Any medical condition that makes it difficult to breathe–especially asthma–has the potential to be absolutely terrifying. Asthma may be quite restrictive and an attack can occur without warning, resulting in a life threatening situation. To figure out where asthma attacks come from and what you can do to reduce your risk and manage your asthma condition, take a look at the helpful advice below.
If you are an asthma patient, do not expose yourself to vapors, fumes and cigarette smoke. Stay away from jobs that would expose you to toxic or heavy vapors, and refrain from any tobacco use.
Do you know what sub-type of asthma you’re plagued with? Understanding the specifics of your asthma will help you to avoid attack triggers in your day-to-day life. Those whose asthma is exacerbated by exercise will know to always have an inhaler on hand. If you are familiar with your symptoms and their patterns, you will be better able to avoid emergencies.
If asthma is something that you are afflicted with, then don’t smoke or immediately quit. Smoking is a terrible habit but it’s even worse for someone who suffers from asthma as it decreases the amount of oxygen that gets to your lungs.
If you are afflicted with asthma, it is critical that you don’t smoke. Smoking is, of course, unhealthy for anyone. The habit is even more dangerous for asthma patients, however, because anything that reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the lungs can trigger an attack.
It is imperative that you do your best to avoid cleaning chemicals if you are asthmatic. A lot of agents in cleaners tend to trigger asthma attacks and symptoms. There are many natural alternatives you can use to clean your home, instead of using harsh chemicals.
Keep away from any and everything that you know triggers your asthma attacks. Many asthma suffers find that dust or pollen can trigger an attack. Or, you may need to avoid certain activities that overexert your body. Try to figure out when your asthma began so it can be avoided.
There are medications that can unknowingly cause asthma-like symptoms. Aspirin is an example of a widely used medicine that can cause asthma problems. Some medications for blood pressure and heart disease – those referred to as beta blockers – can also exacerbate asthma problems. If you have any of these conditions along with your asthma, make sure you tell your doctor.
Certain prescription medications have the potential to cause asthma symptoms. Various NSAIDs and aspirin have been reported to do this. Beta blockers, such as those used to control high blood pressure or heart disease may also have this effect. 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.
If you are dealing with asthma, keep far away from cigarette smoke. If you smoke, try quitting. Don’t breathe vapor or chemical fumes. Inhaling these substances may trigger an unstoppable asthma attack. Leave a room if people smoke, or ask them to stop.
If you find yourself in a room that is dusty, don’t turn on any kind of fan. This could trigger an asthma attack because this will move the dust around. Instead, you should consider opening a window to get some fresh clean air going through your lungs.
Don’t turn on any fans if you see that your room is dusty. All this does is circulate the dust, which is an invitation to triggering an otherwise avoidable asthma attack. Encourage air to flow throughout the room by just opening a nearby window or door.
If your asthma attacks are severe, you may want to speak with your doctor about a long lasting injection of medication to control your symptoms. Omalizumab is a mediation that is able to control allergic reaction symptoms.
Be sure you and your family members get a yearly flu vaccination. People who have been diagnosed with asthma should exercise extreme diligence in avoiding other respiratory conditions. Take the right steps to stop yourself from getting sick, wash your hands and get the right vaccines.
Social Worker
People who have asthma should stick to using unscented products. Products that contain fragrance, such as perfumes, colognes, or air fresheners, fill the air with irritants that can trigger an asthma attack. You should also avoid fresh paints or new carpets, as they give off fumes that can irritate the airway. Try to maintain the air in your house as free from possible asthma triggers as possible.
If you have asthma and lack the health insurance coverage to deal with asthma treatment, talk to a social worker. Having the financial ability to purchase your asthma medications is essential, and a social worker can help you locate a hospital or clinic that can provide you with these medications for free or at a significantly reduced rate.
Keep all your doctors appointments even if your asthma symptoms aren’t bothering you. You don’t know when you could have another flare-up, or if there are better or safer medications available.
Be sure you and your family members get a yearly flu vaccination. Make sure you do your best in avoiding respiratory infections at all costs if you have asthma. This means you should also be sure to wash your hands frequently and get vaccinated.
A lot of the main causes, and triggers, of asthma may exist right in your home. Dander, dust and mold are all commonly found in many homes. To stay healthy and reduce the chance of asthma attacks, you should have an inspector visit your house yearly to remove these harmful agents. You can help keep your house safe from these harmful substances by regularly cleaning and dusting your home.
If you have asthma, avoid people who are smoking. When you breathe in smoke, especially in small spaces, it diminishes breathing ability, which greatly increases the probability of an asthma attack.
Humidity is a problem in the home, because it creates conditions that are perfect for mildew and mold growth. You can get asthma attacks because of these substances. So try your best to make your home 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.
If you deal with asthma in your life, always choose products that are free of scents. If you are using scented products like perfume, incense, or air fresheners you should up the level of air pollution in your home. Certain things in the home, such as newly installed carpet or fresh paint, can also release chemical irritants. Keep your indoor air as clean as you can.
Making mouth and nose coverings such as mufflers, shawls or scarves a routine part of your winter wardrobe can help you ward off asthma attacks. This helps warm the air prior to it entering your lungs. Breathing cold air can trigger severe asthma attacks. This is especially true for young children with asthma.
Whenever you travel, always keep your rescue inhaler or other fast-acting medication by your side at all times. The stress of travel may temporarily weaken your body and make you more vulnerable to attack triggers. You also have little control over your environment when traveling, which can make you more susceptible to an attack and symptoms of greater severity.
If you are flying with your asthma medications, especially a large piece of equipment such as a nebulizer, be sure to bring along a written prescription from your doctor. You’ll speed up the process of going through security if you have written proof that shows that the items are necessary.
You can also die from asthma if you do not manage and treat it properly. If you use this information you can help manage asthma and breathe more effectively.
See how many times a week you typically use the rescue inhaler. 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. Remembering the times you use the inhaler provides a good way to keep checking your environment, as well as other things in your plan to manage your asthma.