The inability to breathe normally that comes with asthma can frighten asthma sufferers and their families. Know all that you can about your asthma so that you know what to expect in all situations. You need to know what you can expect and when so these tips will be helpful.
If you are an asthma patient, do not expose yourself to vapors, fumes and cigarette smoke. This does mean avoiding all tobacco products as well as being mindful of sources of employment, with special attention to factories that might provide exposure to smoke and vapors.
It is imperative that you do your best to avoid cleaning chemicals if you are asthmatic. The complex list of ingredients on many cleaning products makes it difficult know which ones have the chemical compounds that might aggravate asthma symptoms or even initiate an attack. If you do the cleaning in your house, use natural solutions that are safer for you to breath in.
If you have been diagnosed with asthma, you must avoid cigarette smoke at all costs. Don’t smoke! Inhaling the chemical-laden fumes and even the vapors from cigarettes can be extremely harmful. More often than not, smoke is going to trigger an unavoidable asthma attack. Leave a room if people smoke, or ask them to stop.
If you’re having asthma problems, a dehumidifier is a beneficial purchase. Cutting down the humidity in the house will lower the amount dust mites in the air, and that will mean fewer asthma flare-ups. Dehumidifiers eliminate your home’s humidity, leaving dry air.
Never use a fan in a dirty, dust-filled room. The wind will move dust around and get into your airways causing an attack. It is much better to open a window when you are in need of some air flow.
If you suffer from asthma, it is best to buy unscented products. Products that contain fragrance, such as perfumes, colognes, or air fresheners, can pollute the air triggering your asthma. Be aware that fresh paint and new carpet also can emit harmful odors that irritate sensitive airways. Keep the air inside as fresh as you can.
If you suffer from asthma, and have many attacks that are related to your allergy symptoms, there is a medication that is injected and provides long term effects. Omalizumab is an antibody medication that is used to control these allergic reaction symptoms and may be recommended by your allergist.
Be certain you are aware of what triggers an asthma attack so you can avoid it, or at least be prepared to handle the symptoms. Smoke, pollen, or pet dander are common triggers. It is best to do all that is possible to avoid triggers that can cause attacks.
Be certain to properly use your inhaler. Get to a place out of the way, and read the directions before starting. Proper use delivers the medication to your lungs. Spray the required dosage into your mouth while inhaling air. After inhaling, it’s important that you hold the medication in by holding your breath for 10 seconds at the least.
If you suffer from asthma, it’s best to avoid pillows full of feathers. The feathers from a pillow can cause asthma symptoms and decrease your lung function. The same goes for bedding – try to buy a comforter and sheets that are made from hypoallergenic materials.
You and your loved ones need to get a flu vaccination every year. If you have asthma, try to avoid getting respiratory infections if you can. It is important to do things like hand washing and receiving proper vaccinations.
Make regular asthma checkups with your doctor, even if you are not having any issues come up. Asthma can flare-up at any time, and you never know, perhaps your doctor has safer or better medications which can help your symptoms.
For asthma sufferers, the unscented option is always the best choice among different products. Products that contain fragrance, such as perfumes, colognes, or air fresheners, introduce irritants into the air around you that can trigger your asthma. Certain things around the home, such as newly installed carpet or fresh paint, can also release chemical irritants. Try to keep the indoor air as clean and fresh as possible.
There are support groups available to you, both in person or on the Internet. Asthma can be severe enough to keep you away from social activiites. Your peers will be able to provide you with advice and tips that work for them, information about new treatment techniques, and even some home remedies you might not know about.
Keep your home dust-free and get rid of any carpet in your house to help prevent asthma attacks, especially in a 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. Try to avoid using any harsh chemicals or bleach in the home while cleaning; and, once the home is cleaned, air it out.
Mold and mildew can thrive in a humid home environment. These fungi are both common triggers for asthma attacks. Try, then, to ensure your home is dry. When you use the heater in the winter, be sure to have a dehumidifier control the humidity in your home. During the summer time, be sure to use the air conditioner to maintain a dry home.
Receiving a regular flu shot is a great tip to implement if you or someone you love suffers from asthma. Getting vaccinated yearly can help keep many of these illnesses at bay.
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 warm the air up before you breathe it into your lungs. By breathing in cold air, it has been proven that it could trigger an asthma attack more so in children that are younger and suffer from severe to moderate asthma.
Find out how you are supposed to use your asthma medication and rescue treatments. For most asthma cases, an emergency treatment option, such as an inhaler, is used to supplement day-to-day management medication. Asthma is an illness that is chronic in nature, so it is imperative to take the management medicine as directed and only using the rescue inhaler when necessary.
Rescue Medication
The development of asthma symptoms can occur over time and they can be difficult to pinpoint and diagnose. In a lot of cases, people die from an asthma attack because they didn’t know they had the condition. If you have any trouble breathing or are coughing a lot, you need to see a doctor to determine what it is and if you need any medication or treatment for asthma prevention.
Be sure to thoroughly understand how to utilize asthma medication correctly, particularly any rescue medication. A treatment made up of a daily medication plus a rescue inhaler can help to keep asthma under control. Asthma is a lifelong condition; you should correctly take your regular medication and use your rescue medication only as needed.
For asthma sufferers having contact with pets or other animals need to be minimized. Asthmatics can be affected by the dander or pollen that comes from the animals, even if they have no allergies to them. This can be a very risky situation to put yourself in and should be avoided.
Asthma usually takes an extended interval of time to fully develop, and the warning signs are rarely obvious. A few people have even died from an asthma attack without knowing they even had this dangerous condition. If you find yourself with a constant cough or have trouble breathing, consult your doctor, so he can tell you if you have asthma and if you need medication. He might even have suggestions on how to prevent it from worsening.
Allergens and asthma triggers, such as dust and pollen can cling to your bed linens. You can cut down on these irritants or eliminate them altogether by washing your bedding and pillow cases in very hot water once a week. Fresh, laundered bedding will help you sleep that much easier at night.
If you are taking an airplane and you need to travel with your asthma apparatus or medications, bring your written prescription with you. Having proof that it belongs to you and is medically necessary will make the security check easier.
Do not smoke cigarettes. If you have asthma, you could have serious health complications from smoking. Sensitive asthmatic lungs are easily irritated by smoke, so they need to avoid smoking and to avoid situations where there are people who smoke.
If you need to use your inhaler more often than twice each week, this means your asthma isn’t adequately controlled and a medication change is required. Frequent use of the rescue inhaler means that your management medicine is not working as it should. This also applies to anyone who needs to refill their inhaler more than two times in a single year.
Asthma sufferers need to stay inside as much as they can when the air’s pollen content is high. 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. Technology has brought with it real-time air quality reports that can be consulted before exposure to outdoor air that may cause irritation to asthmatics.
As previously mentioned, there is so much you can learn about asthma. The tips in this article are just a few that will help you to manage your asthma, or someone else who is suffering from it. You can lessen the effect that asthma has on your life, or the life of someone you love.
If you experience a sudden asthma attack, staying calm is extremely important. You should use your inhaler immediately upon the first signs of an attack. Once you have used it, use it again 30 seconds later. If your attack continues to worsen, seek help. Have someone call emergency services or drive you to the nearest hospital. Try breathing into a paper bag in order to slow down your breathing while on the way to the hospital.