For millions of asthma sufferers, even easy physical tasks can seem overwhelming. There are many treatments available that can make life easier. This article will give you some great tips to help you better understand asthma and how it affects you.
Asthma is a chronic condition that is ongoing over time, and as such, will require a continual treatment and management regimen. Take the proper medications for controlling your asthma daily, and keep quick relief medication somewhere on you just in case you have a sudden attack. Discuss treatment strategies with both your primary care physician and your allergist.
There are certain medications that cause or exacerbate asthma symptoms. Not everyone knows this. Some over the counter medications can irritate your asthma. The medication you take for high blood pressure can also cause asthma symptoms. Let your doctor know about your asthma and what prescriptions you’re taking.
If you are experiencing a moderately severe attack, try to first exhale completely. Exhale quickly and forcefully. Push that air from your lungs with all that you’ve got! Then take three quick breaths, next a deeper breath till your lungs fill with air, then repeat the forceful exhalation again. This will create a rhythm and will help you be aware of the way you are breathing. It also allows you to take in more air by completely emptying your lungs. You might cough hard or create mucus, but its just a sign your breathing is getting back to normal.
Asthma is a disease that is ongoing and must be attended to every day. 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. Speak to an allergist and doctor to see what’s best for you.
It is crucial that you stay away from all types of cigarette smoke if you suffer from asthma. This cannot be emphasized enough: Stay away from cigarette smoke! Don’t breathe vapor or chemical fumes. Doing so can cause an asthma attack you might not have the ability to stop. If people smoke around you, you should get away form that area.
If allergy symptoms cause you to have moderate to severe asthma attacks, there is a medication available that can help for extended periods of time. Your allergist might recommend Omalizumab, which is an antibody type medicine that can regulate your symptoms of allergic reactions.
Don’t turn on the fan if the dust in a room is aggravating your asthma. A fan will spread dust and debris all over. This can very easily aggravate your asthma, and cause serious symptoms. If you need airflow, simply opening a window would be better.
Proper knowledge of how to use your inhaler is necessary if you have asthma. Locate a quiet place, and follow the label to a tee. The inhaler is only useful if the medication within it actually gets to your lungs. While inhaling, spray the dosage in your mouth. Hold in your breath for 10 seconds so the medicine works properly.
If you suffer from asthma, and have many attacks that are related to your allergy symptoms, there is a medication that is injected and provides long term effects. Omalizumab is an antibody medication that is used to control these allergic reaction symptoms and may be recommended by your allergist.
It has been shown that use of four or more different kinds of cleaning products can raise the risk of asthma attacks. Choose natural and organic products which don’t have chemicals that will irritate your disease.
If you are having trouble dealing with asthma, a leukotriene inhibitor might be of good use. It works to prevent leukotrienes. Leukotriene, a chemical substance, can cause asthma attacks by causing inflammation. Get the inhibitor to prevent the leukotrienes, and your asthma attacks may drop in number.
You may have to take more asthma medicine if you suffer from seasonal hay fever or catch a cold. An increase in treatment is necessary sometimes because side effects of other sicknesses can cause your asthma symptoms to flare up. Your physician might also work an additional treatment into your therapy until such time as you are healthier.
Asthma patients without health insurance can get help by asking a social worker and getting access to programs with the resources asthma patients need. A social worker can possibly help you with finding treatment and low-cost medications.
If the air in your home is humid, it provides an ideal incubator for mold or mildew. You can get asthma attacks because of these substances. Therefore, it is important to maintain a dry home. 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.
You may want to consider purchasing a dehumidifier for your home if you suffer from asthma. 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. Air is kept dry by dehumidifiers by sucking the humidity out of it.
Asthma often takes time to develop, the symptoms appearing slowly. A few people have even died from an asthma attack without knowing they even had this dangerous condition. Discuss with your doctor if you are having problems trying to catch your breath or have had a persistent cough for a while. There is the possibility that you have developed asthma, and if so, your doctor can tell you what the best method to treat it would be.
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. Keep food in a kitchen or on the dining room table, and avoid cigarette smoking inside. Harsh chemicals, like bleach and ammonia, can trigger asthma.
You should use your inhaler everyday regularly; however, be forewarned that the medicine can potentially lead to mouth infections, especially around your gums and teeth. Always brush and gargle as soon as you’ve finished using your inhaler to prevent mouth infections.
If you are an asthma patient, you may want to sleep with a pillow that does not contain feathers. Feathers can have a negative effect on the lungs and can worsen asthma symptoms. This also goes for bedding; use sheets, comforters and blankets that are crafted from hypoallergenic materials.
Avoid smoke if you want to prevent asthma. Smoke can cause asthma attacks. The fumes from chemicals, or smoke from cigarettes, should be avoided at all costs. These environmental conditions can exacerbate your asthma symptoms. When anyone lights up a cigarette or cigar in your presence, politely inform them that you have asthma and ask them not to smoke beside you.
Travel with your rescue medication on your person at all times. Traveling causes extra strain on your already stressed body, which makes your body more susceptible to bothersome asthma 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.
Get a second opinion. Specialists can supplement the asthma treatments your regular doctor provides for you. Pulmonologists, allergists, asthma centers and also nutritionists can assist you in exploring every avenue of treatment for your asthma.
If you need to travel with your asthma medication, particularly if you plan on bringing a nebulizer or other large equipment, it can be helpful to obtain a letter from your doctor explaining their use. You’ll speed up the process of going through security if you have written proof that shows that the items are necessary.
You should now understand how you can prevent and manage asthma attacks by adapting your lifestyle to your condition. Just because someone has asthma doesn’t mean that his life is over.
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. Nutritionists, allergists, pulmonologists and asthma centers can all help you, so make sure that you are using all of the different treatment avenues that you can.