Affecting your lungs and your ability to breathe, asthma is a serious, potentially deadly condition that needs to be treated immediately and consistently. An extremely severe attack can even lead to death. Along with advice you get from medical experts, it is also important to do research on your own. There are simple ideas here that can aid you in getting your asthma under control, and manage your symptoms a lot better.
Are you informed about what type of asthma you suffer from? Gaining as much knowledge as you can about the type of asthma you have can make your day-to-day activities a little easier. For example, if your asthma is induced by exercise, it might be wise to always have an inhaler in your gym bag. You will be able to prevent asthma attacks if you can recognize symptoms.
Do you know what type of asthma you have? Knowing as much as possible about your specific type of asthma will go an incredibly long way in helping you combat the day-to-day effects it has on you. People suffering from asthma that is exercise-induced, for example, had best be prepared for asthma attacks at the gym! You can avoid any future crisis by knowing and figuring out patterns of the symptoms you have.
Do not smoke around your children if they have asthma. Secondhand smoke is a trigger for asthma attacks, not to mention the myriad of other diseases it can cause. Always ensure your child is in a smoke-free area.
If you have any children who suffer from asthma, avoid smoking around them at all costs. Secondhand smoke is a huge health risk and directly plays a role in why people develop asthma. You should also make sure your child is never in an environment where other people are smoking.
When you suffer a medium-intensity attack, try and forcefully exhale all air from your lungs. Breathe out aggressively, as hard as you can. Exhale with maximum force! Inhale in three short breaths and one fourth deeper breath so that your lungs are comfortably full of air, then exhale forcefully again. This will force you to pay careful attention to all of your breaths. It also pushes the air out of your lungs, so that more air can come in. It may cause you to cough or even generate sputum, but that’s fine, you goal is for your breathing to get back to normal.
Asthma is an ongoing disease and requires ongoing health management. Make sure you are taking the right medications to control your everyday asthma symptoms, and have a quick relief medication on hand if you have an attack. Talk to your doctor and allergist to see what is the best idea for you.
If you’re in a dustier room, avoid turning on a fan. While it may seem smart to get the air circulating, in reality this will only stir up the dust, making it easier to inhale and trigger an attack. On smog-free, low pollen days, open your windows to improve airflow in the house.
If the room you are in appears to be dusty, refrain from turning on any fans. Dust blown around by fans can cause your asthma to rear up. Open some windows if you want fresh air.
Consider consulting a social worker if your asthma medication is not covered by an insurance policy. 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.
If you suffer from asthma, make sure that you consume enough Vitamin C and Vitamin E. They are believed to aid respiratory function and to be instrumental in keeping your asthma in check. These vitamins can be easily obtained, either through your diet or a supplement. These vitamins can improve your immune system to prevent asthma triggers.
Unscented products are best for asthma sufferers. Scented products such as air fresheners, incense and perfume heighten the degree of indoor air impurities and may possibly contribute to an attack. New carpet and fresh paint can also emit odors that can irritate the airways. Keep the air inside your house as fresh as you can.
Always choose unscented products for your home if you have asthma. Products with a strong smell such as air fresheners, incense or perfume can trigger asthma attacks. Be aware that fresh paint and new carpet also can emit harmful odors that irritate sensitive airways. Try to maintain the air in your house as free from possible asthma triggers as possible.
Stand ready for a boost to your asthma treatment should you suffer from illnesses like colds or hay fever. Many of these illnesses will worsen your asthma symptoms bad enough to require more treatments than you typically need. It is possible your doctor will want to add additional therapies to your treatment program until you are back on your feet.
Hay fever and colds can worsen asthma symptoms so prepare to need increased treatments. Some illnesses create issues that make it necessary to increase medication temporarily. Your doctor might add additional medication until your sickness gets better.
Don’t miss your appointment for an asthma checkup simply because you aren’t currently having any problems with your condition. You cannot be certain when you will next have an issue with your asthma, or when there may be a better medication available to utilize for your condition.
An annual flu shot is crucial if you have asthma or have an asthmatic child. Keep yourself safe from these outbreaks by getting a yearly shot.
Know how to properly use asthma medicine, especially your rescue medication. Asthma is typically treated with a regular medication supplemented by rescue medicine, such as an inhaler. It’s important to use both forms of medication properly to treat your chronic condition.
Preventative Inhaler
If you’re flying and bringing along your asthma medications, bring a doctor’s written prescription with you. If you have the proof that this is a medical necessity, it can cause less hassles during the security check.
Using your preventative inhaler should be done daily. It’s important to know, though, that it can cause sores and infections near your gums and teeth. To prevent complications from using a preventative inhaler, brush your teeth immediately after using it and use mouthwash as well.
Monitor how often, per week, you find it necessary to use your inhaler. You should not have to rely on a rescue inhaler more than twice per week. If you find yourself needing it more often, it could be a sign that your asthma is not being controlled well or that there is a new environmental factor causing attacks more frequently. The frequency of your inhaler usage should remind you to monitor the environmental conditions around you and other issues relating to the way you manage your asthma.
Allergens, pollen and other irritants can collect in your linens and aggravate your asthma. You may cut down on these potential inducers of an asthma attack by cleaning your sheets and pillows in hot water each week. If you are sleeping on freshly laundered linens, you will sleep much easier.
Using a wet mop is superior to using a broom to clean your floors. Sweeping the floor kicks up dust and other debris that can set off an attack of your asthma. A damp rag should be used when dusting because a feather duster can cause dust to kick up and lead to an asthma attack.
During spring or other high-pollen times, don’t go outside unless you have to so that you can avoid a pollen-triggered asthma attack. The same pollens and other irritants that cause trouble for allergy sufferers are also concerns for asthma sufferers, even though the two are quite distinct conditions. Now there’s information on local air quality available so you can monitor whether you’re going to be exposed to hard to breath air.
Anyone with asthma should stay far away from smoke. Smoke is a major cause of asthma attacks. Make sure to stay away from chemical fumes and cigarette smoke whenever possible. Things like this can make your asthma worse. If there is someone who always smokes around you, you should politely ask this person to smoke when you aren’t present.
Asthma is an uncurable disease, but that doesn’t mean that the symptoms are permanent and can’t go away. However, just like most things in life, overcoming your asthma symptoms takes time and effort. If you follow these easy tips, you’ll find that your symptoms will get better over time and you’ll be able to enjoy a healthier, more active lifestyle.
During times that pollen counts are high, asthma sufferers should try to stay indoors. Asthma is not considered an allergy, but elements that cause allergies usually trigger asthma attacks too. You can get the information about air quality in the area you are in; people who suffer from asthma should stay indoors if their air quality is low.