Asthma can put a damper on your life, as it is a lifelong medical condition. But, you should be aware that the symptoms of asthma are manageable with appropriate strategies, medicine and tools. In this article you can learn some of these strategies.
Keep clear of anything that you know to be a trigger for your asthma. This can vary from person to person, as small particles like dust can cause asthma attacks. It could also be some type of strenuous exercise. Try to determine your asthma triggers, so you can avoid them and prevent attacks.
You should not smoke or be anywhere near smoke if you suffer from asthma. Stay far away from any tobacco products. You should also consider where you work, as factories may expose you to harmful vapors or smoke.
Some medications can exacerbate asthma symptoms as a side effect. Aspirin and some other NSAIDs may do this. Some medications for blood pressure and heart disease – those referred to as beta blockers – can also exacerbate asthma problems. Talk to a doctor if you have any of these conditions along with asthma.
Don’t turn on the fan if the dust in a room is aggravating your asthma. An asthma attack can be easily triggered by the moving dust. Instead, you should consider opening a window to get some fresh clean air going through your lungs.
Asthma is a chronic condition, requiring constant health management. Make sure you are taking the right medications to control your everyday asthma symptoms, and have a quick relief medication on hand if you have an attack. Have a discussion with your doctor or allergist to determine what the best plan for you might be.
Leukotriene inhibitors may be helpful to you if you suffer from asthma. These medications prevent the production of leukotrienes. Leukotriene, a chemical substance, can cause asthma attacks by causing inflammation. If you get a leukotriene inhibitor, it can get rid of them in the air and help you with asthma symptoms.
During a mild to moderate attack, force all of the air out of your lungs. Breath out as hard and fast 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 creates a rhythm to your breathing, making you pay attention to the breaths you take. In addition, it repeatedly empties your lungs of air, so that you can draw in more oxygen-rich air. It may cause you to cough or even generate sputum, but that’s fine, you goal is for your breathing to get back to normal.
Make sure you are taking plenty of Vitamins E and C if you suffer from asthma. It is widely believed that these vitamins can help control asthma symptoms by improving lung function. Get these nutrients through supplements or food. These vitamins will also help prevent illnesses by boosting your body’s immune system.
If you are prone to asthma attacks, avoid any cigarette or other tobacco smoke. Never smoke yourself! Do not breathe in the vapors or any other chemical fumes. Chemical fumes will trigger asthma attacks that you won’t be able to put an end to. Never visit a home or establishment where people will be smoking, and if people start to smoke, walk out.
Asthmatics should avoid being exposed to smoke, regardless if you are a smoker. 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.
If you find that you are in a dusty room, do not put on any type of fan. This will cause the dust to move around, which could cause an asthma attack. On smog-free, low pollen days, open your windows to improve airflow in the house.
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. Only permit food in designated eating areas, such as the kitchen or dining room, and don’t allow smoking inside the house at all. Try not to use bleach or other irritants inside, and always thoroughly change the air in your house after cleaning.
If you have asthma, a dehumidifier is something you should consider purchasing for you home. Though you may not be aware of it, high levels of humidity in indoor spaces can increase dust mites, which then can affect asthma. Dehumidifiers work by taking the humidity out of the air.
Receiving a regular flu shot is a great tip to implement if you or someone you love suffers from asthma. Get vaccinated every flu season to avoid a high number of infections.
If you’ve been diagnosed with asthma, be sure to get flu shots every year. This is doubly important for asthmatic children. Prevent these infections from occurring by going to get vaccinated each year.
Asthma Attacks
Make it a habit to always have some rescue medication available when you travel. You may find that the stress of traveling makes an asthma attack more likely. The change in environment can also have a negative impact, since it is impossible to control. This can lead to more frequent attacks or attacks with symptoms that are worse than normal.
Know what causes your asthma attacks, as this will enable you to work around them or prepare to treat the asthma attacks that result. The majority of individuals afflicted with asthma know there are common irritants like pollen, pet dander and smoke. Avoid these things when you can to breathe easier.
Mold and mildew can grow in your home where there is humidity. Mold and mildew can have a hand in making you suffer a asthma attack! So try your best to make your home as dry as possible. One way to control the humidity in the house is to employ a dehumidifier to pull out the excess moisture.
Make sure that your rescue medication is at hand at all times during your travels. Traveling is hard on your body, and you might have an asthma attack easier because your body is more likely to respond to triggers. You also have little control over your environment when traveling, which can make you more susceptible to an attack and symptoms of greater severity.
In the winter, prevent attacks by wearing shawls, mufflers and scarves that cover the nose and mouth. You can inhale warmer air into your body with these. Studies have consistently shown that cold air can cause your throat and lungs to constrict, triggering asthma attacks. Children are especially susceptible to cold-induced asthma.
Some of asthma’s major triggers can be right in your home. These can include dust, mold and spores. To keep yourself healthy and avoid asthma attacks, you may need to hire an inspector to come out once a year to test your home and remove any irritants. If you clean your house regularly, you can minimize the risk of these substances accumulating in your dwelling.
Know the right way to use any asthma medication you are taking, in particular your rescue medication. Typically, asthma is treated using normal medications along with rescue medication, like an inhaler, for emergency situations. Because asthma can be a lifelong issue, it is vital to take both regular and rescue medications according to the instructions.
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 written proof that the item in question is in fact medically necessary can cut down on hassles at the security check.
If you are traveling by plane and taking along your asthma medications, make sure to have with you any written doctors prescriptions, especially when carrying some large asthma equipment like a nebulizer. Carrying written prescription information will help you to avoid security hassles, and you won’t have to worry about your medication being confiscated.
Don’t smoke. Most people know that smoking is unhealthy, but the consequences are even worse for someone who has asthma. An asthmatic’s lungs are more vulnerable than those of a healthy individual, which makes it especially important to abstain from smoking and avoid secondhand smoke.
Inhalers are important to use every day, but be aware that inhalers have been known to cause infections near the teeth and gums. A good way to prevent these complications and side effects is to brush your teeth and gargle immediately after using your inhaler.
Don’t use a humidifier unless it’s been cleaned thoroughly if you suffer from asthma or allergies. Bacteria can breed inside the moist machine and you would be releasing them along with the humid air.
Bed linens can collect dust, pollen and other allergens, all of which can further aggravate asthma. These threats can be reduced or even eliminated by keeping your bed linens laundered every week using hot water. You will find that having fresh linens will make your breathing while sleeping much easier.
If you do have an asthma attack, make sure to stay calm. Use your rescue inhaler, rest for a half to one minute, then use the inhaler again. If your attack worsens, get help. Ask a family member or friend to call for ambulatory help or to drive you to the emergency room. Try breathing in a paper bag to slow your breathing on the way there.
If you experience an asthma attack, stay calm. Immediately use your asthma inhaler, rest for 30 seconds, then use it once more. If this does not lessen the attack, get help quickly. Ask someone to drive you to the closest hospital or call an ambulance. Try breathing into a paper bag in order to slow down your breathing while on the way to the hospital.
Knowing how to appropriately and safely use your inhaler is essential if you are afflicted with asthma. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that it’s as easy as pumping lightly into your mouth. Every time you spray the inhaler, be sure to breathe the mist in deeply and hold it for a a few moments. Properly using your asthma inhaler is one of the most important ways you, as a person with asthma, can protect your health.
If you find you need your inhaler too often, more than two times a week, talk to your doctor about changing your prescription. This means your inhaler isn’t working right. Additionally, if your inhaler needs refills more often than about every six months, you are in the same situation and should see your physician.
As the above article has stated, asthma is very serious, and can threaten your life if you do not treat it. Protect yourself and have an inhaler on hand in case of an emergency; stay away from allergies. Use the advice in this article to manage your asthma and keep it from taking over your life.
Try to consume foods that are rich in B6 vitamins. Vitamin B6 — also called pyridoxine– can reduce the intensity and frequency of asthma attacks. Through this research, it has been proven that pyridoxine helps produce molecules that aid in relaxing the bronchial tissue. Bananas are a great-tasting source of vitamin B6.