It is easy to panic after you learn that you or someone you love has asthma. Asthma, being a chronic condition, has no cure. Your life does not have to stop after you have been diagnosed with asthma. You will gain some insights here on how to get control of asthma in an effective and manageable way.
You should avoid smoking at all costs and being exposed to vapors and perfumes if you suffer from asthma. Stay away from jobs that would expose you to toxic or heavy vapors, and refrain from any tobacco use.
Second hand smoke can cause asthma to develop in children, and can trigger an asthma attack if they already suffer from asthma. Secondhand smoke is something that can lead to serious asthma. Keep your child away from any area where people are smoking.
Can you identify the exact type of asthma you’re dealing with? Being fully informed about the specific type of asthma you have is very important. For example, if you have exercise-induced asthma, you will want to always make sure you have an inhaler in your gym bag. You will be able to prevent asthma attacks if you can recognize symptoms.
When you suffer from asthma, avoiding cleaning products is really important to do. Many chemicals contained in common cleaning products can aggravate your asthma, triggering an attack. It is advisable to consider using products that have an organic base when cleaning.
Second hand smoke can cause asthma to develop in children, and can trigger an asthma attack if they already suffer from asthma. There’s a long list of environmental asthma triggers, and secondhand smoke is at the top of it. You also need to be sure that your child isn’t around those that choose to smoke.
Asthma is a chronic condition that is ongoing over time, and as such, will require a continual treatment and management regimen. Take the proper medications for controlling your asthma daily, and keep quick relief medication somewhere on you just in case you have a sudden attack. Speak to your physician and allergist to find out what medications are right for you.
You need ongoing treatment for asthma because it’s an ongoing disease. Ensure you’re taking the proper medications to manage common symptoms of asthma. In case of an attack, you need to have in your possession a medication that will provide almost instant relief. Consult with your physician and allergist to find out what is best for you.
Don’t turn on any fans if you see that your room is dusty. A fan will spread dust and debris all over. This can very easily aggravate your asthma, and cause serious symptoms. If possible, open a window to increase the flow of air into the room.
Make proper use of your inhaler. Move to a quiet area, and then simply follow manufacturer’s instructions. The medicine must go to your lungs for it to work. While inhaling air, spray required dosage in your mouth. You should hold your breath 10 seconds so the medicated mist is able to fill up your lungs.
Make sure that everyone in your family, including you, gets annual flu shots. People who have been diagnosed with asthma should exercise extreme diligence in avoiding other respiratory conditions. This means taking every precaution possible, do things like getting vaccinated to prevent sickness to hand washing on a regular basis.
Your asthma treatments will likely increase when you suffer from hay fever or a cold. Many illnesses have side effects that could cause your asthma to flare up so badly that you need to have an increase in treatment. Your doctor could add another treatment into your regimen until the illness is better.
Lower the chances of asthma attacks by keeping a spotless home, particularly in the areas where you sleep. Food should be eaten only in the kitchen or dining room, and cigarettes are best relegated to outdoor smoking areas. If you clean with any harsh chemicals or bleach, make sure to ventilate thoroughly afterwards.
Those who have asthma should avoid down pillows. Pillow feathers force the lungs to work harder and can exacerbate asthma problems. This extends to the rest of your bedding, as well. There are hypoallergenic comforters and sheets you can use to limit asthma symptoms.
Understand what things make your asthma flare and avoid these things or manage the symptoms. If you have asthma, it’s most likely triggered by things such as being around animals or pollen. Most asthmatics also can’t tolerate smoke. Whenever possible, avoid those substances that trigger either symptoms or full-blown attacks.
Find out how you are supposed to use your asthma medication and rescue treatments. Asthma is generally managed through regular medicine which is supplemented with rescue medications like inhalers. Since asthma is chronic in nature, appropriate application and use of both management and rescue medicines is vital.
If you plan to take a trip, you must always keep your rescue medication with you at all times. Being in odd environments can cause undue stress on your body, which makes you more prone to an asthma attack. You also have little control over your environment when traveling, which can make you more susceptible to an attack and symptoms of greater severity.
The development of asthma symptoms can occur over time and they can be difficult to pinpoint and diagnose. There have been a few cases where a person dies from their first attack, because they didn’t know they suffered from the condition. It is advised that you seek out a medical professional if you ever have shortness of breath or experience constant coughing; this may be a sign that you suffer from asthma and need proper medication to prevent an asthma attack and keep your condition under control.
Consider joining a support group, either on or offline. Asthma can be severe enough to keep you away from social activiites. Your peers will be able to provide you with advice and tips that work for them, information about new treatment techniques, and even some home remedies you might not know about.
It’s a very good habit to use your asthma inhaler as a daily preventative, although the drug residue can cause issues for your gums and teeth. Brushing or gargling immediately after use can help reduce the risk of infection and other problems.
A humid home will cause mold or mildew to appear. Mold and mildew can easily cause severe asthma attacks. A dry home will help you out a lot more. A dehumidifier can be used in the winter, and in the summer, many air conditioner models also help strip moisture from the air.
Asthma sufferers need to know which types of animals and breeds won’t trigger their asthma attacks. Animals are a danger to asthma sufferers who are already allergic to them, but pets also carry a wide array of dust particles and pollen, so avoiding them is a good move for anyone dealing with asthma.
If you are taking an airplane and you need to travel with your asthma apparatus or medications, bring your written prescription with you. Having written documentation supporting this medically necessary item will eliminate any hassles when going through the security check point.
Your bed linen could be filled with dust, pollen or other allergens. You can avoid this by making sure to wash your bed linens in hot water at least once a week. You will breathe easier at night when you have freshly washed and clean bed linens.
Keep track of the number of times per week you use your rescue inhaler. If you use it three or more times each week, your treatment plan may not be working effectively or else an atypical situation may be triggering an increased number of attacks. 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.
Asthma sufferers should stay indoors as much as possible when pollen counts rise. While asthma isn’t an allergy, many allergy irritants can affect it. Many areas provide air quality information publicly, allowing you to stay indoors when the air outside is poor.
Use a mop that’s wet to clean your floors instead of a broom. The action of sweeping can swirl up a whole cloud of asthma-triggering particles. In the same vein, choose a damp rag as opposed to a feather duster when dusting, as this prevents dust from flying about.
If you are suffering from an asthma attack, try to remain calm and do not panic. Immediately use your asthma inhaler, rest for 30 seconds, then use it once more. If you feel your ashtma attack worsening, get immediate help. Have someone call emergency services or drive you to the nearest hospital. Try to breathe into a paper bag so that you can calm your breathing when you’re on the way.
Avoid all types of smoke, including cigarette smoke, if you have asthma. Smoking can actually trigger an asthma attack. Avoid any kind of chemical fumes, vapors, and tobacco smoke as much as you can. All of these will increase your asthma symptoms. If a person is smoking around you, politely ask him to smoke at times when you are somewhere else.
If you are suffering from asthma, you should learn how to utilize your inhaler the right way. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that it’s as easy as pumping lightly into your mouth. Each time you spray your inhaler, breath in deeply for a few seconds. A rescue inhaler will not help you if you aren’t breathing it in correctly.
You should have limited contact with animals, as it can cause you to have an asthmatic reaction. Animals carry pollen and dust with them and can trigger serious asthma attacks.
Asthma support groups can also provide moral support to help you deal with difficult times and the frustration of asthma. They can provide you with advice and tips on how to better deal with fighting asthma. Being with supportive people will give you the motivation to take control.
Sufferers from asthma should stay indoors when the pollen count rises. While asthma isn’t an allergy, many allergy irritants can affect it. Now that local air quality information is available in most areas, asthma sufferers can minimize their outdoor exposure when potential irritants are in the air.
Keeping your home neat, clean, and regularly swept can really help to reduce the number of asthma attacks you have. Also, you need to wash pillows, sheets and blankets often. By doing this, you get rid of dust and dust mites. Both of these things can trigger an asthma attack. Dust build-up causes the air to become more irritating to people who have asthma, which therefore increases the risk that your airways will be compromised.
Don’t use humidifiers or vaporizers in your home until they have been rigorously cleaned, if you suffer from either asthma, allergies or both. Bacteria can breed inside the moist machine and you would be releasing them along with the humid air.
Remain watchful toward allergy attacks and change your medication if you experience more than two attacks per week. The medical community holds two opinions about asthma attacks occurring more than twice a week: first, they are dangerous, and secondly, they are preventable.
As you are now aware, living with asthma has to do with preparation. If you educate yourself about the type of asthma that is affecting you, and the measures you can take to work through an attack, you can learn to manage your illness on a daily basis. Reading this article has been the first important step in getting control of this disease.
Know the symptoms of a serious asthma attack so you’ll know when it is time to head for the hospital. Signs that an asthma attack is underway can include blue or gray tints to the lips and fingernails. It is also possible your child will not respond to heightened doses of medication during an attack. He may have difficulty saying anything, as well.