Asthma is a chronic condition that leads to difficulty breathing and can limit the types of activities you can participate in. However, when you are treated properly and know how to deal with you asthma, you can manage it and live a fulfilling life. Read this article to learn more about strategies you should use.
Do you know what sub-type of asthma you’re plagued with? You can learn to combat the life changing effects of asthma by understanding your specific type. For example, if your asthma is brought on by bronchitis, you should keep your rescue inhaler with you during times when you are sick. If you are familiar with your symptoms and their patterns, you will be better able to avoid emergencies.
What kind of asthma do you have? Being aware of your specific condition will help you combat the effects it has over your body day in and day out. If your asthma is triggered by exercise, throw an inhaler into your gym bag. You can actually start preventing asthma attacks if you are aware and mindful of any patterns that your symptoms present.
It is important that you try to stay clear of cleaning products if you have asthma. Many chemicals that are in these products can cause the triggering of asthma attacks. When you are tidying your home consider using natural products that are effective for cleaning rather than traditional cleansers.
If you have asthma, avoid cigarette smoke of all kinds. Don’t smoke! It is also a good idea to stay away from the fumes or vapors from harsh chemicals, such as those used in cleaning. Chemical fumes will trigger asthma attacks that you won’t be able to put an end to. If you see people smoking in your vicinity, you should get away from them as soon as possible.
There are some medications that may contribute to asthma symptoms. Among these medications are aspirin and other NSAIDs. You should also pay attention to heart medications you may take, or ones that treat abnormal blood pressure. Make sure your physician is aware of all of your chronic conditions and any medications you are on so they can treat your asthma appropriately.
If you have asthma and suffer persistent attacks caused by allergy symptoms, an injectable medicine can be administered for extended relief. One antibody medication available is called Omalizumab and can be prescribed by your doctor or allergist.
Get a flu shot every season and make sure your family does as well. If you are afflicted with asthma, avoid getting any infections if possible. This includes taking standard precautions against illness, like hand washing, as well as getting vaccinations that can keep you from getting sick.
Social Worker
You may want to consider purchasing a dehumidifier for your home if you suffer from 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 remove the humidity by drying out the air that flows through your house.
If you suffer from asthma and you are not eligible for health insurance, speak with a social worker. A social worker can possibly help you with finding treatment and low-cost medications.
If you have been diagnosed with asthma, you should avoid smoking or even being in the presence of smokers. When you inhale tobacco smoke, the lung’s function can be decreased, and you will increase the chance you have an asthma attack. Smaller areas without proper ventilation make you even more susceptible to an attack.
Ask everyone in your family to get a flu shot every year. If you are afflicted with asthma, avoid getting any infections if possible. Making sure to consistently wash your hands, and getting the proper vaccinations are two standard precautions.
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. Many things in the home release chemicals that irritate the lungs, such as newly installed carpet or fresh paint. Keep the air inside your home clean and fresh, and free of any asthma triggers.
You can help to prevent asthma attacks by maintaining a clean home, particularly the asthmatic’s bedroom. Food must only be allowed in the kitchen area, and there should be no smoking in the house at all. Once you have cleaned your house, air it out; you should also eliminate utilizing any toxic chemicals inside.
Be certain you are aware of all your asthma attack triggers so you know both how to steer clear of them and also be ready to take care of your symptoms. Smoke, pollen, or pet dander are common triggers. Make a special effort to avoid agents that bring on even minor asthma symptoms, much less a major attack.
If you have hay fever or a cold, chances are your asthma treatment will be increased. The effects of an illness can cause the severity of your asthma to temporarily increase, which necessitates a change in treatment. It is possible your doctor will want to add additional therapies to your treatment program until you are back on your feet.
Think about the benefits of joining an online or in-person support group. Asthma is a terrible condition that can prevent you from engaging in simple daily activities. 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.
If your home is damp, it can encourage the growth of mildew and mold. Mold and mildew can easily cause severe asthma attacks. Therefore, it is important to maintain a dry home. 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.
Dust and other allergens often accumulate in bed sheets. A weekly wash cycle using hot water can eliminate these potential triggers for asthma attacks. Fresh bed linens, washed regularly, will ensure that you can breathe a little easier while you sleep.
Make note of how often, on a weekly basis, you use your inhaler. If you have to use your inhaler more than twice, then our asthma is not being controlled effectively, and you may need to see your doctor for a way to get it under control again. Focusing on how often you need your inhaler makes you aware of when you need to make changes to your plan for keeping asthma under control.
If pollen is present in the air, anyone with asthma should stay inside. A lot of the same things that can bother people with allergies will bother people with asthma as well. 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.
When cleaning your house, clean floors with a wet mop instead of a broom. If you choose to sweep, you’re swirling up a tornado of dust and allergens, both of which are common triggers for asthma symptoms. Use damp rags instead of a dry feather duster so triggers won’t be filling the air.
It is important to keep away from humidifiers that have not been sanitized if you suffer from asthma or allergies. The insides of these machines get really moist and provide great breeding grounds for bacteria, which means the machines would actually be filling the air in your home with the very allergens you are seeking to avoid.
When you are trying to prevent asthma, you should avoid smoke. Smoke is a major cause of asthma attacks. Keep away from chemical fumes, chemical vapor, and tobacco smoke as much as you can. The more you are exposed to fumes, vapors and smoke, the more likely you are to have an asthma attack. Politely request that smokers abstain from smoking in your presence.
If you are an asthma sufferer, it is crucial that you are using your inhaler the proper way. It isn’t as simple as spraying your mouth with it and lightly inhaling air. Every time you spray the inhaler, breathe deeply inward for about three seconds. Neglecting to learn how to use your inhaler correctly will cause your symptoms to worsen significantly.
Serious Asthma
If you use an inhaler more than 2 times a week, talk to your doctor about a new medication potentially. This means that the medication in your inhaler is not working well enough. Another sign is needing refills 3 or more times per year on your rescue inhaler prescription.
For people with serious asthma, exposure to household pets should be limited. Animals carry pollen and dust with them and can trigger serious asthma attacks.
Educate yourself to the maximum regarding asthma. The more you educate yourself about your asthma condition, the more you are able to be proactive about your treatment. Keep current with recent developments in asthma treatment and research so that you can maintain cutting edge care in your personal case. You can only achieve this by researching your condition, as well as, the treatment options available to you.
Allergens, pollen and other irritants can collect in your linens and aggravate your 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. Sleeping with fresh bed linens will ensure you can breathe easy when you sleep.
Always wear a face mask, if you are going to do any painting, in order to protect your airways from the fumes. The fumes from paint are very irritating to the lungs of asthma sufferers, but a mask goes a long way towards filtering out these irritants. Take similar steps to avoid any chemical or other substance that tends to trigger your asthma attacks.
You want to make certain you visit more than just one doctor. Your primary physician should always be your first stop when dealing with asthma, but you may find it helpful to add a specialist’s knowledge. Asthma centers, pulmonologists, nutritionists and allergists can all work with you, making sure you are getting all the treatment you need.
Watch for signs of a serious asthma attack in order to know whether you should rush to the hospital with your child. Some signs of an attack that is very serious include blue-ish or gray fingernails and lips and increased medication use with diminished or no effect. Additionally, your child may have trouble speaking.
Try to avoid the seasonal pollen that may trigger an asthma attack. While asthma is different than allergies, often the same types of things that bother those with allergies trigger irritation in asthmatics as well. Now there’s information on local air quality available so you can monitor whether you’re going to be exposed to hard to breath air.
If you live with a person who smokes and you suffer from asthma, obviously smoking should not be permitted in your home. Anyone that needs to smoke can go outside and do so at a distance from the house. A heavy smoker can trigger someone’s asthma attack simply because they are carrying a heavy smoke scent on their clothing.
Asthma can be life threatening if not kept in check or left untreated. Always have an emergency rescue inhaler around you at all times and stay away from your triggers. Live the kind of life you want by managing your asthma symptoms with the effective tips above.
If you have a child with asthma who is under the age of five, watch for signs of an attack that require a trip to the emergency room. Some symptoms are gasping to breathe, difficulty speaking due to lacking air, etc. Any of these symptoms means you have to seek medical help for your child right away.