You have just been diagnosed with asthma, and you are panicking. No cure exists for asthma. Believe it or not, however, life does go on even after you are diagnosed with this condition. This article is like a virtual library full of information on asthma symptoms and treatments.
Never smoke around a child with asthma, or you could kill them! Secondhand smoke is known to be a reason asthma happens. Ensure that your child is not around other people that smoke, either.
If you suffer from asthma, it is vital that you avoid smoking; if you do, you should quit. Smoking isn’t healthy for anyone, but if you are afflicted with asthma, preventing oxygen from getting to your lungs is just begging for an attack.
Learn what triggers your asthma so that you can avoid it. For some people, this can be pollen or other allergy triggers. Others may have attacks that are triggered by physical activity. Try and figure out what gets your asthma started so you know what to avoid.
Serious Asthma Attack
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that requires constant management. 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. Speak to an allergist and doctor to see what’s best for you.
Any type of smoke can bring on a serious asthma attack. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, stop. Avoid breathing in the vapors and any other types of chemical fumes. This could trigger a serious asthma attack, and you may have trouble preventing it from happening. When you see people smoking in your area avoid them and move away.
If you have mild to moderate asthma attack, breathe out forcefully to get every bit of air out from your lungs. Exhale as fast and hard as you can. Really force that air out of your lungs! Take in three breaths, and then a deeper breath until your lungs are full of air. Then exhale with force again. This method forces you to pay close attention to your breathing and create a steady rhythm. It also keeps air flowing out of the lung,s so that you can refill them. You might cough hard or create mucus, but its just a sign your breathing is getting back to normal.
If you’re someone who gets an asthma attack related to allergy like symptoms, there’s medication you can use to help. There are antibody medications used to control allergic reactions that come recommended by allergists.
Know how to use your inhaler properly! Find a comfy spot, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Proper use delivers the medication to your lungs. You need to inhale air while spraying the requisite dosage in your mouth. Allow the mist to fill up your lungs by holding your breath at least ten seconds.
Use the inhaler properly. Locate a quiet place, and follow the label to a tee. Remember that using an inhaler is only going to help you if the medication contained within makes its way to the lungs. Inhale deeply as you dispense the correct amount into your mouth. Don’t exhale for ten seconds so that the medicine can go through your lungs.
If you have asthma and cannot get health insurance, see a social worker. It is essential that you can buy your asthma medicine, and a social worker might help you find a hospital or clinic that can provide your medicine at reduced cost, or free.
Immune System
An annual flu vaccination is highly recommended for yourself and your family. Make sure you do your best in avoiding respiratory infections at all costs if you have asthma. To do this you must take extra precautions against getting sick, like washing your hands often and getting vaccinated every year.
If you are dealing with asthma, make sure you take lots of Vitamins E and C. Since both of these have been attributed to better function of the lungs, they also help to control the symptoms of asthma. You are able to get these vitamins either from food or a supplement. Vitamins C and E are necessary for a healthy immune system. If your immune system isn’t healthy, it won’t be able to fight off illnesses that cause asthma attacks.
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 physician might also add more treatments to your regimen until your asthma is under control again.
You should know what triggers your asthma attacks; this will allow you to either avoid them or be ready to manage the symptoms. The majority of people suffering from asthma have several common triggers, like pet dander, smoke or pollen. Try to avoid these items as much as humanly possible so as to not trigger a full attack.
Be keenly aware of the triggers for your asthma attacks. If you know the cause, you can stay away to prevent asthma attacks. Asthma sufferers generally have different triggers in common like pollen, pet dander and smoke. Avoid your asthma triggers as much as you can to prevent attacks.
If you are an asthma patient, you may want to sleep with a pillow that does not contain feathers. The feathers can make it harder to breathe right and trigger an attack. Patients should also buy hypoallergenic bedding.
Avoid using a feather or down pillow if you have asthma. Feathers can trigger asthma symptoms and reduce lung function. This extends to the rest of your bedding, as well. There are hypoallergenic comforters and sheets you can use to limit asthma symptoms.
When traveling, make sure to have your rescue medication handy at all times. Traveling to places can strain your body, and it is more vulnerable to asthma triggers when it is under strain. It is also hard to predict what will come up or to control your environment when you travel, which increases the chances of experiencing more severe symptoms or an attack.
If you plan to take a trip, you must always keep your rescue medication with you at all times. Traveling adds strain on the body and increases your susceptibility to asthma triggers. It’s also hard to control the environment you’re in when traveling, which is another reason you might experience more symptoms or have an attack.
Even if you seem to be fine, see your doctor regularly for your asthma checkups. Asthma can flare-up at any time, and you never know, perhaps your doctor has safer or better medications which can help your symptoms.
Join an online or offline support group. Asthma, particularly if it is severe, can incapacitate you and keep you from going about your daily activities. Also, other asthma sufferers can help keep you aware of new medications or other medical treatments.
Asthma Attacks
Asthma typically develops over a long time, and sometimes the symptoms aren’t very obvious. 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. 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.
Some common catalysts of asthma attacks regularly occur in the home. These are dust, mold and spores. If you want to prevent and manage these sources of asthma attacks, have regular home inspections by a professional, and get identified harming agents cleaned out. If you clean your house regularly, you can minimize the risk of these substances accumulating in your dwelling.
When flying and bringing along asthma medications and equipment, be sure to pack your prescriptions. This is especially true for large items like a nebulizer. If you have the proof that this is a medical necessity, it can cause less hassles during the security check.
Humidity in your home causes an environment where mildew and mold are more likely to grow. They are a nuisance for people with asthma; the asthma attacks they trigger require you to eliminate them. You will benefit greatly from keeping the moisture out of your home’s air. When you are heating your home during the winter months, a dehumidifier can be used to control the humidity. In the summer, use an air conditioner to maintain dry air.
Keep notes on how often you are compelled to use your inhaler each week. If the inhaler is used more than twice, the asthma problems you are suffering from may not be well-managed or something else might be causing additional attacks to come on. Counting how many times you reach for your inhaler can be a good aid to remind you of what environments you need to control and what else you may need to manage.
As seen here, it is important that you are prepared in order to manage asthma. If you know about what kind of arthritis you have, you can find ways to manage it. The insights here can be your first line of defense in arming yourself with invaluable knowledge.
To make sure all of your medical needs are being met, you will need to consult at least two doctors. The first place to consider visiting is your main doctor, but they might also be able to recommend a specialist. Asthma centers, pulmonologists, nutritionists and allergists can all work with you, making sure you are getting all the treatment you need.