Asthma is a little scary to deal with because it creates trouble with the way you breathe. It tends to pop up at a moments notice, while also limiting the activities in your life and in some cases, even lead to death. This article empowers you to treat your asthma by helping you understand how and why it happens, and what to do when it does.
If you suffer from asthma, it is vital that you avoid smoking; if you do, you should quit. Smoking is unhealthy for anyone, regardless of their health; however, when you have asthma, smoking restricts the oxygen your lungs needs to breathe and function properly. If your lung function is affected, you run the risk of having more frequent attacks.
Asthmatics should not smoke. If you smoke – quit immediately. Smoking is terrible for everyone, but it lowers the oxygen supply in asthma patients who need as much oxygen as possible.
Avoid anything that can trigger your asthma. For some people, it may be related to allergies, such as a reaction to dust or pollen. Or, you may need to avoid certain activities that overexert your body. It is important to determine what triggers your asthma attacks so you can try to avoid those things.
Though it should go without saying, do not turn on any fans or circulation systems when in a room containing visible dust that has yet to be cleaned. When you turn on the fans they will move the dust in the room around and this can trigger your asthma very easily. Instead, you should consider opening a window to get some fresh clean air going through your lungs.
Asthma is a disease that is continuous. As such, it requires long-term health management. Make sure that your daily routine includes taking appropriate medication to keep you free of asthma symptoms, along with additional medication to treat you for any sudden asthma attacks. Consult with your physician and allergist to find out what is best for you.
If you have asthma, get a dehumidifier for your home. A dehumidifier will reduce attacks by taking extra humidity and, by extension, dust mites and other debris out of your air. Dehumidifiers keep the air in your home dry by eliminating humidity.
Exhale as hard as you can during an asthma attack. If you can’t breathe at all, go to the hospital; however, controlling your exhalation rate can sometimes help stop a less severe attack. Blow your breath out as hard and fast as you can. You want to force all of the air from your lungs. Inhale for three quick breaths, and then take one deep breath so that you can allow your lungs to fill with air, and then force the air out again. This technique develops a breathing rhythm, allowing you to notice the breaths that you take in. This technique also forces the air from your lungs to enable more air to come in. You might cough or produce sputum, but that is fine; you are trying to get breathing under control again.
You will need to keep your residence really clean, especially the bedroom where the asthma sufferer sleeps in order to help lessen the chances of an attack. Food should not be eaten outside of the kitchen, and there should be no indoor smoking. Air the house out thoroughly after cleaning and avoid the use of bleach and other harsh chemicals indoors.
Using over four kinds of cleaning products in the home can trigger asthma attacks. Try to use organic based cleaning products that are not harmful to asthma sufferers.
Allergens, the common cold and influenza can increase your asthma symptoms. Many illnesses have side effects which can cause your asthma to get much worse, leading your doctor to increase treatment. Your doctor may need to add new treatments to your typical asthma regimen until you are well.
If you have hay fever or a cold, you will probably need increased treatment of your asthma. A lot of illnesses can cause your asthma to flare up very badly, resulting in the necessity to increase asthma treatment. Your doctor may need to add new treatments to your typical asthma regimen until you are well.
Even if you seem to be fine, see your doctor regularly for your asthma checkups. Flare-ups can occur at any time; plus, your doctor may have a new medication that he or she can offer you that will make your treatment safer and more effective.
If your kid or you suffer from asthma, you should get a yearly flu shot. This annual flu shot will prevent infectious damage to your lungs.
You can join an online or offline support group. Asthma is a disease that can affect your everyday life and prove debilitating in so many ways. Others who suffer from asthma can give you immeasurable amounts of support and advice, and help you keep up with new medical developments.
You should understand what triggers your asthma attacks in order for you to avoid these causes or prepare yourself for managing your symptoms. A lot of asthma sufferers have some triggers in common, like pollen, smoke and pet dander. If able, avoid anything that results in symptoms of asthma or an asthma attack.
Breathing Cold
If you plan to take a trip, you must always keep your rescue medication with you at all times. Traveling can be somewhat stressful and put added strain your body, which might make you more likely to respond to asthma triggers by having an attack. You also have less control of your surroundings while you are away from home, so it is difficult to avoid potential triggers and to maintain control over your attack.
You can wear warm things like a shawl, muffler or scarf, which can help cover your nose and mouth in the colder months. This will keep you from breathing cold air. Breathing cold air triggers your asthma attacks, particularly in young kids with bad asthma.
Think about signing up for a support group locally or online. Asthma can be an extremely debilitating health issue and can stop you from participating in life the way you want to. Also, other asthma sufferers can alert you to scientific breakthroughs and changes, such as new medications.
When taking asthma medications on a plane trip, bring written medical prescriptions provided by your doctor. When you can prove that an item is medically necessary, it can save a lot of time and hassle while working through airport security.
People with asthma should not smoke. Most people know that smoking is unhealthy, but the consequences are even worse for someone who has asthma. An asthmatic’s lungs are more vulnerable than those of a healthy individual, which makes it especially important to abstain from smoking and avoid secondhand smoke.
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. One effective way in preventing these side effects and problems is to brush and gargle right away after you use your inhaler.
Don’t use a humidifier unless it’s been cleaned thoroughly if you suffer from asthma or allergies. Permitting bacteria to grow inside the appliance will result in irritants being dispersed into the air you breathe.
Anytime you clean your house or apartment, wet mopping is superior to sweeping. If you are sweeping, you can trigger an asthma attack by stirring up a lot of allergens into the air. Dust will adhere to a wet towel instead of being loose in the air like feather dusters do where it can aggravate your asthma.
If you have asthma attacks, remember to stay calm. Grab your inhaler and use it, then wait to see if it helps. If not, then use it again in thirty seconds. If the attack gets worse, then seek help immediately. Have someone drive you directly to the hospital or call an ambulance for you. Try breathing into a paper bag in order to slow down your breathing while on the way to the hospital.
Those with asthma should remain inside as much as they can when the pollen count rises. Asthma is in no way an allergy, but a lot of the same burdens that bother allergy suffers also affect people who suffer from asthma. Since data on air quality is now widely published, those with asthma have the ability to avoid being outside when concentrations of irritants are high.
If inhaler use happens more than two times in each of your weeks, you must schedule an appointment with your doctor about this and possibly adjust your medication. This means that the medication in your inhaler is not working well enough. This is also true if you are refilling your rescue inhaler prescription more than twice a year.
If asthma is not properly treated it can be lethal. Using the following article, you can better manage your asthma, so that you can be more active and breathe better.
Make sure you consume more foods with vitamin B6. Vitamin B6, known as pyridoxine, reduces the risks of getting an asthma attack. Pyridoxine improves the flow of blood and oxygen to your bronchial tubes. Bananas are an easily accessible source of vitamin B6.