Have you been diagnosed with asthma? The following article will teach you several ways to manage asthma and control symptoms.
An important part of symptom management is knowing what type of asthma you have. Being fully informed about the specific type of asthma you have is very important. 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 when an asthma attack is likely to strike can help you avert disaster.
What type of asthma are you having to deal with? One of the best ways to combat asthma and its limiting effects on your life is to know and understand as much as you can about your specific condition. People who suffer from exercise-induced asthma will need to make sure that they have an inhaler with them inside of their gym bag. If you know and understand your asthma triggers, you can better avoid and handle attacks.
If you suffer from asthma, you should avoid cleaning products that have strong odors. The complex list of ingredients on many cleaning products makes it difficult know which ones have the chemical compounds that might aggravate asthma symptoms or even initiate an attack. If you enjoy cleaning, or are the sole cleaner in the household, you are sure to be able to find one of the many natural cleaners that will be safe for your use.
Do not smoke around a child with asthma. Secondhand smoke is known to be a reason asthma happens. While making sure to never light up around your children, it is also vital that you make sure your kids are not around others who do not show the same courtesy.
Always be very mindful of the type of medications you’re taking. Some meds out there might just trigger an asthma attack. Believe it or not, something as seemingly innocuous as aspirin can actually trigger symptoms. You should also pay attention to heart medications you may take, or ones that treat abnormal blood pressure. It is important to talk openly with your doctor about your asthma so that you do not take any medications that could be harmful to you.
It is imperative that you do your best to avoid cleaning chemicals if you are asthmatic. Asthma sufferers are often sensitive to chemical cleaners; using these products can sometimes trigger asthma attacks. It is advisable to consider using products that have an organic base when cleaning.
During an attack that isn’t severe, force all air from your lungs. Exhale as quickly as possible, expelling air forcefully out of your lungs. Truly pump all air from your lungs! Follow this by breathing in three times quickly, and a fourth time deeply to ensure your lungs are filled to capacity, then exhale again as forcefully as possible. This gives your breathing a rhythm, which makes you aware of how many breaths you take. In addition, it repeatedly empties your lungs of air, so that you can draw in more oxygen-rich air. This breathing technique may cause some coughing or sputum, but it can help regulate your breathing and reduce the attack.
Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can actually trigger an asthma attack. Some NSAIDs and aspirin might do this. Some medications for blood pressure and heart disease – those referred to as beta blockers – can also exacerbate asthma problems. It is important to talk openly with your doctor about your asthma so that you do not take any medications that could be harmful to you.
Try a leukotriene inhibitor if you have asthma. These medications prevent the production of leukotrienes. Leukotriene, a chemical substance, can cause asthma attacks by causing inflammation. The inhibitor can prevent them and decrease your asthma attacks.
If you have asthma and suffer persistent attacks caused by allergy symptoms, an injectable medicine can be administered for extended relief. Omalizumab is a mediation that is able to control allergic reaction symptoms.
Lower the chances of asthma attacks by keeping a spotless home, particularly in the areas where you sleep. Keep food in a kitchen or on the dining room table, and avoid cigarette smoking inside. Try not to use bleach or other irritants inside, and always thoroughly change the air in your house after cleaning.
Be certain to properly use your inhaler. Find a quiet spot and follow the instructions the manufacturer has given. You can inhale all you want, but it’s useless if the medication doesn’t make it to your lungs. Make sure that you spray the required dosage directly into your mouth, inhaling the medication into your lungs. You should keep your breath held for 10 seconds at a minimum to let the medicated mist fill up your lungs.
When you are suffering from asthma and you have hay fever or a cold, you will most likely need an increase in your treatment. Make sure your doctor prescribes a fast acting inhaler for emergency situations. Your doctor may need to add new treatments to your typical asthma regimen until you are well.
When suffering from asthma, there are vitamins that can help, including E and C. These vitamins can help improve your lung function, ultimately controlling asthma. You are able to get these vitamins either from food or a supplement. Another great benefit of vitamin C is that it will help to strengthen your immune system overall.
If your child or yourself are asthma sufferers it is very important that you get the flu shot every single year. Make sure your child’s vaccinations are up-to-date to avoid as many infections as possible.
IF you have asthma, you should consider buying a dehumidifier. Lowering the level of humidity present in your home can reduce the numbers of dust mites, a prime trigger of asthma. Dehumidifiers cause the air in your home to become dry, which means less humidity.
Keep your medication with you, especially when you are traveling. You may find that the stress of traveling makes an asthma attack more likely. It’s hard to have much control over your environment when you travel, which makes it more likely you will have some sort of symptoms or an asthma attack.
Be sure not to smoke as well as stay away from any smokers in general, this can be very harmful for you if you have asthma. If you inhale the smoke, it will harm your lungs and increase the possibility of an asthma attack. Always be mindful of this, especially in small spaces that do not have very much air flowing.
You may want to join an online or offline support group. Extremely severe asthma can be debilitating and prevent one from living a full life. Being a part of a support group can help provide you with honest information about products and helpful hints, as well as medical news.
Buy products that are unscented if you suffer from asthma. Use of scented products, such as perfume, air fresheners and incense, increase the levels of indoor air pollution and can trigger an attack. Other asthma irritants include fresh paint fumes and new carpeting. Clean your indoor air and keep it as fresh as you can.
Humidity in the home can create an environment that is ideal for mold and mildew to grow. These are harmful substances that can trigger asthma attacks. Try, then, to ensure your home is dry. 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 Triggers
Know how to properly use asthma medicine, especially your rescue medication. Asthma is generally treated with a rescue medication, usually an inhaler, in addition to a regularly-taken maintenance medication. Asthma lasts a lifetime, so you must manage your treatment and lifestyle to ensure you’re taking the best care of yourself.
You need to know what the asthma triggers are so that they can be avoided or treated promptly. Some common asthma triggers include pet dander, pollen, and cigarette smoke. Whenever possible, avoid those substances that trigger either symptoms or full-blown attacks.
Anyone with asthma needs to avoid all types of smoke when trying to decrease asthma attacks. Smoke can seriously affect the lungs and is a common asthma trigger. Avoid exposure to chemical fumes and vapors, and any type of wood or cigarette smoke. Any one of these things can aggravate asthma symptoms and cause an episode. If you live with or near a smoker, find a way to politely ask that they not smoke around you or your living spaces.
Make it a habit to always have some rescue medication available when you travel. Travel adds stress on your physical body, and it might increase your chances of falling prey to asthma triggers. It is also difficult to control your environment while traveling, making it more likely that you may experience an attack or worsening symptoms.
See more than one doctor. It’s true your primary doctor should be your main source for all your asthma help, but it may be wise to see one or two asthma specialists. You’ll want to visit an asthma center, or consult with a pulmonologist to get additional help improving your lung function. In addition, you should get tested for allergies so that you can avoid allergic reactions that trigger asthma attacks.
Even if you seem to be fine, see your doctor regularly for your asthma checkups. Your doctor may be able to prescribe more effective treatments and you may be suffering symptoms you’re not aware are related to your asthma.
Remain calm in the event of an asthma attack. Immediately use your asthma inhaler, rest for 30 seconds, then use it once more. If the inhaler does not provide immediate help, get medical help right away. Ask someone to drive you to the closest hospital or call an ambulance. Slow your breathing by inhaling and exhaling into a paper bag while you are waiting for help.
Clean your home with a wet mop instead of a broom. Sweeping can cause the rise of dust and dander, which may trigger an asthma attack. Using a damp rag instead of a feather duster when you dust will lessen the spread of these triggers.
If you decide to paint a room in your house, purchase a mask in order to keep yourself from inhaling fumes. The fumes from paint can easily cause your asthma to flare up. Having a mask will help you to prevent this. Avoid specific chemicals and substances that could worsen your asthma.
Bed Linens
The mere act of discussing your asthma condition with other people can have a soothing and positive effect. The other members can give you valuable advice on how to cope with the everyday challenges of living with asthma, and how to handle specific situations. As with anything else, having the right support system can make a difference in how asthma affects your life.
Bed linens tend to collect asthma triggers like pollen, dust and other allergens. These threats can be reduced or even eliminated by keeping your bed linens laundered every week using hot water. Sleeping with fresh bed linens will ensure you can breathe easy when you sleep.
Make sure you consume more foods with vitamin B6. Vitamin B6, known as pyridoxine, reduces the risks of getting an asthma attack. Through this research, it has been proven that pyridoxine helps produce molecules that aid in relaxing the bronchial tissue. Bananas are a great vitamin B6 source.
Don’t smoke. Most people know that smoking is unhealthy, but the consequences are even worse for someone who has asthma. Your lungs could become very irritated if you smoke, and you should avoid being around others that are smoking.
Know what symptoms indicate a serious asthma attack that requires immediate medical intervention is occurring. If your child is experiencing a serious asthma attack, you will see: increased use of medication with little or no effect, gray or bluish fingernails and/or lips. Speech may also become difficult.
Watch the pollen counts and adjust your activity accordingly to protect yourself from seasonal asthma issues. While asthma isn’t an allergy, many allergy irritants can affect it. The same air quality reports available in the local news for allergy problems can also help those with asthma issues stay indoors on particularly hazardous days.
A non-humid, clean environment will help you reduce or eliminate any asthma attacks that happen at your home. A dehumidifier is an easy way to moderate the moisture in your air. You can reduce the number of asthma attacks you suffer in the summer by controlling the humidity levels and keeping them steady.
This article offers a variety of tips and tricks for managing the symptoms of asthma. However, the most important factor is your persistence in applying them. Asthma will come back very quickly if you ignore the warning signs for as little as a short time. Use this advice to help you keep it under control.
If your child suffers from asthma and he is under five years old, be mindful of the signals of an asthma attack that would require emergency medical care. Difficulty breathing, breathing with a gasping sound and difficulty talking can all be serious signals. If you see any of these symptoms, your child is in need of immediate medical care.