Asthma is a serious medical condition that can affect anyone, from a teenager to a senior citizen. Going to the doctor is, of course, the appropriate first step, but you should also be vigilant about paying attention to signs that may mean your condition is worsening. There are several ways you can reduce your asthma symptoms, and your chances of having an attack, and this article explains those to you.
Cleaning products can trigger an asthma attack, so try to keep your exposure to them to a minimum. Many chemicals that are in these products can cause the triggering of asthma attacks. Use natural cleaners instead of chemical cleaners to reduce your chances of asthma attacks after cleaning.
If your child has asthma, do not smoke cigarettes near them. Secondhand smoke can actually cause asthma to appear. If your child is in an area where people are smoking, remove him quickly to avoid an asthma attack.
Asthma is a chronic condition that is ongoing over time, and as such, will require a continual treatment and management regimen. Ensure you’re taking the proper medications in order to manage everyday asthma symptoms. In addition, you should have a quick-fix medication handy in the event you suffer from an attack. A variety of options are available for the treatment of asthmatic attacks. Consult your doctor and an allergist.
Cleaning products should be avoided when you have asthma. 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. There are many all-natural organic cleaning products available that may help eliminate asthmatic problems.
If the room that you’re in is dusty, do not turn on a fan. Turning on a fan is going to cause the dust to leave its surface and begin filling the air of your environment. Encourage air to flow throughout the room by just opening a nearby window or door.
If you’re suffering from an asthma attack that’s moderate or mild, then work to force all the air you can from your lungs. Exhale quickly and forcefully. Push that air from your lungs with all that you’ve got! Inhale in a series of three, or three shallow breaths and one deep breath. After your lungs are filled with air, forcefully exhale again. Not only will you breathe in rhythm, but you’ll focus more intently on how you are breathing and become aware of breathing problems. It will also help to get the air to come out of the lungs so more can come in. This may cause you to cough or it may cause phlegm, but your breathing will be back to normal again.
If you are an asthmatic who also has allergies, injected allergy medication may be just the thing you need to get relief. Your allergist may recommend a variety of medications to control your reactions and the onset of asthma.
Chemical Fumes
Always use your inhaler in the proper manner. Find a good place and follow all of the directions that have been provided by the maker of the product. The medicine in the inhaler only works if it actually makes it to your lungs. Inhale air while spraying the necessary amount of medication into your mouth. Don’t exhale for ten seconds so that the medicine can go through your lungs.
If you have asthma, avoid cigarette smoke of all kinds. Refrain from smoking! Stay away from vapors and chemical fumes, too. Chemical fumes will trigger asthma attacks that you won’t be able to put an end to. If others are smoking and you are nearby, get away from them immediately.
If you have asthma and cannot get health insurance, see a social worker. Asthma medications are never cheap, but it’s vital that you receive them and that is the social worker’s goal. He or she will deal with the clinics directly in efforts to remedy the situation.
Leukotriene inhibitors can help control the symptoms of asthma. Leukotriene inhibitors are used to prevent things called leukotrienes. Leukotriene, a chemical substance, can provoke an inflammation that causes an asthma attack. If you get a leukotriene inhibitor, it can get rid of them in the air and help you with asthma symptoms.
Make sure that you and your loved ones get a flu vaccination yearly. It is a good idea to avoid all respiratory infections when you have asthma. It’s important to take the standard precautions against these illnesses, such as hand washing and vaccinations.
Use the inhaler the right way. A lot of people use inhalers improperly, so be sure that you’re adhering to the manufacturer’s suggested instructions. The inhaler will only reduce symptoms if the medication can get to your lungs. Inhale deeply and spray the correct dose into your mouth. It is then necessary to hold the breath for about ten seconds to give the medication time to work in your lungs.
If you are someone who suffers from asthma, you should consider buying a dehumidifier for your home. By decreasing the humidity you have in your home, it will decrease the dust mites, which will then decrease your asthma from flaring up. Dehumidifiers work by pulling the moisture out of the air of your home.
You might want to purchase a dehumidifier to use at home if you have asthma. A reduction in humidity will also lessen the amount of dust mites in your home. This lessens the chance of an asthma flare up. Dehumidifiers reduce attacks in your home by making the air cleaner and drier.
If you’ve got asthma, don’t smoke or be near smokers. Inhaling smoke from tobacco products can compromise your lung function, which then makes you more susceptible to an attack. The risk of an attack from cigarette smoke is increased as the space you are in decreases.
Hay Fever
Keep your home free of dust and other triggers, especially where the person who suffers from asthma sleeps. Only eat in the kitchen, and never let anyone smoke inside the house. After you clean, let the house air out completely, and stay away from using any harsh chemicals (especially bleach) inside.
Hay fever and colds can worsen asthma symptoms so prepare to need increased treatments. An increase in treatment is necessary sometimes because side effects of other sicknesses can cause your asthma symptoms to flare up. Your doctor may prescribe a new medicine or change the dose of your existing medication until the hay fever or cold passes.
Receiving a flu shot annually is very important if you or a loved one are asthmatic. Get yearly vaccinations to keep these potential infections at bay.
Don’t miss your appointment for an asthma checkup simply because you aren’t currently having any problems with your condition. Asthma can flare-up at any time, and you never know, perhaps your doctor has safer or better medications which can help your symptoms.
Make sure that your rescue medication is at hand at all times during your travels. It’s easy to get thrown off your regular eating and sleeping routine while traveling, which strains your body and increases your vulnerability to asthma attack triggers. You also have little control over your surroundings as you travel, and this may result in an increase in symptoms or frequency of attacks.
Asthma takes a long time to develop and doesn’t yield obvious symptoms. There are some cases reported that were so severe that a person died from one asthma attack when they didn’t even know they were considered at risk. Given that fact, if you have any kind of consistent cough or respiratory ailments, consulting a physician for testing is a good idea, since you want to know if you are suffering from asthma and if so, what to do about it.
Go to your regular medical check-ups, even if your condition seems under control. A flare up can come at any time and your doctor can always look into safer medications for your particular symptoms.
Asthma is a serious condition. Keep your asthma under control and have a fast-acting inhaler to avoid a possibly fatal asthma attack. This can include keeping a rescue inhaler with you at all times and reducing the allergens and dust present in your home. If you apply the tips you’ve read here to your daily life, you should be better able to control your asthma and live more freely.
Wear a covering over your mouth and nose when you go outdoors in the colder weather. A shawl, scarf or muffler would work well. This way, the air will be warm before entering your lungs. In multiple studies, breathing cold air is linked to increased asthma attacks. This link is especially pronounced in younger children.