These vitamins aid in improving the function of the lungs and controlling the symptoms of asthma. You can take a supplement or consume these vitamins in food. These vitamins also help boost your immune system, which helps to prevent illnesses that trigger asthma.
If the air in your home is humid, it provides an ideal incubator for mold or mildew. Both of these allergens can be contributing factors in asthma attacks. You should therefore try to keep your home dry. A dehumidifier can be used in the winter, and in the summer, many air conditioner models also help strip moisture from the air.
You might want to purchase a dehumidifier to use at home if you have asthma. Not only will a dehumidifier decrease humidity, but it will also be helpful in controlling the dust mite population. Both are causative factors in asthma attacks. A dehumidifier works to dry the air by removing moisture.
You should use your inhaler everyday regularly; however, be forewarned that the medicine can potentially lead to mouth infections, especially around your gums and teeth. You can prevent any of these mouth issues by brushing your teeth and gargling mouthwash as soon as you use the inhaler.
To cut the risk of an asthma attack, keep your house as clean as you can, particularly the bedroom of the person with asthma. Never allow anyone to smoke in the home of an asthmatic, and consider using plastic to cover your mattress and pillows. If you clean with any harsh chemicals or bleach, make sure to ventilate thoroughly afterwards.
Contact with pets and other animals should be minimized for the asthma sufferer. Though dander allergies are often seen in conjunction with asthma, even asthmatics who are not allergic may have attacks that are triggered by the ancillary irritants transported by animals, including pollen and dust.
If you have asthma or you live with an asthma sufferer, you should ensure you receive an annual flu shot. Make sure your child’s vaccinations are up-to-date to avoid as many infections as possible.
Bed linens are a magnet for nasty allergens and asthma triggers, including dust and pollen. Clean your linen and pillow case every week to prevent asthma attacks. You will find that having fresh linens will make your breathing while sleeping much easier.
If you are asthmatic, it may be a good idea to use a pillow that is not filled with feathers. The feathers from a pillow can cause asthma symptoms and decrease your lung function. This applies to bedding, as well. Purchase sheets and comforters that are made of hypoallergenic materials.
If inhaler use happens more than two times in each of your weeks, you must schedule an appointment with your doctor about this and possibly adjust your medication. Frequent asthma attacks indicate that your inhaled medication isn’t keeping your asthma under control. If you must refill your inhaler over two times a year, then it’s time to inquire with your doctor about a medication switch as well.
Even if you seem to be fine, see your doctor regularly for your asthma checkups. A flare up can come at any time and your doctor can always look into safer medications for your particular symptoms.
If you have asthma, schedule checkups ever few months with your doctor to stay on top of your condition. Your doctor will evaluate your condition and make any changes as they see fit. You need to stay on top of scheduling doctor visits. Otherwise, your condition might deteriorate suddenly.
Find a good support group in the Internet or in your area. Asthma, especially the more severe forms, cause many problems that interfere with the quality of life and present many challenges. Also, communicating with other people with asthma will keep you in the know about changes in how the condition is understood and treated.
If you get at least two attacks a week, it might be time to try a different medication. Getting more than two attacks a week is dangerous for your health and you should take action.
Mold and mildew grow in a home due to the humidity that creates a friendly environment for them. You can get asthma attacks because of these substances. So, it makes sense to keep dry air in your home. 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 your child suffers certain asthma attack symptoms, you should be prepared to rush him to the emergency department as soon as possible. Some symptoms of a dangerous attack include blue or gray nails and lips and a lack of response to medications. Your child might also find it difficult to speak.
Make sure you understand the correct way to use your asthma medication, especially any rescue medication. Asthma is usually treated with an everyday medication that is sometimes supplemented with an emergency treatment, like an inhaler. Because you will have asthma for the rest of your life, it is important that you take your maintenance medication properly, and that you use your emergency medication correctly.
Make sure you ban any type of smoking inside your home, or any place that can harm someone in your household who suffers from asthma. Those who smoke should do it outside, a good distance away from your home and from the asthma sufferer. People who smoke could cause an attack by simply having this smoke scent on their clothes.
There are a lot of ways you can control your asthma and stop it from hurting you. Asthma does not have to be a death sentence, so if you can make a plan on how to live with asthma, you will have a much more fulfilling life.
Watch your children carefully for food allergy signs. If after eating a particular food, your child exhibits breathing difficulties or breaks out in hives, talk to your child’s pediatrician about testing for allergies. These food allergies should be monitored, as they could be indicative of asthma.