Asthma affects five year-olds, 100 year-olds, rich people, and poor people alike. Not only do you need to see medical professionals, but you also need to pay attention to possible triggers that could cause your symptoms to become worse. This article will share some very easy suggestions that can help you improve your symptoms from day to day and lower the likelihood of any sudden asthma attacks.
Can you identify the exact type of asthma you’re dealing with? If you identify your specific causes, you can be prepared to treat the symptoms when they appear during your daily routines. If your asthma is triggered by exercise, throw an inhaler into your gym bag. Knowing when an asthma attack is likely to strike can help you avert disaster.
Don’t smoke around your child if they have asthma; this could worsen their situation. Secondhand smoke is one of the leading culprits that causes asthma. You should never put your children in a situation where they are exposed to people who are smoking.
Be careful of chemical cleaners if you are asthmatic. Asthma sufferers are often sensitive to chemical cleaners; using these products can sometimes trigger asthma attacks. If you are the person in your house who does the cleaning, there natural product solutions which are safe for you to use.
It is important that you try to stay clear of cleaning products if you have asthma. A lot of these products contain harsh chemicals such as ammonia. These chemicals wreak havoc on you and can trigger an attack. If you must do the cleaning in your home, opt for natural products with lower chemical content.
Asthma is not a curable disease and will require life-long health management. Be sure you are practicing proper self-care, and make sure you have your inhaler ready to go in case you suffer a full-blown attack. Speak to your allergist and doctor to see what they recommend for you.
There are some common medications that you could be using that will cause asthma symptoms. Aspirin is an example of a widely used medicine that can cause asthma problems. Beta blockers can also have this affect, as well as other medications for controlling high blood pressure and heart disease. If you’ve been diagnosed as asthmatic and are taking medications unrelated to your asthma, be sure your doctor is aware of them.
An annual flu vaccination is highly recommended for yourself and your family. Asthma patients should try their best to avoid getting respiratory infections. This means you should also be sure to wash your hands frequently and get vaccinated.
A leukotriene inhibitor can be helpful if you have asthma. These work by preventing the formation of leukotrienes. The inflammation caused by this substance can trigger the symptoms of asthma. This inhibitor can prevent leukotrienes, which makes you less likely to have an asthma attack.
When suffering from asthma, there are vitamins that can help, including E and C. These vitamins have been known to improve the function of the lungs and reduce some asthma symptoms. Vitamin C is available in multiple forms. You can find it in citrus fruits, supplements, and in many other places. These vitamins can boost immune systems, which helps you to avoid illnesses that can be a trigger for your asthma.
Try to keep your home as clean as possible, especially the bedroom of the asthma sufferer, to reduce the risk of an asthma attack. Do not allow smoking in your house, and keep food in your kitchen. Make sure that the home is properly ventilated and aired out, especially after cleaning with harsh products, like bleach or ammonia.
Think about buying a dehumidifier if your asthma symptoms are bad. If you lessen your humidity in the house, you will stave off dust mites that may make your asthma flare. Dehumidifiers cause the air in your home to become dry, which means less humidity.
Regular flu shots are important if you or one of your children suffer from asthma. Prevent these infections from occurring by going to get vaccinated each year.
Products with no scent are the safest and best option for an asthma sufferer. Use of scented products, such as perfume, air fresheners and incense, increase the levels of indoor air pollution and can trigger an attack. New carpeting and even a fresh coat of paint can aggravate the airway and lungs as well. Strive to maintain an indoor environment that is free from these pollutants, keeping the air fresh.
Make sure to examine what it is that causes your asthma attacks in order to best avoid having to deal with them. Smoke, pollen, or pet dander are common triggers. Whenever possible, avoid those substances that trigger either symptoms or full-blown attacks.
To lower the chances of an asthma attack, keep your house as clean as can be, especially the bedroom. Only permit food in designated eating areas, such as the kitchen or dining room, and don’t allow smoking inside the house at all. Let in plenty of fresh air if the weather permits, and avoid using harsh chemicals to bleach.
Keep your medication with you, especially when you are traveling. 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 often hard to maintain the right kind of environment when you are traveling, and this may heighten the risk of an asthma attack or worsening symptoms.
An annual flu shot is crucial if you have asthma or have an asthmatic child. Regular vaccinations will help you and your children to avoid lung infections.
Asthma Attacks
Take notes of what can trigger your asthma attacks so that you can be prepared for a future attack or learn how to avoid them all together. Common asthma triggers include pollen, smoke or dander. Whenever you can, stay away from these agents that can trigger symptoms or cause full-blown asthma attacks.
When it’s colder, wear a shawl, scarf or muffler that will cover your mouth and nose to avoid asthma attacks. This way, the air will be warm before entering your lungs. Breathing in the cold air has been shown to trigger asthma attacks, especially in younger children with moderate to severe asthma.
To stay out in front of your asthma, make sure that you see the doctor to receive regular checkups. You can never tell when an attack will strike, or when your physician may have some better or safer advice for you to follow.
Know how to properly use asthma medicine, especially your rescue medication. Most people treat their asthma with regular daily medication, and carry supplemental emergency medication in the form of a rescue inhaler. Asthma is a lifelong condition; you should correctly take your regular medication and use your rescue medication only as needed.
Keep notes on how often you are compelled to use your inhaler each week. If you are utilizing your inhaler more than two times per day, you might not be controlling asthma as well as you think you are! This number can help you monitor your environment for asthma triggers and let you determine if your treatment plan is working properly.
Instead of sweeping your floors with a broom, it is preferable to clean using a wet mop. Sweeping the floor kicks up dust and other debris that can set off an attack of your asthma. Dusting with a damp cloth rather than a feather duster can be a considerable help in reducing the amount of dust and other things that might start an attack.
Use a mop that’s wet to clean your floors instead of a broom. Vacuuming or wet-mopping are better than sweeping because they don’t stir up dust and debris that might induce an asthma attack. Dusting can actually just move the dust around, sending particles into the air, and into your lungs triggering an asthma attack, so try wiping things down with a damp cloth to minimize the amount of allergens you are exposed to.
Avoiding smoke is key in controlling asthma. Smoke can seriously affect the lungs and is a common asthma trigger. Avoid triggers like vapors, chemical fumes, and cigarette smoke as much as you can. Exposure to these substances can worsen your asthma considerably. If there’s smoke around you, ask politely for the person to stop smoking.
When you are making an effort to control asthma, do not smoke. Smoking can trigger a person who has asthma to have an attack. Make sure to stay away from chemical fumes and cigarette smoke whenever possible. All of those things can trigger and aggravate asthma symptoms. If someone starts smoking near you, politely inquire whether they can smoke in your absence.
Asthmatics should avoid smoking tobacco products whenever possible. Most people are aware of the dangers of smoking, but for someone with asthma, the consequences are even more serious. Your lungs could become very irritated if you smoke, and you should avoid being around others that are smoking.
Bed linens tend to collect asthma triggers like pollen, dust and other allergens. These threats can be reduced or even eliminated by keeping your bed linens laundered every week using hot water. Fresh linens, washed regularly, can ensure you breathe better as you sleep.
If you experience a sudden asthma attack, staying calm is extremely important. Take your first dose of your inhaler and then wait thirty seconds. You can use your inhaler again after that. If this does not lessen the attack, get help quickly. Go to the emergency room, or call an ambulance if it’s extreme. To calm yourself on the drive, bring a paper bag and breathe into it, as this will slow your breathing.
Avoid smoking and people who are smokers. Pretty much everyone is aware that smoking is dangerous, but for people suffering with asthma, it can have devastating effects. Smoke is very irritating to sensitive lungs, so take care not to smoke or be around others who are.
Ensure that you set up regular appointments with your physician every several months in order to be updated on your condition. Only your doctor can fully evaluate your condition and recommend appropriate changes in treatment. You should always keep your appointments so that your doctor can follow up on your treatment plans, and work with you to maintain your health.
To improve your asthmatic condition, use a clean humidifier or vaporizer while you sleep. If it is not clean you end up getting bacteria growth in the damp interior of the machine, and that ends up flooding the air you want to humidify with allergens.
If repainting a room is in your future, purchase a quality mask first to protect your lungs from paint fumes. Wearing the mask will keep the irritants away from your lungs and esophagus, keeping your asthma under control. Avoid chemicals, substances and scents that aggravate your asthma.
If you have asthma, you must know how to use your inhaler properly. It’s not enough to spray a little into your mouth and breathe softly. Every time you spray the inhaler, deeply inhale for a couple seconds. When your doctor prescribes your inhaler, ask him for detailed instructions in using it correctly.
Asthma can be a very life threatening problem and should always be taken seriously. Since asthma attacks have the potential to be so dangerous, it is important that you take precautions to prevent them. For example, always carry an emergency inhaler with you, and make an effort to limit the allergens and dust in your home. Hopefully, with the help of the advice here, you can lessen your symptoms and get your asthma under control.
When painting, you should buy a protective mask if you suffer from asthma. Paint can trigger asthma-related issues, but wearing a mask will provide a protective barrier to circumvent these issues. Avoid specific chemicals and substances that could worsen your asthma.