When asthma makes it hard to breathe, the impact on your ability to participate in your regular activities is enormous. However, you can still lead a regular normal life as an asthma sufferer. Take the advice below to heart, and you can starting living normally today.
It is imperative that you do your best to avoid cleaning chemicals if you are asthmatic. Many of the harsh chemicals inside cleaning products might trigger symptoms or even a full blown asthma attack. It is advisable to consider using products that have an organic base when cleaning.
You should not smoke or be anywhere near smoke if you suffer from asthma. This means you need to keep away from tobacco products and only seek out jobs where you aren’t exposed to any harmful chemicals, smoke or vapors.
Avoid exposing yourself to any of your known asthma triggers. Many asthma suffers find that dust or pollen can trigger an attack. Others find themselves suffering from attacks when they overexert themselves. Try to see what cause your asthma so that you can avoid it.
You need ongoing treatment for asthma because it’s an ongoing disease. Be certain that you are prescribed or using the appropriate medicine to manage your daily symptoms, and that you have an emergency medicine readily available in the event of an attack. Talk to your doctor and allergist to see what is the best idea for you.
Injections are available to people who suffer from asthma related to allergies, to help give them some long term relief. It is called omalizumab, and it is an antibody medicine used to control allergic reaction symptoms. You will need to speak to your allergist to find out if this would be helpful to you.
If you have asthma, you need to avoid any kind of tobacco smoke. You should not smoke yourself! It is also a good idea to stay away from the fumes or vapors from harsh chemicals, such as those used in cleaning. This could trigger a serious asthma attack, and you may have trouble preventing it from happening. If people smoke around you, you should get away form that area.
An annual flu vaccination is recommended for you as well as other members of your family. Asthma patients should try their best to avoid getting respiratory infections. The preventative measures you can take against such sickness range from simple habits of hand washing to getting your annual flu shot.
Ask everyone in your family to get a flu shot every year. You do not want to have a respiratory infection if you have asthma. This means taking every precaution possible, do things like getting vaccinated to prevent sickness to hand washing on a regular basis.
If you are using a lot of different cleaners around your house you can trigger a asthma attack. Choose organic products, and stick to as few products as possible.
Scented products could cause averse reactions to asthma sufferers. It is safest to use unscented products when possible. Products with fragrance, such as perfumes, colognes, and air fresheners, introduce irritants into the air around you and can cause asthma attacks. Fresh paint and new carpeting also produce smells that can cause irritation to the airways. Keep your indoor air clean and free of pollutants to stay healthy.
Those with asthma should always opt for unscented items because they are safest. Indoor air pollution rises with the constant use of anything scented, ranging from air fresheners to incense, and all this can trigger asthma attacks. New carpet and fresh paint can also emit odors that can irritate the airways. Try to see that the air inside your home remains as fresh as possible.
Try to keep your home as clean as possible, especially the bedroom of the asthma sufferer, to reduce the risk of an asthma attack. Food must only be allowed in the kitchen area, and there should be no smoking in the house at all. Try to avoid using any harsh chemicals or bleach in the home while cleaning; and, once the home is cleaned, air it out.
In order to minimize the chance of an asthma attack, be sure to keep your living area very clean, most definitely the bedroom area. Only allow food in the kitchen, and never smoke indoors. Try not to use bleach or other irritants inside, and always thoroughly change the air in your house after cleaning.
If you suffer with asthma, get a flu shot each year. Avoid a lot of these infections by getting vaccinated each year.
If you have asthma, or if your children have asthma, it is vital that you receive the flu shot yearly. Prevent those flu infections before they happen by getting a flu shot each year.
Some of the major causes of asthma, and triggers for asthma attacks, can exist right in the home. These culprits include dust, spores and mold. To keep these triggers out of your home, have a professional inspector come to your home each year to remove these nasties from your home. Conscientious house-cleaning can help prevent buildup of substances in your home that might trigger an asthma attack.
If you are asthmatic, it may be a good idea to use a pillow that is not filled with feathers. Feathers can decrease lung function and cause asthma symptoms. This extends to the rest of your bedding, as well. There are hypoallergenic comforters and sheets you can use to limit asthma symptoms.
Mold and mildew thrive in homes with high humidity levels. Mold and mildew can easily cause severe asthma attacks. Thus, keep the air in your home as moisture-free as possible to avoid asthma-related problems. In the winter, use a dehumidifier along with your heater, and in the summer months, you can use your air conditioner to help control the amount of water in the air within your home.
Keep all your regularly scheduled asthma appointments, regardless of how you are feeling. A new flare-up may be just around the corner, or your doctor may have news of a more effective new medication you can try.
Rescue Medication
If you or a loved one suffers from asthma, a support group may help. You can find support groups online or in your community. Asthma can be devastating and lead to lethargy and withdrawal from normal life – especially if it is quite severe. By getting involved in a support group you will also be speaking with other sufferers who may know of new scientific discoveries and treatment plans you may not be aware of.
Know how to properly use asthma medicine, especially your rescue medication. Asthma is a condition traditionally treated with a combination of a regular medicine and an emergency medicinal inhaler. It’s crucial that medication for management of asthma is taken regularly, and that rescue medication is also used when appropriate.
If you’re flying with asthma medications, be sure you get a prescription from your physician. You’ll speed up the process of going through security if you have written proof that shows that the items are necessary.
Asthma takes a long time to develop and doesn’t yield obvious symptoms. Sometimes, a person can die from their first asthma attack without actually knowing they had the disease to begin with! 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.
Inhalers are important to use every day, but be aware that inhalers have been known to cause infections near the teeth and gums. Always brush and gargle as soon as you’ve finished using your inhaler to prevent mouth infections.
If you have asthma consider staying away from pets or animals. Though dander allergies are often seen in conjunction with asthma, even asthmatics who are not allergic may have attacks that are triggered by the ancillary irritants transported by animals, including pollen and dust.
Monitor how many times, on a weekly basis, you are using your rescue inhaler. If you find that you are relying on it more than two times a week, your asthma is possibly not being well-controlled. How often you use your rescue inhaler should serve as a reminder that your environment needs to be monitored.
Bed linens often trap allergens, dust, pollen and other things that can aggravate asthma. You can cut down on these irritants or eliminate them altogether by washing your bedding and pillow cases in very hot water once a week. These fresh bed linens will let you breathe easier when sleeping.
If you have asthma, clean your floors with a wet mop, instead of sweeping with a traditional broom. When you sweep, you are stirring up asthma triggers that can cause you to have an asthma attack. Use a dampened rag when dusting, instead of a feather duster, so as to prevent stirring up loose dust particles and other asthma triggers.
When pollen counts are high, people who have asthma should stay inside. While asthma isn’t a type of allergy, those with asthma are frequently bothered by the same kinds of irritants that cause problems for allergy sufferers. These days, information about the quality of local air is readily available, so people with asthma can avoid spending time outside when the air is full of things that irritate their lungs.
If you have asthma and you’re also an allergy sufferer, you must only use a vaporizer or humidifier that’s been cleaned thoroughly. If the machine stays wet, it can breed bacteria and you’ll end up pumping harmful allergens out into the air.
Paying attention to useful advice, whether it comes from a doctor or simply a helpful article like this one, can make your long-term relationship with your asthma problems a much more civil one. The march toward a cure is ongoing, and in a few decades, asthma will probably be a thing of the past.
If you use an inhaler more than 2 times a week, talk to your doctor about a new medication potentially. It means the medication used to calm acute attacks is either ineffective or not effective enough. Additionally, if you must have your inhaler refilled more than two times in a year, you should consult your doctor.