Dealing with asthma is difficult, but if you manage it properly you can lead a fulfilled life. Many solutions can be efficient in your situation. This article provides ways to make the most of life with asthma.
You should avoid smoking at all costs and being exposed to vapors and perfumes if you suffer from asthma. You should avoid all tobacco products. You also need to consider where you see employment. If you have asthma, you should not work in areas where you will be exposed to smoke or vapors as they could cause you to have an asthma attack.
What type of asthma do you suffer from? You can learn to combat the life changing effects of asthma by understanding your specific type. One example of this is exercise-induced asthma. This type of asthmatic will need to carry his inhaler with him when he goes for a run. Knowing when an asthma attack is likely to strike can help you avert disaster.
What triggers your asthma? Understanding the specifics of your asthma will help you to avoid attack triggers in your day-to-day life. People who suffer from exercise-induced asthma will need to make sure that they have an inhaler with them inside of their gym bag. You can avoid a crisis by knowing your symptoms’ patterns.
Keep away from any and everything that you know triggers your asthma attacks. Certain asthma sufferers experience attacks when they around around allergy triggers, such as dust or pollen. Others find themselves suffering from attacks when they overexert themselves. Determine what your trigger is so you can easily avoid an attack.
Avoid anything that can trigger your asthma. This could be something you’re allergic to like pollen or dust. Others may need to avoid certain physical activities to keep from suffering an attack. Figure out what sets off your asthma so you can avoid it.
Asthma is a disease that is continuous. As such, it requires long-term health management. Always be very sure that you’re taking the right type of medication for your condition if you hope to control it. It’s also important to have a quick-relief medication available. Discuss treatment strategies with both your primary care physician and your allergist.
Certain prescription medications have the potential to cause asthma symptoms. Aspirin and other NSAIDs are known to be asthma triggers. You should also pay attention to heart medications you may take, or ones that treat abnormal blood pressure. Talk to a doctor if you have any of these conditions along with asthma.
If you are having an asthma attack (mild or moderate), you need to try to force air out of the lungs. Breathe out fast and hard. Force your lungs to expel as much air as possible. Do your inhalations in triple bursts of short breaths, and then follow with final deep inhalation so that you fill your lungs comfortably, before exhaling with vehemence once more. Not only will you breathe in rhythm, but you’ll focus more intently on how you are breathing and become aware of breathing problems. By repeatedly forcing air out, you make room for new air so that your breathing can get back on track. You might start coughing, and some sputum may come up, but this is no problem and your focus is to get back into a relaxed, rythmic breathing pattern again.
If you are experiencing a moderately severe attack, try to first exhale completely. Exhale quickly and hard. Force your lungs to expel as much air as possible. 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 gives your breathing a rhythm and makes you focus on your breathing. It also voids your lungs of old air so that new air can enter. If you cough or produce sputum, don’t worry. Just remain focused on your objective, which is to regain a normal rate of breathing.
Respiratory Infection
Asthma patients without health insurance can get help by asking a social worker and getting access to programs with the resources asthma patients need. It is crucial that you be able to pay for your asthma medications, and a social worker might be able to locate a hospital or clinic for you that offers medications at a much cheaper price.
Asthmatics should have a flu shot every year to prevent contracting a serious respiratory infection. You do not want to have a respiratory infection if you have asthma. To do this you must take extra precautions against getting sick, like washing your hands often and getting vaccinated every year.
You might want to purchase a dehumidifier to use at home if you have asthma. By bringing down the humidity level, it will reduce dust mites and reduce asthma flare-ups. A dehumidifier works to dry the air by removing moisture.
If you are dealing with asthma, make sure you take lots of Vitamins E and C. These vitamins have been known to improve the function of the lungs and reduce some asthma symptoms. Either find a good vitamin supplement to take, or change your diet to include more foods rich in Vitamins E and C. These vitamins will also help prevent illnesses by boosting your body’s immune system.
Travel with your rescue medication on your person at all times. Travel adds stress on your physical body, and it might increase your chances of falling prey to asthma triggers. You can’t control the weather or the environment when you travel, so keep in mind you are more vulnerable to symptoms and attacks when you go to a new area.
If you suffer from asthma, don’t expose yourself to secondhand smoke. The functionality of your lungs can be dramatically impaired if you inhale tobacco smoke, especially in areas with little ventilation, and you run a greater risk of attack.
If traveling by plane with your asthma equipment or medications, always carry your written prescription with you to avoid problems. Having proof that it belongs to you and is medically necessary will make the security check easier.
Pay attention to your symptom triggers. The more aware of your triggers you become, the easier it will be to avoid them and reduce the number of attacks you suffer. The majority of people suffering from asthma have several common triggers, like pet dander, smoke or pollen. Avoid these things when you can to breathe easier.
Inhalers are important to use every day, but be aware that inhalers have been known to cause infections near the teeth and gums. Brushing or gargling immediately after use can help reduce the risk of infection and other problems.
If you are an asthma patient, you may want to sleep with a pillow that does not contain feathers. Feather can decrease lung function and trigger asthma symptoms. The same can be said for bedding, try to get hypoallergenic comforters and sheets.
Smoking is particularly bad for people with asthma. A lot of people know smoking is bad, but with asthma, it can be even worse. The lungs of someone with asthma are irritated by smoking, whether by that person or someone nearby.
As this article shows, you can control the symptoms of asthma and keep on with your daily routine. Having asthma does not mean that your life has ended; if you develop a strategy on how to cope with it, you will live a much more satisfying life.
If you find yourself relying on your rescue inhaler more often than twice weekly, it may be necessary to speak with your doctor about changing medication. Frequent asthma attacks indicate that your inhaled medication isn’t keeping your asthma under control. This also goes for refills. If you find yourself refilling your inhaler in excess of twice a year, then you need to change medications.