Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with the condition known as asthma? This article is filled with a variety of insightful, informative guidelines for managing asthma symptoms.
What triggers your asthma? Being aware of your particular asthma condition can help you to effectively treat it on a daily basis. People who suffer from exercise-induced asthma should consider carrying an emergency inhaler in their bag. Treating asthma is less difficult if you and your physician are aware of the triggers that bring on an attack.
Don’t smoke around your child if they have asthma; this could worsen their situation. Secondhand smoke can actually cause asthma to appear. It’s best to also keep your child away from places in which others will be smoking.
If asthma is something that you are afflicted with, then don’t smoke or immediately quit. Smoking is bad for everyone, but it’s particularly dangerous for an asthma sufferer, as it cuts off vital oxygen to the lungs.
Because asthma is a continuing condition, you have to continually manage your health. Make sure that your daily routine includes taking appropriate medication to keep you free of asthma symptoms, along with additional medication to treat you for any sudden asthma attacks. See your doctor or allergist to find out which treatment plan is best for your situation.
If you have been diagnosed with asthma, you should avoid cleaning products. Many chemicals that are in these products can cause the triggering of asthma attacks. If you must do the cleaning in your home, opt for natural products with lower chemical content.
Leukotriene Inhibitor
Avoid anything that could trigger your asthma. This is different for everyone, but some people, things like dust or pollen can trigger an attack. Some people get attacks after being physically active. Knowing exactly what sets off your asthma is thus, very important.
A leukotriene inhibitor should be taken into consideration when asthma is a struggle. These medications prevent the production of leukotrienes. The chemical leukotriene is a common cause of inflammation in the lungs which in turn, can trigger asthma attacks. By blocking the effects of leukotrienes, a leukotriene inhibitor can reduce the frequency and severity of your asthma attacks.
Some medications are known to cause asthma symptoms. Some NSAIDs and aspirin might do this. There are some beta blockers that are given to those trying to control their heart disease or who have high blood pressure that may be harmful to an asthmatic, as well. If you have asthma and these other conditions, let your physician know.
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.
Asthma sufferers should avoid smoking cigarettes and any place that has cigarette smoke. Smoking is especially dangerous for asthmatics. Avoid breathing chemical fumes and vapors. This can cause an asthma attack, and you may be unable to bring it under control. Never visit a home or establishment where people will be smoking, and if people start to smoke, walk out.
For those who have asthma, the safest choice is to stick with unscented products. Products that contain fragrance, such as perfumes, colognes, or air fresheners, introduce irritants into the air around you that can trigger your asthma. Fresh paint and new carpeting can also irritate the airway. Keep your indoor air as clean as you can.
Asthma attacks have been found to be more likely in homes where four or more different cleaning products are in use. Try using organic cleaning products that are not comprised of irritating chemicals.
Know that your asthma treatment or medication may have to be increased a bit if you are suffering from allergies, hay fever or a cold. These kinds of illness can inflame you asthma to a degree that a treatment increase is necessary. Your physician might also work an additional treatment into your therapy until such time as you are healthier.
Keep your home clean. By keeping a clean environment, especially in a bedroom, you can lower your risk of asthma attacks. Food should be restricted to the kitchen, and smoking inside the home should never be permitted. Don’t use bleach or harsh chemicals inside, and air out the house as much as possible after cleaning.
Take notes of what can trigger your asthma attacks so that you can be prepared for a future attack or learn how to avoid them all together. A lot of asthma sufferers have some triggers in common, like pollen, smoke and pet dander. When possible, stay away from triggers of asthma symptoms in an effort to prevent a severe attack.
Hay fever and colds can worsen asthma symptoms so prepare to need increased treatments. Make sure your doctor prescribes a fast acting inhaler for emergency situations. Your physician might also add more treatments to your regimen until your asthma is under control again.
Travel with your rescue medication on your person at all times. Traveling adds strain on the body and increases your susceptibility to asthma triggers. 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.
Consider joining a support group, either on or offline. Left untreated, asthma can be very debilitating and prevent you from enjoying your normal activities. A support group also makes it easier to keep up to date on advancements in asthma science or new medications that come on the market.
When the weather starts to turn colder, wear a scarf or shawl that covers your mouth and nose to help prevent asthma attacks. This will warm the air that you breathe before it enters your lungs. Young children are especially at risk for an asthma attack if the air they breathe is too cold, but this problem can affect anybody with asthma.
Asthma usually takes an extended interval of time to fully develop, and the warning signs are rarely obvious. There are lots of cases where people die of an asthma attack without knowing they had asthma. If you find yourself with a constant cough or have trouble breathing, consult your doctor, so he can tell you if you have asthma and if you need medication. He might even have suggestions on how to prevent it from worsening.
Asthma is a medical condition that tends to slowly develop over time, and the symptoms are not always that obvious. There are actually many people that have passed away from an asthma attack without ever knowing they were even at risk. Discuss with your doctor if you are having problems trying to catch your breath or have had a persistent cough for a while. There is the possibility that you have developed asthma, and if so, your doctor can tell you what the best method to treat it would be.
Use your inhaler when you need to, but be aware that this product can cause infections near your gums and teeth. A good way to prevent these complications and side effects is to brush your teeth and gargle immediately after using your inhaler.
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. Having proof that it belongs to you and is medically necessary will make the security check easier.
It is important to track how often you use your fast-acting inhaler each week. If you find that you are relying on it more than two times a week, your asthma is possibly not being well-controlled. The frequency of your inhaler usage should remind you to monitor the environmental conditions around you and other issues relating to the way you manage your asthma.
Using your preventative inhaler should be done daily. It’s important to know, though, that it can cause sores and infections near your gums and teeth. Always brush and gargle as soon as you’ve finished using your inhaler to prevent mouth infections.
Anyone with asthma should limit their exposure to household pets and other types of animals. Asthmatics can be affected by the dander or pollen that comes from the animals, even if they have no allergies to them. This can be a very risky situation to put yourself in and should be avoided.
If you are using a vaporizer or humidifier, you should thoroughly clean it prior to use. Bacteria can build up in the moisture of these machines, and get relayed into the very environment that you are attempting to make more conducive to your condition.
Avoid smoking. A lot of people know that smoking is bad for you, but if you have asthma it is far worse. A person with asthma has sensitive lungs that can react adversely to smoke, causing an asthmatic attack. So an asthmatic should not even be in a room where other people are smoking.
Vitamin B6
You should not use a vaporizer or humidifier if you have asthma or allergies unless you are sure that it is clean. If you allow bacteria to breed in the moist environment of the machine, you will just be pumping allergens into the air that you are trying to humidify.
Increase the amount of vitamin B6 in your diet. Research has shown that by increasing the amount of vitamin B6, sometimes referred to as pyridoxine, individuals can reduce how often they suffer asthma attacks. At minimum, it can help lower the intensity of attacks. Pyridoxine produces molecules that facilitate the relaxation of bronchial tissues. One excellent source of vitamin B6 is bananas.
Remain calm in the event of an asthma attack. Use your rescue inhaler, rest for a half to one minute, then use the inhaler again. If the inhaler does not provide immediate help, get medical help right away. Call an ambulance or have someone present drive you to the nearest hospital. Inhaling and exhaling into a paper bag can slow your breathing while en route.
Knowing your catalysts for asthma attacks is the first step to preventing them. Start an attack journal to help identify these triggers, and share what you record with your doctor. Take active steps to minimize coming into contact with elements that trigger your asthma, to help reduce your attacks.
If you are going to be painting in your house, wear a mask, as it will protect you from harmful fumes. Paint can irritate your asthma a lot, so this mask acts like a protective barrier to prevent this. Don’t use certain chemicals and substances that could aggravate your asthma.
Asthma can be caused by genetics, environmental factors, or a little bit of both. If you have a family history of asthma, be especially attentive when asthma like symptoms manifest in another family member. Asthma sufferers need to be especially careful to avoid smoke, dust mites, extremely high air pollution levels and allergens.
It can help out to meet and talk with others who have asthma. People who have experience with the same disease as you can often provide a number of suggestions or tricks that work in specific situations – all of which can make your battle with asthma a little earlier. Support from people who understand your situation is key.
Keep your home clean and well swept. Also make sure to wash your bedding frequently. If you do this, it keeps dust mites and dust from building up and triggering asthma attacks. The more dust there is in an environment, the more likely it becomes that the air will aggravate an asthmatic’s symptoms, prompting an attack.
Watch carefully for any signs of food allergies in your children. If you happen to notice difficulty breathing, or skin rashes when your child eats a certain food, it would be wise for you to visit a doctor to have them tested for allergies. Food allergies are often a sign that a child may develop asthma.
This article has many useful tips for controlling asthma symptoms. However, none of these tips will be effective if you do not apply them properly. Individuals who ignore warning signs or underestimate the impact of symptoms are placing themselves in grave danger. Keep protecting yourself by using the tips and methods laid out here to help you with your asthma.
If your child suffers from asthma and he is under five years old, be mindful of the signals of an asthma attack that would require emergency medical care. The symptoms of a pending attack include: gasping for air, struggling to breathe, a difficulty speaking, and frenetic, panicked behavior. If you see any of these symptoms, your child should get medical help immediately.