Any medical condition that makes it difficult to breathe–especially asthma–has the potential to be absolutely terrifying. It can happen without warning, limiting your freedom in life and putting your life in jeopardy. This article has information that can help you understand the causes of asthma attacks and can help you figure out how you can effectively manage it to reduce the limitations that it brings.
If you suffer from asthma, don’t smoke, and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke. This means avoiding tobacco products, and making sure that you do not choose any kind of job that could expose you to harmful vapors or smoke, such as factory work.
If you’re suffering from asthma, it helps if you can avoid any harsh cleaning products out there. A lot of agents in cleaners tend to trigger asthma attacks and symptoms. While anyone responsible for cleaning their home can’t avoid cleaning products altogether, it’s best to only use natural products.
Do you know what type of asthma you have? Before you can develop a self-care plan for your asthma symptoms, you need to know the specific cause of your symptoms. If people who have asthma suffer attacks triggered by exercise, they should bring an inhaler with them when they work out. If you know and understand your asthma triggers, you can better avoid and handle attacks.
Avoid exposing yourself to any of your known asthma triggers. Many asthma suffers find that dust or pollen can trigger an attack. For others, it may be linked to physical exertion. Try to determine your asthma triggers, so you can avoid them and prevent attacks.
Be sure to avoid cigarette smoke if you have asthma. Smoking is off limits. Inhaling the chemical-laden fumes and even the vapors from cigarettes can be extremely harmful. Chemical fumes will trigger asthma attacks that you won’t be able to put an end to. If you are around people who smoke, leave the area very fast.
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, such as those used to control high blood pressure or heart disease may also have this effect. If you have any of these conditions along with your asthma, make sure you tell your doctor.
If you have asthma that is not covered by health insurance, contact someone in a government agency, like a social worker. A social worker can possibly help you with finding treatment and low-cost medications.
Make sure that everyone in your family gets their flu shot. Make sure you do your best in avoiding respiratory infections at all costs if you have asthma. Take standard precautions against any kind of illness, and start washing those hands and getting vaccinations that will protect you from getting very sick.
Get a flu shot every season and make sure your family does as well. Keep yourself healthy, and without respiratory infections as best you can. The preventative measures you can take against such sickness range from simple habits of hand washing to getting your annual flu shot.
You may want to consider purchasing a dehumidifier for your home if you suffer from asthma. A reduction in humidity will also lessen the amount of dust mites in your home. This lessens the chance of an asthma flare up. Try running a dehumidifier to dry up the air in your home.
Stay away from cigarette smoke, even if it’s secondhand. As soon as you inhale any smoke from tobacco, your lungs become sensitive, which increases your risk of an attack. Just avoid any type of smoke, especially in small areas, and keep your lungs healthy to be safe.
Lower the chances of asthma attacks by keeping a spotless home, particularly in the areas where you sleep. Food should be restricted to the kitchen, and smoking inside the home should never be permitted. Harsh chemicals, like bleach and ammonia, can trigger asthma.
You can help to prevent asthma attacks by maintaining a clean home, particularly the asthmatic’s bedroom. Keep food consumption to the kitchen and the dining room, and never allow anyone to smoke in the house. Don’t use bleach or harsh chemicals inside, and air out the house as much as possible after cleaning.
If you have hay fever or a cold, chances are your asthma treatment will be increased. Many of these illnesses will worsen your asthma symptoms bad enough to require more treatments than you typically need. It is also possible that your physician will add an additional treatment to your routine until you recover from your illness.
If you or your child suffer from asthma, it is important that you receive a flu shot every year. A yearly vaccination will help minimize the number of infections your children have to deal with.
Be certain you are aware of all your asthma attack triggers so you know both how to steer clear of them and also be ready to take care of your symptoms. Those who experience asthma are susceptible to some common things like pet dander, smoke, or pollen. Try to avoid the things that make your asthma flare up.
When traveling, make sure to have your rescue medication handy 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.
If you suffer from asthma, you might want to use a pillow that doesn’t contain feathers. The feathers contained in the pillow could trigger the symptoms related to asthma and it could prevent your lungs from functioning efficiently. This extends to the rest of your bedding, as well. There are hypoallergenic comforters and sheets you can use to limit asthma symptoms.
Your home might harbor several of the major triggers of asthma attacks. Such irritants include mold spores, dust, smoke and chemical fumes. To keep these triggers out of your home, have a professional inspector come to your home each year to remove these nasties from your home. If you clean your house regularly, you can minimize the risk of these substances accumulating in your dwelling.
Even if you are feeling great, never skip your regular asthma checkup. Your health care provider may have new prescriptions that could benefit you in case the need arises.
Mold and mildew thrive in homes with high humidity levels. These can very easily cause an attack. So try your best to make your home as dry as possible. In the winter months, use a dehumidifier in order to get rid of moisture. Your air conditioner will keep it dry in the summer.
Asthma Attacks
Clean your home with a wet mop instead of a broom. When you sweep, you are stirring up asthma triggers that can cause you to have an asthma attack. In the same vein, choose a damp rag as opposed to a feather duster when dusting, as this prevents dust from flying about.
Making mouth and nose coverings such as mufflers, shawls or scarves a routine part of your winter wardrobe can help you ward off asthma attacks. You can inhale warmer air into your body with these. Breathing cold air triggers your asthma attacks, particularly in young kids with bad asthma.
Avoid smoke, if you don’t want to have an asthma attack. The inhalation of smoke can easily trigger an asthma attack. Make sure to stay away from chemical fumes and cigarette smoke whenever possible. They can easily increase your asthma symptoms. If someone is smoking around you, you have every right to nicely ask them to not to.
Use your inhaler when you need to, but be aware that this product can cause infections near your gums and teeth. One way to reduce the probability of such infections is to immediately brush and gargle after inhaling the medicine.
Allergens, dust, pollen and other things that can aggravate your asthma tend to collect inside bed linens. Wash sheets on a weekly basis to rid them of allergens. Use hot water to wash the sheets. You should also wash pillowcases. You will breathe easier at night when you have freshly washed and clean bed linens.
If not properly treated and controlled, asthma can be fatal. When you follow the advice from this article, you will manage your asthma through better breathing and improved activity.
Consult with more than one physician. Your family doctor will be in charge of your asthma treatment, but seeing a specialist can provide you with invaluable help. Asthma centers, pulmonologists, nutritionists and allergists can all work with you, making sure you are getting all the treatment you need.