If you suffer from asthma, you know that this chronic condition can limit your freedom and happiness. You can manage your condition efficiently if you take the proper medication and learn effective coping skills. This article condenses those techniques into a few informative paragraphs.
Stay away from smoking, or being around any smoke, vapors or fumes. That means you have to avoid all tobacco, and seriously consider think about what jobs you take; for example, factories are probably not a healthy place for you because of all the vapors and smoke.
If asthma is something you suffer from, do not smoke or spend time around smokers, much less any source of vapors and fumes. 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.
If your child or another loved one suffers from asthma, you should be sure to never smoke cigarettes when you’re near them. It has been medically proven that smoking can cause asthma or make existing symptoms worse. Keep your child away from any area where people are smoking.
Are you informed about what type of asthma you suffer from? Knowing as much as possible about your specific type of asthma will go an incredibly long way in helping you combat the day-to-day effects it has on you. An example would be to bring in your gym bag an inhaler if you happen to have exercise-induced asthma. Knowing your asthma symptom patterns will help keep you safe.
It is important that you try to stay clear of cleaning products if you have asthma. The chemicals in many cleaning products will trigger asthma attacks or symptoms. There are many all-natural organic cleaning products available that may help eliminate asthmatic problems.
Avoid the things that trigger your asthma. Many asthma suffers find that dust or pollen can trigger an attack. For others, it may be linked to physical exertion. Try to figure out when your asthma began so it can be avoided.
There are certain medications that cause or exacerbate asthma symptoms. Not everyone knows this. Believe it or not, something as seemingly innocuous as aspirin can actually trigger symptoms. Many medications for heart disease and hypertension can also cause asthma symptoms. If you suffer from these conditions and also have asthma, be sure to let your doctor know.
Should you wind up inside a really dusty room, don’t activate any fans. While it may seem smart to get the air circulating, in reality this will only stir up the dust, making it easier to inhale and trigger an attack. A fan will just blow around dust without providing fresh air, so opening a window is a better option as it brings in fresh air and ventilation.
If you have moderate asthma attacks, exhale forcefully, so that you force air from your lungs. Exhale as quickly as possible, expelling air forcefully out of your lungs. It can’t be said too strongly: you must force the air out! Inhale a series of three quick breaths, followed by a deeper one, before exhaling with force again. This creates a rhythm to your breathing, making you pay attention to the breaths you take. By repeatedly forcing air out, you make room for new air so that your breathing can get back on track. You may generate sputum, but the primary goal is to start breathing regularly again.
If you are a person with asthma and have persistent attacks related to allergy symptoms, a medication that can be used for a long term effect is one that can be injected. Your allergist might recommend Omalizumab, which is an antibody type medicine that can regulate your symptoms of allergic reactions.
If you find yourself in a room that is dusty, don’t turn on any kind of fan. The fan will circulate the dust along with the air, which can cause it to get into your lungs and make your asthma worse. If you feel you need airflow, open a window instead.
Consider buying a dehumidifier for the home if you have asthma. Reducing the amount of humidity in your home reduces the number of dust mites, which in turn reduces the chances of your asthma flaring up. Dehumidifiers keep your home dry by keeping the humidity out.
If you are a person with asthma and have persistent attacks related to allergy symptoms, a medication that can be used for a long term effect is one that can be injected. 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, avoid people who are smoking. When you inhale smoke, especially in close quarters, lung functioning is decreased, and it can trigger an attack.
Leukotriene inhibitors may be helpful to you if you suffer from asthma. This type of inhibitor is designed to prevent leukotrienes. Leukotriene is a substance that may cause inflammation. This can make a person have an asthma attack. Get the inhibitor to prevent the leukotrienes, and your asthma attacks may drop in number.
Be certain you are aware of what triggers an asthma attack so you can avoid it, or at least be prepared to handle the symptoms. Common asthma triggers include pollen, smoke or dander. Try to avoid the things that make your asthma flare up.
Make sure that everyone in your family, including you, gets annual flu shots. Asthma patients should try their best to avoid getting respiratory infections. The easiest way to start is by performing routine hand-washing, limiting your touching of surfaces while in public places, and getting vaccinations recommended by your doctor.
Mold and mildew can thrive in a humid home environment. These can very easily cause an attack. A dry home will help you out a lot more. Using a dehumidifier during cold weather and turning on your air conditioner when the weather gets hot again can help keep humidity out of your home to ensure your asthma is under control.
Asthma attacks have been found to be more likely in homes where four or more different cleaning products are in use. Try organic cleaners that are free of irritating chemicals.
Rescue Medication
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 eat in the kitchen, and never let anyone smoke inside the house. Harsh chemicals, like bleach and ammonia, can trigger asthma.
Know the right way to take your asthma medication, and above all any rescue medication. Asthma typically is treated so that the sufferer has a regular maintenance medication, but is also prescribed a rescue medication, like an inhaler. It’s important to use both forms of medication properly to treat your chronic condition.
Most of the triggers for attacks, and causes of asthma, are found inside the home. These triggers include dust, spores and mold. Have an inspector come visit your house to remove any harmful agents that you have so that you can stay healthy and lower your risk for an asthma attack. In addition, regularly cleaning the home can stop these things from building up.
Asthma is a disease that effects the respiratory system, and can take many years to develop, often times going undetected. In some serious cases, people have dropped dead due to an asthma attack without ever knowing they had asthma in the first place. 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.
During the months that are colder, wear a shawl, muffler or scarf that will cover your nose and mouth to help you avoid asthma attacks. This will keep you from breathing cold air. Inhaling cold air can elicit an asthma attack or create other serious respiratory problems.
When you need to take your asthma supplies on an airplane, it is a good idea to bring your doctor’s prescription with you. Carrying your prescriptions along with written proof that they are medically necessary, will cut down on potential problems at the airport checkpoints.
When you are removing dust or crumbs from your floor, you should use a vacuum or damp mop to avoid scattering dust in the air. If you choose to sweep, you’re swirling up a tornado of dust and allergens, both of which are common triggers for asthma symptoms. A damp rag should be used when dusting because a feather duster can cause dust to kick up and lead to an asthma attack.
Use a mop that’s wet to clean your floors instead of a broom. Those particles that can trigger asthma attacks are stirred up when you sweep. Dusting can actually just move the dust around, sending particles into the air, and into your lungs triggering an asthma attack, so try wiping things down with a damp cloth to minimize the amount of allergens you are exposed to.
For asthma sufferers having contact with pets or other animals need to be minimized. 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.
As was mentioned before, asthma is a very serious condition that can become life-threatening if left unchecked and untreated. Never leave home without your inhaler. If there’s pollen or other allergens in the air, stay indoors as much as possible, and consider moving to an area of the country where the air is cleaner if pollution is a problem where you live. Use this advice to treat your asthma symptoms, ensuring that they do not take over your life.
Do not smoke. Most people are aware of the dangers of smoking, but for someone with asthma, the consequences are even more serious. Smoke irritates the lungs of an asthma sufferer, so avoid the presence of people who smoke if you have asthma.