There is no joking when it comes to asthma and the damage it can cause upon its victims. 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 contains several tips and methods to help manage your asthma.
If you are an asthma sufferer, you should refrain from smoking or being around any vapors or fumes. Thus, you need to avoid cigarettes and cigars and be vigilant about steering clear of environmental or workplace exposure to smoke.
If you suffer from asthma, don’t smoke or expose yourself to smoke, fumes or vapors. Stay far away from any tobacco products. You should also consider where you work, as factories may expose you to harmful vapors or smoke.
Asthmatics should not smoke. If you smoke – quit immediately. Although smoking is terrible for everyone, it is even worse for an asthma sufferer due to less oxygen supply in the lungs and that can trigger an attack.
Do you know what type of asthma you have? Particular cases of asthma can respond differently to the same treatment, so you need to know all that you can about your case to treat it most effectively. If you have exercised-induced asthma, for example, you’ll want to bring your inhaler with you to the gym or other locations where you might be involved in physical activity. Knowing symptom patterns will help you prevent emergencies.
Don’t turn on any fans if you see that your room is dusty. Turning on a fan is going to cause the dust to leave its surface and begin filling the air of your environment. It would be better to just open a window if you are needing to get some airflow.
Avoid anything that can trigger your asthma. For many people, allergens such as dust and pollen can induce an attack. Some people get attacks after being physically active. Try to figure out when your asthma began so it can be avoided.
If you have asthma that is not covered by health insurance, contact someone in a government agency, like a social worker. Affording asthma medication is important for handling the illness, and social workers can find places the offer the medicine at low costs.
There are certain types of household cleaning products that can trigger asthma attacks, and using multiple products is particularly dangerous. Use organic products as often as possible, as these contain fewer harsh chemicals.
If you suffer from asthma, be sure your diet includes lots of Vitamins C and E. It is widely believed that these vitamins can help control asthma symptoms by improving lung function. You can take a supplement in order to get these vitamins if there is not enough of them in your food. The vitamins work to strengthen your immunities, thereby warding off sicknesses that tend to exacerbate asthma.
Cigarette Smoke
IF you have asthma, you should consider buying a dehumidifier. Decreasing the humidity in the house decreases dust mites, which decreases asthma flare ups. Dehumidifiers keep the air in your home dry by eliminating humidity.
Stay away from cigarette smoke, even if it’s secondhand. You can suffer an asthma attack if you are around cigarette smoke because it makes your lungs function poorly. You are even more exposed to an attack when the smoke is in a closed-in room or area.
If you have asthma, it is imperative that you stay away from smokers. 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.
Avoid feather pillows if you suffer from asthma. The feathers can make it harder to breathe right and trigger an attack. The same rule holds true for bedding. Choose sheets and a comforter that are constructed from materials known for being hypoallergenic.
If you’ve been diagnosed with asthma, be sure to get flu shots every year. This is doubly important for asthmatic children. Stave off as many of these infections as possible by getting vaccinated every year.
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.
Make sure you know what triggers asthma attacks so you can either avoid those triggers or be prepared to manage your asthma symptoms. The majority of asthma sufferers suffer attacks when exposed to some common trigger, including allergens or cigarette smoke. Whenever possible, avoid those substances that trigger either symptoms or full-blown attacks.
Support Group
If you have asthma, use a pillow that doesn’t have feathers in it. The feathers can make asthma worse and take away from your ability to breathe. Also, make sure your other bedding is made with hypoallergenic materials.
Join an online or offline support group. Asthma can be quite debilitating, especially if the asthma is severe, and this condition can interfere with daily life. By joining a support group, you will be able to discuss new scientific breakthroughs or treatment alternatives with those who are interested.
In the winter, cover your mouth and nose with a scarf or shawl to prevent asthma attacks. This warms the air before you bring it into your lungs. Studies have indicated that asthma attacks are sometimes triggered when cold air is inhaled. This is especially true for young children who have asthma that is moderate to severe.
Some of asthma’s major triggers can be right in your home. These include dust, mold and spores. 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. In addition, cleaning the house regularly can greatly contribute to keeping these substances from building up.
If you’re flying and bringing along your asthma medications, bring a doctor’s written 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.
Humidity in your home causes an environment where mildew and mold are more likely to grow. This stuff can easily set off an asthma attack. Therefore, it can benefit you to ensure your home stays as dry as possible. Use a dehumidifier during the winter time so that you can keep humidity in control when you use a heater. You can use the air conditioning in your household during summer time to get the same affect.
Make note of how often, on a weekly basis, you use your inhaler. You should not have to rely on a rescue inhaler more than twice per week. If you find yourself needing it more often, it could be a sign that your asthma is not being controlled well or that there is a new environmental factor causing attacks more frequently. Counting how many times you reach for your inhaler can be a good aid to remind you of what environments you need to control and what else you may need to manage.
When it’s colder, wear a shawl, scarf or muffler that will cover your mouth and nose to avoid asthma attacks. This will warm the air before it enters your lungs. Studies have indicated that asthma attacks are sometimes triggered when cold air is inhaled. This is especially true for young children who have asthma that is moderate to severe.
When you clean your floors, do so with a wet mop instead of a broom. Sweeping can stir up some asthmatic triggers that will exacerbate your symptoms. Dusting with a damp cloth rather than a feather duster can be a considerable help in reducing the amount of dust and other things that might start an attack.
Asthma is a medical condition that tends to slowly develop over time, and the symptoms are not always that obvious. In fact, some people who didn’t even realize they had asthma died as a result of their initial attack. That is why it is important to check regularly with your doctor and always point out if you are having any kind of breathing problems or related symptoms. With the proper medical attention, you can prevent attacks and keep asthma under control.
For people with serious asthma, exposure to household pets should be limited. Even sufferers not allergic to a certain animal need to remember that dust and pollen on the animals can still trigger an attack.
It is important to track how often you use your fast-acting inhaler each week. If your records start to show you need the inhaler more than two times weekly, your environment might be causing you problems or your asthma is not being controlled as well as it could be. How often an inhaler is used can help to monitor the environment.
Allergens, pollen and other irritants can collect in your linens and aggravate your asthma. Wash sheets on a weekly basis to rid them of allergens. Use hot water to wash the sheets. You should also wash pillowcases. Fresh bed linens, laundered on a regular basis, will keep you breathing clearly and easily at night while you slumber.
If you think that your asthma is becoming worse, go to your doctor. Also, apply these tips as much as you can so that you can have fewer symptoms and have a higher quality of life.
You need to be educated in properly using your inhaler if you suffer from asthma. You cannot just spray it in your mouth and lightly inhale. You must breathe deeply in conjunction with the spray. If you have asthma, there’s no way around it: you need to get familiar with the right method of using your inhaler.