You’ve just gotten the asthma diagnosis and are panicking. It is a severe chronic condition, and that means it lasts a lifetime. Life is not over though, just because of an asthma diagnosis. This guide will give you a few ways on how you can manage asthma effectively and safely.
If you suffer from asthma, it is critical that you not smoke. Smoking is not recommended for anyone, but it creates worse complications for asthma patients by cutting off part of the oxygen supply needed to breathe properly.
If you are an asthma patient, do not expose yourself to vapors, fumes and cigarette smoke. That means you have to avoid all tobacco, and seriously consider think about what jobs you take; for example, factories are probably not a healthy place for you because of all the vapors and smoke.
Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can actually trigger an asthma attack. Some NSAIDs and aspirin might do this. You can also use beta blockers, which will help you manage blood pressure. If you suffer from any of these conditions along with your asthma, make sure you tell your doctor.
If you are afficted with asthma, it is critical to quit smoking and avoid the use of any other tobacco products. Smoking is terrible for everyone, but it lowers the oxygen supply in asthma patients who need as much oxygen as possible.
Though it should go without saying, do not turn on any fans or circulation systems when in a room containing visible dust that has yet to be cleaned. The wind will move dust around and get into your airways causing an attack. It is much better to open a window when you are in need of some air flow.
Should you wind up inside a really dusty room, don’t activate any fans. Turning on a fan is going to cause the dust to leave its surface and begin filling the air of your environment. Encourage air to flow throughout the room by just opening a nearby window or door.
Try a leukotriene inhibitor if you have asthma. Leukotriene inhibitors block the effects of leukotrienes. Leukotriene is a type of chemical substance which may cause inflammation and could cause an attack. The prescription will help to decrease home much leukotriene is in your system and therefore, the number of asthma attacks you have.
Consider getting injections of medications to treat your asthma if you are prone to attacks induced by allergy symptoms. An excellent antibody medication that works well to control asthma symptoms, brought on by allergic reactions is called Omalizumab, and can be administered by your allergist.
Always use your inhaler in the proper manner. An inhaler is most effective if used in a relaxed location and according to the maker’s instructions. Your inhaler will only help if you breathe very deeply. You need to inhale air while spraying the requisite dosage in your mouth. Be sure to hold the mist in your lungs for about ten seconds.
Using over four kinds of cleaning products in the home can trigger asthma attacks. To limit the chemicals in the air, look for organic cleaning alternatives.
Asthma patients without health insurance can get help by asking a social worker and getting access to programs with the resources asthma patients need. It’s vital that you stay on medication, so there may be programs available to help you get them at a discount.
You should know what triggers your asthma attacks; this will allow you to either avoid them or be ready to manage the symptoms. A lot of asthma sufferers have some triggers in common, like pollen, smoke and pet dander. If able, avoid anything that results in symptoms of asthma or an asthma attack.
Products with no scent are the safest and best option for an asthma sufferer. Using scented products, like air fresheners and perfume, will increase the level of air pollution and is likely to trigger an attack. Fresh paint and new carpeting can also irritate the airway. As much as possible, try to keep your home filled with fresh, pure air.
Whenever you travel, always keep your rescue inhaler or other fast-acting medication by your side at all times. Being in odd environments can cause undue stress on your body, which makes you more prone to an asthma attack. It’s also hard to control the environment you’re in when traveling, which is another reason you might experience more symptoms or have an attack.
Avoid pillows with feathers if you have asthma. The feathers contained in the pillow could trigger the symptoms related to asthma and it could prevent your lungs from functioning efficiently. Same thing with bedding – purchase sheets and a comforter that are constructed from hypoallergenic materials.
A humid home will cause mold or mildew to appear. These things can trigger asthma attacks very easily. So, it makes sense to keep dry air in your home. Using a dehumidifier during cold weather and turning on your air conditioner when the weather gets hot again can help keep humidity out of your home to ensure your asthma is under control.
In the winter, cover your mouth and nose with a scarf or shawl to prevent asthma attacks. This will warm the air up before you breathe it into your lungs. Breathing cold air can set off an asthma attack, particularly in small children who have have somewhat severe asthma.
Use a mop that’s wet to clean your floors instead of a broom. Sweeping can trigger an asthma attack due to the copious clouds of minute asthma-triggering particles it kicks up. A moist rag chosen over a feather duster is the best choice for an asthmatic.
If you need to travel with your asthma medication, particularly if you plan on bringing a nebulizer or other large equipment, it can be helpful to obtain a letter from your doctor explaining their use. You’ll speed up the process of going through security if you have written proof that shows that the items are necessary.
Avoid smoking and people who are smokers. Most people know how dangerous smoking is, but for someone afflicted with asthma, the dangers are ten times more serious. Your lungs could become very irritated if you smoke, and you should avoid being around others that are smoking.
Anytime you clean your house or apartment, wet mopping is superior to sweeping. Sweeping stirs up irritants that can trigger an asthma attack. Also, use damp rags instead of feather dusters to dust your furniture.
Any time that pollen counts go up, anyone suffering from asthma would be wise to keep their outdoors time to a minimum. A lot of the same things that can bother people with allergies will bother people with asthma as well. Many areas provide air quality information publicly, allowing you to stay indoors when the air outside is poor.
Have more than one medical professional look at your asthma problems. Although your primary doctor can treat your asthma, a specialist may be able to provide further help. A pulmonologist, allergist, nutritionist and the staff at asthma centers can discuss a variety of treatments with you, to help you be sure you are following up on every possible good treatment available.
You should not use a vaporizer or humidifier if you have asthma or allergies unless you are sure that it is clean. Permitting bacteria to grow inside the appliance will result in irritants being dispersed into the air you breathe.
Avoid smoking. If you have asthma, you could have serious health complications from smoking. Smoke is an irritant to sensitive lungs, ans asthmatics should neither smoke nor be around people who’re smoking.
Learn as much as you can about asthma. When you’re educated about your asthma, you can be proactive with the treatment. In order to ensure that you are always getting the best possible care, stay abreast of new developments and up-to-date treatments. You can only properly treat the condition once you gain knowledge about it and the treatments that are available.
If you need to use your inhaler more often than twice each week, this means your asthma isn’t adequately controlled and a medication change is required. Frequent use of the rescue inhaler means that your management medicine is not working as it should. Additionally, if you must have your inhaler refilled more than two times in a year, you should consult your doctor.
Buy a mask to keep yourself from breathing in harmful fumes if you plan on painting in your home. Paint fumes can be irritating to asthma sufferers, but a mask creates a protective shield. Do not go use certain chemicals that will make your asthma worse.
Know what your triggers are to safeguard yourself against asthma. A daily journal can be a powerful tool to help you pinpoint frequent triggers and it can also help your doctor to prescribe the treatment that is right for you. Once they are known, do whatever it takes to prevent triggers from going off, and if possible, just wipe them out of your life and environment completely.
Vitamin B6
Keep track of how often allergies trigger asthma attacks. If you experience two or more asthma attacks a week after taking allergy medicine, switch to a different allergy medication. Medical professionals generally consider two or more allergy attacks weekly to be dangerous, but completely preventable.
Eat more foods that are rich in B6 vitamins. Pyridoxine or vitamin B6 has been demonstrated to reduce the number of asthma attacks in various studies. Through this research, it has been proven that pyridoxine helps produce molecules that aid in relaxing the bronchial tissue. You can find good reserves of vitamin B6 in bananas.
Try to take your time as you build your strength, this will also allow you to gradually increase the capacity of your lungs as well. Do not try to start with a hard workout that you will not be able to finish because your asthma will get in the way.
As you can see, the trick to living with asthma is simply being prepared. Educating yourself on your particular asthma challenges and requirements will keep you healthy and minimize the risks you have to live with. Gain as much knowledge as possible about asthma to help manage your symptoms.
If you or someone in your family suffers from asthma, you must not permit smoking in your house, your vehicle and your immediate environment. Just be sure to keep any smoke away from someone who suffers from asthma as this can harm them significantly. Heavy smokers may trigger an asthma attack just by carrying the scent of smoke on their clothing.