Your doctor has just informed you that you have asthma, and you feel very worried about what to do next. There is no getting rid of asthma if you have the condition. However, this does not mean that life stops after a diagnosis of asthma. This article is like a virtual library full of information on asthma symptoms and treatments.
If you suffer from asthma, avoid smoke, fumes and vapors. You must abstain from using any tobacco products. Also, when job hunting, you need to take into consideration whether or not you will be exposed to anything detrimental to your condition while on the job.
Smoking is extremely harmful if you suffer from asthma. If you are not already a smoker, don’t start, and if you are, quit as soon as possible. Smoking isn’t good for anyone, but it’s worse for those with asthma. It cuts off the oxygen supply that your lungs need to function properly to keep away the asthma attacks.
Smoking is extremely harmful if you suffer from asthma. If you are not already a smoker, don’t start, and if you are, quit as soon as possible. Smoking is unhealthy for anyone, but it is especially dangerous for someone with asthma. This is because your lungs and airway are already compromised by your condition.
Chemical Cleaners
If you suffer with asthma, avoid cleaning products. 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 must do the cleaning in your home, opt for natural products with lower chemical content.
Be careful of chemical cleaners if you are asthmatic. The chemicals in many cleaning products will trigger asthma attacks or symptoms. Use natural cleaners instead of chemical cleaners to reduce your chances of asthma attacks after cleaning.
Stay away from anything that you are aware of that may trigger your asthma. Many asthma suffers find that dust or pollen can trigger an attack. Or, you may need to avoid certain activities that overexert your body. You should know what causes asthma, so you can stay away from these things.
Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can actually trigger an asthma attack. Aspirin and other NSAIDs are known to be asthma triggers. Beta blockers that are used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease can develop asthma like symptoms. If you have asthma and these other conditions, let your physician know.
If you’re suffering from an asthma attack that’s moderate or mild, then work to force all the air you can from your lungs. Exhale as fast and 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. When air is forcefully exhaled, it allows a fresh intake of air to fill your lungs. You might start coughing, and some sputum may come up, but this is no problem and your focus is to get back into a relaxed, rythmic breathing pattern again.
Asthma is a chronic condition that is ongoing over time, and as such, will require a continual treatment and management regimen. Your doctor may prescribe medications that must be taken daily. In addition, you will likely have medication to take in the event of an attack. Consult with your physician and allergist to find out what is best for you.
If you have asthma, you need to avoid any kind of tobacco smoke. You should not smoke! Air pollution and fumes from harsh chemicals also increase asthma symptoms. Any of these things can trigger an asthma attack. Do everything you can to avoid cigarette smoke, air pollution, allergens and harsh chemical fumes to keep your asthma symptoms under control.
Avoid using a fan in any room that has excessive dust. Dust blown around by fans can cause your asthma to rear up. Instead, you should consider opening a window to get some fresh clean air going through your lungs.
If you’re someone who gets an asthma attack related to allergy like symptoms, there’s medication you can use to help. An antibody medicine under the name Omalizumab can be used to reduce these symptoms caused by allergies and might be prescribed by your allergist.
Make sure you use the inhaler in the proper, prescribed method. Move to a quiet area, and then simply follow manufacturer’s instructions. The inhaler only helps if the medication reaches your lungs. You need to inhale air while spraying the requisite dosage in your mouth. You should hold your breath 10 seconds so the medicated mist is able to fill up your lungs.
Make sure that everyone in your family, including you, gets annual flu shots. If you have asthma, try to avoid getting respiratory infections if you can. To do this you must take extra precautions against getting sick, like washing your hands often and getting vaccinated every year.
Be sure you and your family members get a yearly flu vaccination. You do not want to have a respiratory infection if you have asthma. The preventative measures you can take against such sickness range from simple habits of hand washing to getting your annual flu shot.
Scented products could cause averse reactions to asthma sufferers. It is safest to use unscented products when possible. Using products with scents, like perfume, incense and air fresheners, boosts the amount of air pollution indoors and can bring on an attack. Other asthma irritants include fresh paint fumes and new carpeting. Aim to keep the air as fresh as possible indoors.
If you have asthma, it is imperative that you stay away from smokers. When tobacco smoke is inhaled, especially in closed-in areas, your lung function can be drastically decreased, which can increase your chances of suffering from an attack.
You can help to prevent asthma attacks by maintaining a clean home, particularly the asthmatic’s 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. When cleaning your home, try not to use products that contain harsh chemicals, such as bleach. You should also allow fresh air to thoroughly circulate throughout your home after you’re done cleaning it.
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 be eaten only in the kitchen or dining room, and cigarettes are best relegated to outdoor smoking areas. After you clean, let the house air out completely, and stay away from using any harsh chemicals (especially bleach) inside.
Your asthma treatments will likely increase when you suffer from hay fever or a cold. Side effects that are associated with most illnesses can serve as triggers for asthma and may cause an increase in your asthma treatment. Your regular medication may also need to be combined with other treatments your doctor may recommend.
Mold and mildew can thrive in a humid home environment. These are harmful substances that can trigger asthma attacks. Therefore, it is important to make sure your home is dry. Using a dehumidifier during cold weather and turning on your air conditioner when the weather gets hot again can help keep humidity out of your home to ensure your asthma is under control.
If your child or yourself are asthma sufferers it is very important that you get the flu shot every single year. Prevent those flu infections before they happen by getting a flu shot each year.
Wear a covering over your mouth and nose when you go outdoors in the colder weather. A shawl, scarf or muffler would work well. Proper winter wear can keep cold air from agitating your lungs. Young children are especially at risk for an asthma attack if the air they breathe is too cold, but this problem can affect anybody with asthma.
Pay attention to your symptom triggers. The more aware of your triggers you become, the easier it will be to avoid them and reduce the number of attacks you suffer. The majority of asthma sufferers suffer attacks when exposed to some common trigger, including allergens or cigarette smoke. Whenever you can, stay away from these agents that can trigger symptoms or cause full-blown asthma attacks.
Watch the pollen counts and adjust your activity accordingly to protect yourself from seasonal asthma issues. Asthma itself may not be an allergy, many of the same things that affect allergy sufferers also affect those with asthma. Check the local air quality report online to determine whether to stay indoors and keep irritant exposure to a minimum.
A lot of times asthma will develop over time, and has symptoms that aren’t always obvious. Sometimes, a person can die from their first asthma attack without actually knowing they had the disease to begin with! That is why it is important to check regularly with your doctor and always point out if you are having any kind of breathing problems or related symptoms. With the proper medical attention, you can prevent attacks and keep asthma under control.
If asthma does strike, don’t lose your cool. Wait half a minute and try the inhaler one more time. If the inhaler does not provide immediate help, get medical help right away. Have someone phone an ambulance or drive you to a hospital. While heading to the hospital, breathe into a paper bag; it will slow your breathing rate and help reduce the attack.
Avoiding smoke is key in controlling asthma. Breathing in smoke can trigger an asthma attack. Vapors, cigarette smoke, and chemical fumes should be avoided. These are all common triggers and can aggravate asthma symptoms. Ask people around you not to smoke in your presence. Don’t be rude about it, but don’t be afraid to ask for what you need.
You need to know how to properly use your inhaler if you have been diagnosed with asthma. Spraying it into your mouth and then inhaling doesn’t work. Whenever you spray your inhaler, inhale deeply for multiple seconds. Proper techniques with your inhaler will keep your symptoms from increasing out of control.
Those with asthma should minimize time with pets and animals. While asthma can be triggered from an animal hair allergy, those free of these allergies can have an attack by the pollen and dust that the animals carry.
If you end up using your inhaler more than twice a week, then you need to consult a physician and change your medication. This can indicate that the inhaler you are using is not working for you. Also, if you have to refill your inhaler more than twice in one year, then a visit to the doctor for a medication change is also in order.
See multiple doctors to keep asthma under control. While your asthma treatment should start with your primary care doctor, visiting one or two asthma specialists can make a real difference in how well you understand and manage your condition. Think about going to a pulmonologist, an allergist or even a nutritionist, depending on what is triggering your attacks.
Paint Fumes
People with asthma should not smoke. Pretty much everyone is aware that smoking is dangerous, but for people suffering with asthma, it can have devastating effects. Smoke is an irritant to sensitive lungs, ans asthmatics should neither smoke nor be around people who’re smoking.
If repainting a room is in your future, purchase a quality mask first to protect your lungs from paint fumes. A proper breathing mask will help to protect asthma sufferers from paint fumes. In fact, you should stay vigilant here and avoid any and all chemicals that may trigger an asthma attack.
When dealing with an asthma attack, it is important to stay calm. Locate your inhaler, inhale deeply with the spray, and allow 30 seconds to pass before you reuse it. Don’t suffer in silence or wait it out if your breathing gets worse instead of better after using your inhaler. You need immediate medical attention if this happens. Get somebody to phone for EMS or even transport you themselves to the nearest emergency medical facility. Slow your breathing by inhaling and exhaling into a paper bag while you are waiting for help.
As this article has shown, being prepared can help you to live your life despite being diagnosed with asthma. Knowing the flavor of asthma from which you suffer, as well as practicing a good treatment regimen, is the easiest way to stop attacks from happening before they start. Reading this article has been the first important step in getting control of this disease.
One of the most important things that you can do to prevent asthma attacks is to identify your triggers. Think about using a journal to write down the things that you think might be triggering an attack, and talk about your notes with your health care professional. Take active steps to minimize coming into contact with elements that trigger your asthma, to help reduce your attacks.