Asthma is a serious health condition present in all age groups and all different backgrounds. You must go to the right doctors, and you should also watch out for a lot of different warning signs that can make your symptoms worse. This article has some suggestions that will help you learn to improve your asthma and lower your chances of having an asthma attack.
People afflicted by asthma should make it a priority to always avoid exposure to smoke, vapors and fumes. 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.
Know situations and conditions that cause asthma attacks for you, and stay away from them in the future as much as possible. For some people, this can be pollen or other allergy triggers. For others, certain physical activities may be the trigger. You need to determine what your triggers are so that you can avoid them.
If you’re in a room that has a lot of dust in it, don’t turn on a fan. While it may seem smart to get the air circulating, in reality this will only stir up the dust, making it easier to inhale and trigger an attack. Encourage air to flow throughout the room by just opening a nearby window or door.
Asthma Symptoms
If you are an asthmatic who also has allergies, injected allergy medication may be just the thing you need to get relief. Omalizumab, an antibody medicine, might be suggested by an allergist and controls allergic reactions.
Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can actually trigger an asthma attack. Some anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, can flare up asthma symptoms. The medication you take for high blood pressure can also cause asthma symptoms. Make sure your physician is aware of all of your chronic conditions and any medications you are on so they can treat your asthma appropriately.
Leukotriene inhibitors can help control the symptoms of asthma. It works to prevent leukotrienes. Leukotriene is a type of chemical substance which may cause inflammation and could cause an attack. By blocking the effects of leukotrienes, a leukotriene inhibitor can reduce the frequency and severity of your asthma attacks.
When suffering a mild or even moderate asthma attack, attempt to push all air from your lungs. Breathe out aggressively, as hard as you can. Get the air all out of the lungs. Breathe in by taking three quick breaths, followed by one very deep breath. Doing this will fill your lungs completely, and allow you to expel the air forcefully again. Pay attention to what you are doing and follow a regular rhythm. By repeatedly forcing air out, you make room for new air so that your breathing can get back on track. You might cough or produce sputum, but that is fine; you are trying to get breathing under control again.
If you are someone who suffers from asthma, you should consider buying a dehumidifier for your home. 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 dehumidifier works to dry the air by removing moisture.
If you have asthma, avoid cigarette smoke of all kinds. You should not smoke yourself! Inhaling the chemical-laden fumes and even the vapors from cigarettes can be extremely harmful. This can cause an asthma attack, and you may be unable to bring it under control. If you are around people who smoke, leave the area very fast.
If you use more than four cleaning products, you are increasing the risks of an asthma attack. Organic cleaning products should be selected due to their lack of irritating chemicals.
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 cleaning products since they don’t have irritating chemicals.
Avoid exposure to secondhand smoke because it is as dangerous to asthmatics as smoking a cigarette. Inhaling smoke from tobacco products can compromise your lung function, which then makes you more susceptible to an attack. The risk of an attack from cigarette smoke is increased as the space you are in decreases.
Asthma Attacks
Scented products could cause averse reactions to asthma sufferers. It is safest to use unscented products when possible. Products that contain fragrance, such as perfumes, colognes, or air fresheners, introduce irritants into the air around you that can trigger your asthma. Certain things around the home, such as newly installed carpet or fresh paint, can also release chemical irritants. Because the dangers these things represent, it is important to always keep indoor air fresh to the best of your ability.
Know what causes your asthma attacks, as this will enable you to work around them or prepare to treat the asthma attacks that result. A lot of asthma sufferers have some triggers in common, like pollen, smoke and pet dander. Avoid your asthma triggers as much as you can to prevent attacks.
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. Never allow anyone to smoke in the home of an asthmatic, and consider using plastic to cover your mattress and pillows. After cleaning around the house, open windows and allow fresh air into the house. This can reduce the smell and pervasiveness of household cleaners like bleach.
Even if you are feeling great, never skip your regular asthma checkup. Asthma can flare-up at any time, and you never know, perhaps your doctor has safer or better medications which can help your symptoms.
Regular flu shots are important if you or one of your children suffer from asthma. This annual flu shot will prevent infectious damage to your lungs.
If the air in your home is humid, it provides an ideal incubator for mold or mildew. These fungi are both common triggers for asthma attacks. Therefore, it is important to make sure your home is dry. When it’s cold, a dehumidifier can keep moisture to a minimum; in hot months, your A/C unit will do the same thing.
Make sure you count how many times, within a week, you have to use your inhaler. It is possible that your asthma may be out of control or that there are extenuating circumstances that are exacerbating your condition. The frequency of use of your inhaler can give you an idea about your surroundings and the need to watch them.
Making mouth and nose coverings such as mufflers, shawls or scarves a routine part of your winter wardrobe can help you ward off asthma attacks. That way the air is warmed before it enters your lungs. Inhalation of cold air is proven to initiate asthma attacks, and younger kids afflicted with asthma of moderate or severe proportions are especially at risk.
Clean your home with a wet mop instead of a broom. Sweeping stirs up dust and other things that can trigger your asthma. Using a damp rag instead of a feather duster when you dust will lessen the spread of these triggers.
Take the time to understand the proper usage of your asthma medication, particularly any that is labelled as rescue medication. For most asthma cases, an emergency treatment option, such as an inhaler, is used to supplement day-to-day management medication. Asthma doesn’t go away, so it’s important to be vigilant about taking your daily medication and using your rescue inhaler when an attack occurs.
Those with asthma should minimize time with pets and animals. Even if they are not allergic to the animals, the pollen and dust that animals attract can trigger an asthma attack.
If you are going on a plane trip with asthma medications, make sure to bring your written prescription along with you. When you have written proof that these items are necessary it can help speed along the security procedures.
Allergens, dust, pollen and other things that can aggravate your asthma tend to collect inside bed linens. A weekly wash cycle using hot water can eliminate these potential triggers for asthma attacks. Fresh, laundered bedding will help you sleep that much easier at night.
When preventing asthma, stay away from smoke. Smoke can induce an asthma attack. Avoid smoke of any kind, including cigarette smoke, if you’ve got asthma. These are all common triggers and can aggravate asthma symptoms. If someone is smoking around you, you have every right to nicely ask them to not to.
Smoking cigarettes is not a choice that should be made. There is a general awareness that smoking is not good for your health. But for the asthmatic, smoking can quickly have serious consequences. Smoke is very irritating to sensitive lungs, so take care not to smoke or be around others who are.
You do not want to take asthma lightly. Since asthma attacks have the potential to be so dangerous, it is important that you take precautions to prevent them. Make sure you always take an inhaler with you and stay away from what triggers your attacks. Apply these tips to gain control over your condition.
You need to be educated in properly using your inhaler if you suffer from asthma. In order for the inhaler to work, you must carefully follow the directions. Each time you spray your inhaler, breath in deeply for a few seconds. Failing to do so will mean that the medicine will not be able to help open up your breathing.