Asthma is a very serious medical condition, and your life could have serious affects from it. You need to be able to take the right steps so that you are in control of your asthma, which will help you greatly when having to deal with this illness. This article can help you deal with your asthma better.
Do you know what type of asthma you have? Being aware of your particular asthma condition can help you to effectively treat it on a daily basis. For example, if your asthma is brought on by bronchitis, you should keep your rescue inhaler with you during times when you are sick. When you know what triggers your asthma, you will be more prepared to stop attacks before they begin.
If you are an asthma sufferer, you need to avoid smoking and exposure to fumes or vapors of any kind. You must abstain from using any tobacco products. Also, when job hunting, you need to take into consideration whether or not you will be exposed to anything detrimental to your condition while on the job.
Do not smoke around a child with asthma. Secondhand smoke is a trigger for asthma attacks, not to mention the myriad of other diseases it can cause. Always ensure your child is in a smoke-free area.
What type of asthma do you suffer from? Learning about your type of asthma will help you manage its impact on your life. Asthma caused by exercise can be treated easily if you carry an inhaler when you go to the gym. Knowing your symptoms’ patterns can help you avoid big problems.
Smoking is a horrible habit, even deadly, for an asthma sufferer. Smoking is bad in general for everyone, but it is particularly worse for asthma suffers because it decreases the amount of oxygen in the lungs, putting you at higher risk for asthma attacks.
When you suffer from asthma, avoiding cleaning products is really important to do. A lot of these products contain harsh chemicals such as ammonia. These chemicals wreak havoc on you and can trigger an attack. It is advisable to consider using products that have an organic base when cleaning.
If you have moderate asthma attacks, exhale forcefully, so that you force air from your lungs. Make your exhalations quick and forceful. Really force that air out of your lungs! Breathe in by taking three quick breaths, followed by one very deep breath. Doing this will fill your lungs completely, and allow you to expel the air forcefully again. This will make your breathing rhythmic and help you pay more attention to it. Expelling the air from your lungs in this fashion also allows you to breathe in deeper. You may cough or generate sputum, this is okay, your main goal is to get your breathing back on track again.
In order to prevent asthma attacks, keep away from triggers. For some, allergens such as dust and pollen can trigger an attack. For others, physical activities can cause them. Knowing exactly what sets off your asthma is thus, very important.
Never use a fan in a dirty, dust-filled room. This will cause the dust to move around, which could cause an asthma attack. Open a window instead to get the air flowing.
Asthma Symptoms
Stay away from cigarette smoke, even if it’s secondhand. Tobacco smoke causes your lung function to decrease, increasing the risk of a very severe attack, especially in enclosed rooms without much air flow or ventilation.
There are medicines out there that may increase your chance of triggering asthma symptoms. Some NSAIDs and aspirins will do this for you. The medication you take for high blood pressure can also cause asthma symptoms. If you have any of these conditions along with your asthma, make sure you tell your doctor.
Buy products that are unscented if you suffer from asthma. Using products in your home such as incense, perfume or air fresheners can increase the amount of microscopic pollutants indoors and trigger asthma attacks. Fresh paint and new carpeting also produce smells that can cause irritation to the airways. Keep the air inside as fresh as you can.
During a mild to moderate attack, force all of the air out of your lungs. Make your exhalations quick and forceful. This will force the air from your lungs. Take three short breaths, and then take a fourth, deeper breath to fill your lungs comfortably; then, breathe out with force again. The breathing rhythm that you create by doing this will cause you to be aware of every breath you take. In addition, it repeatedly empties your lungs of air, so that you can draw in more oxygen-rich air. If you cough or produce sputum, don’t worry. Just remain focused on your objective, which is to regain a normal rate of breathing.
If you have hay fever or a cold, you will probably need increased treatment of your asthma. Side effects that are associated with most illnesses can serve as triggers for asthma and may cause an increase in your asthma treatment. The doctor may choose to pursue additional treatment options during your illness as well.
Make sure that everyone in your family gets their flu shot. Asthma sufferers need to be careful and guard against any upper-resperatory illnesses. Precautions include washing your hands and staying current with vaccinations.
When you are traveling, be sure to carry your rescue inhaler with you at all times. The stress of travel may temporarily weaken your body and make you more vulnerable to attack triggers. Controlling your environment is harder when traveling, so this makes it much more probable that you experience worsening symptoms or an attack.
If you suffer from asthma, ensure you consume lots of Vitamins E and C. These vitamins can help improve your lung function, ultimately controlling asthma. You can take a supplement in order to get these vitamins if there is not enough of them in your food. These vitamins also help boost your immune system, which helps to prevent illnesses that trigger asthma.
You may want to think about joining support groups you can find both online and offline. Asthma, especially the more severe forms, cause many problems that interfere with the quality of life and present many challenges. Also, other asthma sufferers can help keep you aware of new medications or other medical treatments.
An increased propensity for asthma attacks has been linked with the utilization of multiple cleaning products. The more you use, the greater the risk of an attack. Choose natural and organic products which don’t have chemicals that will irritate your disease.
A lot of the main causes, and triggers, of asthma may exist right in your home. These generally include dust, mold and spores. Have your home inspected for and cleaned of these things to reduce the occurrence of asthma attacks. Clean up your house regularly so these substances do not accumulate.
Stand ready for a boost to your asthma treatment should you suffer from illnesses like colds or hay fever. These illnesses have side effects that can cause asthma to flare up and make an increase in medication necessary. Your doctor may need to add new treatments to your typical asthma regimen until you are well.
Wear a covering over your mouth and nose when you go outdoors in the colder weather. A shawl, scarf or muffler would work well. This will warm the air before it gets in your lungs. Cold air can trigger severe attacks, especially for young children.
Keep all your doctors appointments even if your asthma symptoms aren’t bothering you. You cannot be certain when you will next have an issue with your asthma, or when there may be a better medication available to utilize for your condition.
Understanding how to properly administer your asthma medications is important, particularly in regard to rescue medications. Asthma is a condition traditionally treated with a combination of a regular medicine and an emergency medicinal inhaler. Asthma is not curable, so it is very important that you take your medication properly and only use your rescue medication if you need it.
Bundle up during winter weather if you have asthma. Covering your nose and mouth with a scarf or muffler helps prevent asthma attacks. This will warm the air that you breathe before it enters your lungs. Cold air can trigger severe attacks, especially for young children.
When you clean your floors, do so with a wet mop instead of a broom. If you are sweeping, you can trigger an asthma attack by stirring up a lot of allergens into the air. When dusting, try to use a damp rag rather than a feather duster to cut down on the spread of the triggers.
If you are going on a trip on a plane and need to take your asthma medicine, take your prescription with you! Having proof in writing from a doctor that states the item is a medical necessity can eliminate security hassles.
Stay away from smoke if you have asthma. Smoke can trigger an asthma attack. Make sure to stay away from chemical fumes and cigarette smoke whenever possible. The more you are exposed to fumes, vapors and smoke, the more likely you are to have an asthma attack. If you live with or near a smoker, find a way to politely ask that they not smoke around you or your living spaces.
While using an inhaler can potentially cause mouth or gum sores, it is still important to use it daily if you suffer from severe asthma. Always brush and gargle as soon as you’ve finished using your inhaler to prevent mouth infections.
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.
Visit at least two different doctors. Your PCP can be the person you go to for help with asthma, but it’s also a good idea to talk to a specialist. Nutritionists, allergists, and pulmonologists are just some of the advisers who can change your life for the better.
You have to know the proper way to use an inhaler if you suffer from asthma. It is not as simple as spraying it into your mouth and breathing in. Every time you spray the inhaler, deeply inhale for a couple seconds. If you have asthma, there’s no way around it: you need to get familiar with the right method of using your inhaler.
If you do have an asthma attack, make sure to stay calm. Wait half a minute and try the inhaler one more time. If this does not lessen the attack, get help quickly. Gesture to someone to call 911 if you can’t speak, or have them drive you to the nearest hospital. Breathe into a paper bag, which will reduce your breathing rate during the trip.
If you have asthma, schedule checkups ever few months with your doctor to stay on top of your condition. This will give your doctor a chance to assess your current asthma condition, and make any needed adjustments to your medication. You are in charge of scheduling your visits with your physician in order for him or her to properly take care of you.
Talk to your physician if you feel your symptoms aren’t improving. As much as possible, take steps to use these tips to manage your symptoms, and improve life quality.
If you are going to be painting in your house, wear a mask, as it will protect you from harmful fumes. Not surprisingly, paint fumes are a known irritant for asthma. Specially designed masks can filter out these fumes. Do not go use certain chemicals that will make your asthma worse.