It’s more common to require treatment for asthma today than it was in the past. This need has produced a variety of different asthma treatments. It is more likely than ever that you will find a therapy that works for you. Read on to learn what is currently known about the disease and how to find the treatment that best works for you.
Some asthmas are specific to certain triggers, so identify what kind you have. You can learn to combat the life changing effects of asthma by understanding your specific type. For example, if you have exercise-induced asthma, you will want to always make sure you have an inhaler in your gym bag. Knowing your symptoms’ patterns can help you avoid big problems.
What kind of asthma do you have? 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. For instance, people with exercise-induced asthma would do well to carry an inhaler in their gym bag! You will be able to prevent asthma attacks if you can recognize symptoms.
If you suffer from asthma, you should avoid cleaning products that have strong odors. A lot of agents in cleaners tend to trigger asthma attacks and symptoms. If you do the cleaning in your house, use natural solutions that are safer for you to breath in.
Asthma is a chronic condition that is ongoing over time, and as such, will require a continual treatment and management regimen. You need to always take your medications for your everyday symptoms, and keep your quick relief medication with you in case you do have an attack. Speak to your physician and allergist to find out what medications are right for you.
Cigarette smoke will make your asthma worse. Do not smoke yourself, either! Avoid exposure to chemical fumes or vapors. This can aggravate your asthma and it might not stop. The minute you spot people smoking, immediately remove yourself from the area.
If the room you are in appears to be dusty, refrain from turning on any fans. Turning on a fan is going to cause the dust to leave its surface and begin filling the air of your environment. 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. When you turn on the fans they will move the dust in the room around and this can trigger your asthma very easily. It’s better to open the window if you’re in need of fresh air.
A dehumidifier can significantly reduce the asthma attacks experienced by you or other afflicted members of your household. 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. A dehumidifier makes the air in your home dry by keeping humidity to a minimum.
Proper knowledge of how to use your inhaler is necessary if you have asthma. Find a peaceful spot, and make sure to follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer. The inhaler will only reduce symptoms if the medication can get to your lungs. While inhaling, spray the dosage in your mouth. After inhaling, it’s important that you hold the medication in by holding your breath for 10 seconds at the least.
Asthmatics should avoid being exposed to smoke, regardless if you are a smoker. Inhaled smoke from tobacco can drastically reduce lung function, increasing your chances of an asthma attack. This is especially true in closed-in areas.
If you have hay fever or a cold, you will probably need increased treatment of your asthma. The effects of an illness can cause the severity of your asthma to temporarily increase, which necessitates a change in treatment. Your doctor may prescribe a new medicine or change the dose of your existing medication until the hay fever or cold passes.
While everyone appreciates the look and feel of a clean house, asthma sufferers in particular benefit from a healthy environment as it can decrease the risk of asthma attacks, especially in a sleeping area. Food should not be eaten outside of the kitchen, and there should be no indoor smoking. If you clean with any harsh chemicals or bleach, make sure to ventilate thoroughly afterwards.
Mold and mildew thrive in homes with high humidity levels. This stuff can easily set off an asthma attack. Thus, keep the air in your home as moisture-free as possible to avoid asthma-related problems. 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.
Receiving a flu shot annually is very important if you or a loved one are asthmatic. Prevent these infections from occurring by going to get vaccinated each year.
When the weather starts to turn colder, wear a scarf or shawl that covers your mouth and nose to help prevent asthma attacks. This lets the air warm slightly before you breathe it in. Breathing in the cold air has been shown to trigger asthma attacks, especially in younger children with moderate to severe asthma.
Even if you seem to be fine, see your doctor regularly for your asthma checkups. You never know when you might suffer another flare-up, or when your doctor might have a better or safer medication to prescribe for your symptoms.
It is important to know the proper way to use asthma medication, especially the medication that is used in an emergency. Asthma is usually treated on two fronts. One is a standard medication, taken daily, and the other is an inhaler, intended for use in an emergency. Because asthma can be a lifelong issue, it is vital to take both regular and rescue medications according to the instructions.
Wear scarves, shawls and mufflers to cover your noise and mouth during colder weather. This will warm the air before it gets in your lungs. Cool air has been known to trigger an asthma attack, particularly in very young children who have severe or moderate asthma.
A lot of times asthma will develop over time, and has symptoms that aren’t always obvious. There have been a few cases where a person dies from their first attack, because they didn’t know they suffered from the condition. 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.
Using a preventative inhaler is important, but you need to know the side effects it can cause such as mouth infections. To prevent these issues, brush and use mouthwash immediately after inhaler usage.
If you are traveling by plane and must bring inhalers or nebulizers on board, you should bring a written prescription for the equipment. Written proof of needing your equipment can help you with any issues you might have in the security line.
Keep in mind that mopping your floors with a wet mop will cause less asthma problems than sweeping will. Sweeping can cause the rise of dust and dander, which may trigger an asthma attack. Dust will adhere to a wet towel instead of being loose in the air like feather dusters do where it can aggravate your asthma.
Try using a inhaler that prevents asthma every day, but you should know that one of the side effects is mouth infections of teeth and gums. Always brush and gargle as soon as you’ve finished using your inhaler to prevent mouth infections.
Your bed linens are where pollen, dust and other allergens like to collect. Clean your linen and pillow case every week to prevent asthma attacks. Fresh, laundered bedding will help you sleep that much easier at night.
Keep an asthma diary and record how often, each week, you must use a rescue inhaler. If you use it very often, you may not have it under control. If you have to use your inhaler a lot, you will know that you should more closely monitor your surroundings.
Get a second opinion. Of course your regular doctor will be the one you go to for help with your asthma, but you should also see a specialist. There are a number of different approaches used to treat asthma. See what a pulmonololist, an allergist or a nutritionist has to say about your asthma problems.
Avoiding smoke is one of the best asthma-prevention tips out there. Smoke and chemicals have been known to trigger asthma attacks. Stay away from all types of fumes as well as cigarette smoke. These can aggravate your asthma symptoms. If there’s smoke around you, ask politely for the person to stop smoking.
If you have asthma and you’re also an allergy sufferer, you must only use a vaporizer or humidifier that’s been cleaned thoroughly. Bacteria will breed rapidly due to the moisture in the machine. If you continue to use one without cleaning it correctly, you will be pushing allergens around the home, instead of the soothing humidity that you are hoping for.
Go to your doctor a few times every year to check up on your asthma, and ensure that it is being managed effectively. This person needs to have the ability to look at your current situation so that they can make any changes as necessary. Although your doctor is there to help you stay healthy and manage your asthma, your health is your responsibility. Make and keep regular doctor’s appointments so that you can keep asthma under control.
Get a breathing mask before painting in your house, so you can avoid breathing the fumes. Paint fumes are especially dangerous for asthmatic people, but a mask will prevent asthma attacks efficiently. In general practice, in fact, it is best to avoid fumes that will likely trigger an attack.
Try to strengthen yourself, and increase your lung capacity gradually. Do not try to push yourself to the limits, especially at first. This can cause an asthma attack.
Vitamin B6.
If you’re attacked by your asthma and are without your medications, try and consume some caffeine asap. The caffeine found in chocolate, coffee, soda, or black tea will aid in lessening the severity of your attack. This works by opening up your air passages and constricting blood vessels.
Consume more foods which contain vitamin B6. Vitamin B6, aka pyridoxine, is found to reduce asthma attack frequency in a lot of studies. This vitamin boosts the production of a molecule that helps bronchial tissues relax. Bananas are one of many good sources of vitamin B6.
It is important to eliminate cigarette smoking anywhere an asthma sufferer is likely to be. If there is a smoker present, they should be directed to smoke outside or away from asthma sufferers. People who are heavy smokers don’t even have to smoke; the heavy scent of smoke in their clothing can trigger asthma attacks.
If you experience three or more allergy attacks in a week, it’s likely that the medication you’re taking isn’t proper. Doctors agree that having more than two attacks a week can be dangerous.
Yearly flu vaccinations are highly recommended. Even if you haven’t had the flu in the past, it’s best to be safe and protect yourself with a vaccination. If you have asthma attacks, you have a greater chance of seriously suffering from sinus and respiratory infections of the flu.
Over time you should work to strengthen your body and increase the capacity of your lungs. A more strenuous exercise program may irritate your airways and bring on an asthma attack so you will want to proceed with caution.
A home that is clean and dry will reduce the frequency of your asthma attacks. Using a dehumidifier will control moisture levels in your house. Maintaining a steady level of humidity in your home will help you to control your attacks.
If you live with a person who smokes and you suffer from asthma, obviously smoking should not be permitted in your home. Smokers should be required to leave the premises and put significant distance between themselves and the asthma sufferer. Heavy smokers can cause severe asthma attacks in people who suffer from this condition, as they carry the smell of smoke buildup in their clothing.
If you suffer from asthma, a great piece of advice is to always ensure that you do your warm-ups prior to a strenuous exercise and your cool-downs immediately following the exercise. Doing so can help prevent an asthma attack from occurring during or after your exercise.
The above advice should have reinforced the idea that there are a variety of asthma treatments out there. You have to find a treatment that works with you. There is a lot of information available that will show the benefits of each treatment. By using these tips, you’re close to improving your asthma situation.
If you have asthma and need to use your emergency inhaler a lot, or you are getting asthma attacks at night, you need to speak to your doctor about your medication. Make sure to bring this up with your doctor.