The millions of people who are dealing with asthma may have a hard time doing the most simple things. Luckily, there are many ways to treat asthma today that can make this fear a thing of the past. These specially selected tips can help you become more aware of your condition, and help you stay informed.
Do not smoke around your children if they have asthma. It has been medically proven that smoking can cause asthma or make existing symptoms worse. You should also make sure your child is never in an environment where other people are smoking.
Do you know what type of asthma you have? When you’re informed about your asthma, you’ll be able to do more to cope with the illness and prevent it from having a negative effect on your life. For example, if your asthma is often triggered by workouts, your inhaler should always be on hand when you exercise. Knowing the patterns related to your symptoms could aid you in avoiding crises.
If you are afficted with asthma, it is critical to quit smoking and avoid the use of any other tobacco products. Smoking isn’t good for anyone, but it’s worse for those with asthma. It cuts off the oxygen supply that your lungs need to function properly to keep away the asthma attacks.
Asthmatics should not smoke. If you smoke – quit immediately. Although smoking is terrible for everyone, it is even worse for an asthma sufferer due to less oxygen supply in the lungs and that can trigger an attack.
You should stay away from anything you might believe which can trigger an asthma attack. This could be something you’re allergic to like pollen or dust. For others, physical activity can irritate them. Look for the trigger points in your life, so you can work around them.
It is imperative that you do your best to avoid cleaning chemicals if you are asthmatic. The complex list of ingredients on many cleaning products makes it difficult know which ones have the chemical compounds that might aggravate asthma symptoms or even initiate an attack. If you enjoy cleaning, or are the sole cleaner in the household, you are sure to be able to find one of the many natural cleaners that will be safe for your use.
If the room you are in appears to be dusty, refrain from turning on any fans. An asthma attack can be easily triggered by the moving dust. The better way would be to open a window to increase the airflow in the room.
Keep clear of anything that you know to be a trigger for your asthma. For some people, this can be pollen or other allergy triggers. Others may have attacks that are triggered by physical activity. You need to determine what your triggers are so that you can avoid them.
A leukotriene inhibitor should be taken into consideration when asthma is a struggle. A leukotriene inhibitor stops the release of a chemical that causes the inflammation that is responsible for some asthma attacks. Leukotriene are chemicals that may cause your lungs to get inflamed which can lead to an asthma attack. The inhibitor will keep the leukotrienes from forming, which can reduce the frequency of asthma attacks that you experience.
Asthma Symptoms
Think about buying a dehumidifier if your asthma symptoms are bad. A dehumidifier will reduce attacks by taking extra humidity and, by extension, dust mites and other debris out of your air. Air is kept dry by dehumidifiers by sucking the humidity out of it.
You may be unaware that certain medications you might be on could cause asthma symptoms. Some anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, can flare up asthma symptoms. Many medications for heart disease and hypertension can also cause asthma symptoms. Talk to a doctor if you have any of these conditions along with asthma.
People suffering from asthma should stick to unscented products. Scented products such as air fresheners, incense and perfume heighten the degree of indoor air impurities and may possibly contribute to an attack. Be aware that fresh paint and new carpet also can emit harmful odors that irritate sensitive airways. Try to maintain fresh air inside your home.
When you are dealing with asthma, try getting a lekotriene inhibitor. These work by preventing the formation of leukotrienes. A leukotriene will cause inflammation in the respiratory system, causing an asthma attack. Taking an inhibitor will reduce the amount of this substance your body produces, which should decrease the number of attacks you experience.
Be prepared for your asthma treatment to be increased if you have a cold or hay fever. Adjusting your medication may be necessary to manage the symptoms of these and other illnesses. Your physician might also work an additional treatment into your therapy until such time as you are healthier.
Make proper use of your inhaler. Find a quiet spot and follow the instructions the manufacturer has given. The inhaler is only beneficial if the medicine gets to your lungs. The dosage that is required should be sprayed into the mouth while you inhale air. Continue holding your breath for approximately 10 seconds. This way, the medication will soak into the cells of your lungs.
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 people who suffer from asthma have the same triggers, pet dander, smoke, or pollen. Whenever you can, just steer clear of these triggers when you know what they would result in.
Talk to a social worker if you do not have health insurance and need medication for your asthma. Asthma medications are a necessity, and a social worker can help you find an affordable way to keep your prescriptions current.
Regardless of whether your asthma has been flaring up, don’t neglect routine checkups. It is impossible to predict the next attack. Furthermore, newer or safer asthma medications may be approved in the time since you last visited your doctor.
Take a lot of Vitamin E and C if you are suffering from asthma. These vitamins can help improve your lung function, ultimately controlling asthma. Either find a good vitamin supplement to take, or change your diet to include more foods rich in Vitamins E and C. You can help out your immune system that can help stave off asthma triggers!
See how many times a week you typically use the rescue inhaler. If the inhaler is used more than twice, the asthma problems you are suffering from may not be well-managed or something else might be causing additional attacks to come on. You can use your frequency of inhaler use to gauge the effectiveness of your asthma treatment plan and make modifications when necessary.
If you have asthma, or if your children have asthma, it is vital that you receive the flu shot yearly. A yearly vaccination will help minimize the number of infections your children have to deal with.
Asthma sufferers should avoid close contact with all animals. While allergies to dander or animal hair can possibly complicate your asthma, even those with no such allergies can have asthma attacks by inhaling the pollen and dust animals usually carry about with them.
When you travel, your rescue medication should be with you all the time. Traveling adds strain on the body and increases your susceptibility to asthma triggers. Traveling can make asthma symptoms worse, and it is difficult, nearly impossible to control environmental triggers during travel.
Avoid smoking and people who are smokers. While smoking is a dangerous habit in general, it is far more damaging to those who have asthma. Smoking is very bad for people who suffer from asthma, be sure not to smoke, but not to be around people that smoke.
Rescue Medication
If you are having an asthma attack, it is crucial that you remain calm. Wait thirty seconds to try your inhaler after using it the first time. If you do this and you notice that your attack is worsening then you need to get help. Have someone call an ambulance for you, or have them bring you to a hospital. Breathe into a paper bag, which will reduce your breathing rate during the trip.
Make sure you understand the correct way to use your asthma medication, especially any rescue medication. When you have asthma, you should be on a maintenance medication and have an emergency medicine for asthma attacks. Usually this is in the form of an inhaler. Because asthma is a chronic condition, it is important to take management medication properly and to use rescue medication appropriately.
Make sure that you protect yourself if you’re planning on doing anything like painting your home. You should purchase a protective mask to cut back on fume inhalation. A proper breathing mask will help to protect asthma sufferers from paint fumes. Learn what type of chemicals trigger your asthma and try to stay away from them.
You should definitely use your preventative inhaler on a daily basis. However, you should be warned that the drug can also cause infections in your mouth, particularly near your teeth and gums. To prevent complications from using a preventative inhaler, brush your teeth immediately after using it and use mouthwash as well.
Don’t skimp on vitamin B6. Vitamin B6, aka pyridoxine, is found to reduce asthma attack frequency in a lot of studies. How does this work? Pyridoxine is a chemical that reduces constriction in the bronchial tubes. This constriction is what brings on asthma attacks. You can find good reserves of vitamin B6 in bananas.
Keep notes on how often you are compelled to use your inhaler each week. If you use it more than two times a week, your asthma may need to be better controlled, or you are going through an usual period that brings on more regular attacks. The frequency of your inhaler use is a good way to remember to check out your environmental surroundings and be mindful of all factors relating to your asthma regimen.
If you start to have an asthma attack but can’t find your medication, try to find some caffeine instead. It’s best to use a fast acting inhaler to end your asthma attack but caffeine can relieve asthma symptoms until you are able to get to your inhaler. This works by opening up your air passages and constricting blood vessels.
Understanding asthma and how it effects the respiratory system can really help you to identify the signs of an attack quickly. Just because someone has asthma doesn’t mean that his life is over.
Pay close attention to any reactions your children have to food. If you see any development of hives, or difficulty in breathing after they have consumed a specific food, you should have the doctor test them for allergies. Allergies might be a symptom of an asthmatic condition that will appear later.