If you have asthma, you should learn everything you can about your condition. You are like many others. A lot of people want to learn more about asthma; however, they do not know how to go about it. What you will read in this article about the disease might surprise you.
Avoid being around any known asthma triggers. This can vary from person to person, as small particles like dust can cause asthma attacks. Others may need to avoid certain physical activities to keep from suffering an attack. Keep a journal of your attacks so that you can start to learn what your triggers are so that you can prevent flareups before they begin.
Are you informed about what type of asthma you suffer from? Being aware of your specific condition will help you combat the effects it has over your body day in and day out. An example would be to bring in your gym bag an inhaler if you happen to have exercise-induced asthma. Knowing your asthma symptom patterns will help keep you safe.
If you have been diagnosed with asthma, you must avoid cigarette smoke at all costs. Asthmatics should also never smoke. Never breathe in chemical fumes or vapors. A severe asthma attack can be life threatening. If others are smoking and you are nearby, get away from them immediately.
Cleaning products can trigger an asthma attack, so try to keep your exposure to them to a minimum. The chemicals in many cleaning products will trigger asthma attacks or symptoms. If you do the cleaning in your house, use natural solutions that are safer for you to breath in.
If you find that you are in a dusty room, do not put on any type of fan. The wind will move dust around and get into your airways causing an attack. If possible, open a window to increase the flow of air into the room.
Asthma is a continuous disease that needs ongoing management. You need to keep taking your medications to control the asthma symptoms every day, and if an attack should occur, you should have quick relief medication at your disposal. See your doctor or allergist to find out which treatment plan is best for your situation.
If allergies lead to constant attacks from your asthma, there has been a recent solution that is administered via injection that provides long term care! Your allergist might recommend Omalizumab, which is an antibody type medicine that can regulate your symptoms of allergic reactions.
Asthma Attacks
Leukotriene inhibitors can help control the symptoms of asthma. These work by preventing the formation of leukotrienes. Leukotriene, a chemical substance, can cause asthma attacks by causing inflammation. If you use an inhibitor, you may find that the your asthma attacks significantly decrease.
A leukotriene inhibitor may be an excellent way for you to deal with asthma. A leukotriene inhibitor helps to prevent leukotrienes. The chemical leukotriene is a common cause of inflammation in the lungs which in turn, can trigger asthma attacks. The inhibitor will prevent leukotrienes, which can decrease the amount of asthma attacks that you have.
Make sure you are using your inhaler properly. Find a quiet secluded area so that you can calmly take the inhaler as directed by the instructions from the manufacturer. Proper use delivers the medication to your lungs. Spray the stated dose of medicine into your mouth as you inhale. Then hold it and try not to breathe for a minimum of 10 seconds. This will give enough time for the medication to properly fill out your lungs.
If you are dealing with asthma, you would benefit from buying a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier will reduce attacks by taking extra humidity and, by extension, dust mites and other debris out of your air. A dehumidifying device reduces the moisture in the air.
It has been shown that use of four or more different kinds of cleaning products can raise the risk of asthma attacks. Choose instead organic products that are not filled with harmful chemicals.
It has been shown that if you use multiple varieties of cleaning products around your house, it will increase the chance of an asthma attack. Opt for organic cleaning products that do not contain irritating chemicals.
If you are an asthma patient, be sure to stay away from people who smoke, even if you are not a smoker yourself. 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.
Scented Products
If you suffer from asthma, it is best to buy unscented products. Products that contain strong scents, like incense, perfume, or air freshener can trigger an asthma attack just by lingering in the air. An asthma sufferer’s airways can feel irritated by odors such as fresh paint or new carpeting. Strive to maintain an indoor environment that is free from these pollutants, keeping the air fresh.
Scented products could cause averse reactions to asthma sufferers. It is safest to use unscented products when possible. Scented products such as air fresheners and perfumes can trigger an asthma attack. Other asthma irritants include fresh paint fumes and new carpeting. Aim to keep the air as fresh as possible indoors.
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 only be eaten in the kitchen area, and whatever you do, please don’t smoke. Don’t use bleach or harsh chemicals inside, and air out the house as much as possible after cleaning.
You should be ready to increase asthma treatments if you suffer from hay fever or a cold. Many illnesses have side effects which can cause your asthma to get much worse, leading your doctor to increase treatment. Your family doctor may recommend adding another treatment or medication to your current regimen until you recover from your illness.
If you’re suffering from a cold or allergies, you should talk to your doctor about taking additional asthma medication. A lot of illnesses can cause your asthma to flare up very badly, resulting in the necessity to increase asthma treatment. The doctor may choose to pursue additional treatment options during your illness as well.
Figure out your asthma triggers. Once you know what they are, you can change your lifestyle to prevent asthma attacks. If you can’t avoid a trigger, you can pack your inhaler, take allergy pills or engage in other preventive measures so you don’t have an attack. Most asthma sufferers have a few common triggers such as smoke, pet dander or pollen. Do your best to avoid coming into contact with substances that you know will trigger your symptoms.
While traveling, always keep emergency asthma medication on hand and close by. When you travel, you sometimes strain your body a little more than you think, which can make you a bit more susceptible to having asthma attacks. It is also difficult to control your environment while traveling, making it more likely that you may experience an attack or worsening symptoms.
Even if you have not had any recent breathing problems, you should nonetheless schedule regular checkups. A flare up can come at any time and your doctor can always look into safer medications for your particular symptoms.
Mold and mildew grow in a home due to the humidity that creates a friendly environment for them. These can very easily cause an attack. Therefore, it can benefit you to ensure your home stays as dry as possible. Whenever you use a heater, you should use a dehumidifier, and air conditioning will help in the summer.
There are support groups available to you, both in person or on the Internet. Asthma can be devastating and lead to lethargy and withdrawal from normal life – especially if it is quite severe. By getting involved in a support group you will also be speaking with other sufferers who may know of new scientific discoveries and treatment plans you may not be aware of.
It is crucial that you know how to properly use your asthma treatments, particularly rescue inhalers. Asthma typically is treated so that the sufferer has a regular maintenance medication, but is also prescribed a rescue medication, like an inhaler. Asthma lasts a lifetime, so you must manage your treatment and lifestyle to ensure you’re taking the best care of yourself.
Your home can be the cause of your asthma and its triggers. These include mold, dust and spores. Have an inspector who focuses on allergens and irritants come into your home once a year to help you detect what you have and learn how to remove it. Also, cleaning your house can help with this buildup.
Asthma develops gradually, and its symptoms may not be very noticeable. In a lot of cases, people die from an asthma attack because they didn’t know they had the condition. Because of this, persistent respiratory problems need to be checked out by a doctor, who may prescribe medication to treat existing symptoms or prevent new ones from appearing.
Avoid cold-induced asthma attacks by protecting your mouth and nose with a scarf. This will warm the air that you breathe before it enters your lungs. In multiple studies, breathing cold air is linked to increased asthma attacks. This link is especially pronounced in younger children.
If you are cleaning, you should use a mop that is damp instead of a dry broom. Sweeping the floor kicks up dust and other debris that can set off an attack of your asthma. When you need to dust, do so with a damp rag instead of a feather duster so that you reduce spreading around anything that will trigger your asthma.
Although it is wise to use your inhaler as needed, be aware that the medication itself may cause problems with gums and teeth. Always brush and gargle as soon as you’ve finished using your inhaler to prevent mouth infections.
People that experience asthma must stay indoors as often as they can when pollen is abundant. While asthma isn’t an allergy, many allergy irritants can affect it. Many areas provide air quality information publicly, allowing you to stay indoors when the air outside is poor.
As stated above, plenty of asthma sufferers want to learn more about their condition. This article’s purpose was to provide you with the necessary information you can use in order to ease any stress that is associated with asthma. Make use of this information in your everyday life, and you will soon realize that asthma is not such a difficult thing to deal with after all.
If you are an asthma sufferer, it is crucial that you are using your inhaler the proper way. When you spray the inhaler into your mouth, you cannot just lightly inhale. You must breathe deeply for at least a few seconds when using your inhaler. An inhaler is not of much use if you aren’t taking it correctly.