Asthma is more common than ever, so more people require treatment. Many new and interesting products and medicines for asthma have been released recently. Now is your chance to find something that works for your asthma. Follow these tips to get just the right match in asthma care products.
It is important that you try to stay clear of cleaning products if you have asthma. Many chemicals that are in these products can cause the triggering of asthma attacks. When you are tidying your home consider using natural products that are effective for cleaning rather than traditional cleansers.
You should not smoke or be anywhere near smoke if you suffer from asthma. That means you have to avoid all tobacco, and seriously consider think about what jobs you take; for example, factories are probably not a healthy place for you because of all the vapors and smoke.
Some medications can exacerbate asthma symptoms as a side effect. Aspirin along with other NSAIDs can have this effect. Beta blockers, such as those used to control high blood pressure or heart disease may also have this effect. It is important for your doctor to know your complete medical history, including any medications you are currently taking, so they can best treat your asthma.
Asthma Symptoms
When you suffer a medium-intensity attack, try and forcefully exhale all air from your lungs. Exhale as fast and hard as you can. You have to force the air out. Follow this by breathing in three times quickly, and a fourth time deeply to ensure your lungs are filled to capacity, then exhale again as forcefully as possible. This will force you to pay careful attention to all of your breaths. By repeatedly forcing air out, you make room for new air so that your breathing can get back on track. 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.
You may be unaware that certain medications you might be on could cause asthma symptoms. Among these medications are aspirin and other NSAIDs. The medication you take for high blood pressure can also cause asthma symptoms. If you have any of these conditions along with your asthma, make sure you tell your doctor.
If you are having trouble dealing with asthma, a leukotriene inhibitor might be of good use. Leukotriene inhibitors are used to prevent things called leukotrienes. Inhibiting this chemical can lead to a decrease in asthma symptoms. The inhibitor will prevent leukotrienes, which can decrease the amount of asthma attacks that you have.
Asthmatics should have a flu shot every year to prevent contracting a serious respiratory infection. If you have asthma, you can protect your health by taking all steps possible to avoid any type of cold, flu or other upper respiratory infection. The preventative measures you can take against such sickness range from simple habits of hand washing to getting your annual flu shot.
If you have asthma, avoid people who smoke. If you inhale the smoke, it will harm your lungs and increase the possibility of an asthma attack. Always be mindful of this, especially in small spaces that do not have very much air flowing.
To lower the chances of an asthma attack, keep your house as clean as can be, especially the bedroom. Don’t smoke indoors, or allow any junk food in your home. Don’t use bleach or harsh chemicals inside, and air out the house as much as possible after cleaning.
Your asthma medication may need to be adjusted if you become ill. Many illnesses have side effects which can cause your asthma to get much worse, leading your doctor to increase treatment. The doctor may choose to pursue additional treatment options during your illness as well.
When dealing with hay fever or a cold, you will notice an increase in your asthma symptoms. Some illnesses create issues that make it necessary to increase medication temporarily. Your regular medication may also need to be combined with other treatments your doctor may recommend.
Regular flu shots are important if you or one of your children suffer from asthma. Get vaccinated every flu season to avoid a high number of infections.
Support Group
Realize what triggers your attacks, and you can avoid or manage these situations. Most asthma sufferers have a few common triggers such as smoke, pet dander or pollen. Avoid your asthma triggers as much as you can to prevent attacks.
Look for a support group, such as an online community or a local group. Asthma can be devastating and lead to lethargy and withdrawal from normal life – especially if it is quite severe. A support group also makes it easier to keep up to date on advancements in asthma science or new medications that come on the market.
You should always have your rescue medication with you 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’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.
Some common catalysts of asthma attacks regularly occur in the home. Some triggers include spores, dust and mold. To lessen the risk of an asthma attack and to stay healthy, have your house inspected every year by an inspector, and remove those agents when they have been identified. You can help keep your house safe from these harmful substances by regularly cleaning and dusting your home.
Think about becoming a member of a support group, whether it is online or somewhere local. Asthma, especially the more severe forms, cause many problems that interfere with the quality of life and present many challenges. Also, communicating with other people with asthma will keep you in the know about changes in how the condition is understood and treated.
Wear scarves, shawls and mufflers to cover your noise and mouth during colder weather. This will warm the air before it enters your lungs. Breathing in cold air tends to start asthma attacks, especially with younger children that have severe or moderate asthma.
Mold and mildew can thrive in a humid home environment. Both of these allergens can be contributing factors in asthma attacks. Therefore, it is important to make sure your home is dry. When it’s cold, a dehumidifier can keep moisture to a minimum; in hot months, your A/C unit will do the same thing.
Use your maintenance or preventative inhaler every day. However, you should know that the drug may cause mouth infections near your gums and teeth. Prevent these unnecessary side effects by gargling and brushing your teeth right after you use the inhaler.
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. This way, the air will be warm before entering your lungs. Cold air can be a nuisance and breathing it has actually proven to trigger asthma attacks. This is especially true for younger children who have severe or moderate asthma.
Bed Linens
If you are taking an airplane and you need to travel with your asthma apparatus or medications, bring your written prescription with you. If you have written proof about the item you have,and that it is medically necessary, there will be less hassles going through security.
Dust, pollen, allergens and other asthma aggravators tend to collect in bed linens. You can avoid this by making sure to wash your bed linens in hot water at least once a week. If there are always fresh linens on your bed, you are much more likely to sleep restfully without unexpected asthma attacks.
Asthma sufferers should avoid coming into contact with both domestic and farm animals. While allergies from animals can complicate asthma, those without allergies can get asthma attacks from dust or pollen that the animals carry.
Consider using more than just one doctor. Specialists can supplement the asthma treatments your regular doctor provides for you. Pulmonologists, allergists, asthma centers and also nutritionists can assist you in exploring every avenue of treatment for your asthma.
Avoid smoking and people who are smokers. Most people are educated about how dangerous smoking is, but it is much more harmful for people who have asthma. Smoking is very bad for people who suffer from asthma, be sure not to smoke, but not to be around people that smoke.
Do not make the decision to smoke. Most people are aware of the dangers of smoking, but for someone with asthma, the consequences are even more serious. An asthmatic’s lungs are more vulnerable than those of a healthy individual, which makes it especially important to abstain from smoking and avoid secondhand smoke.
Always try your best to remain calm if you begin having an asthma attack. Wait half a minute and try the inhaler one more time. If this procedure does not stop your attack, seek immediate treatment from a healthcare professional. If there is someone nearby, have them call an ambulance or drive you to the nearest hospital. Breathing into a paper bag on the way can sometimes help by slowing your breathing rate.
If you end up using your inhaler more than twice a week, then you need to consult a physician and change your medication. Using your inhaler this frequently means your prescription is not effectively treating your asthma. This is also true if you are refilling your rescue inhaler prescription more than twice a year.
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. Increased reliance on your inhaler may be an indication that the medication is no longer working well enough. This is also true if you are refilling your rescue inhaler prescription more than twice a year.
Educate yourself to the maximum regarding asthma. The more educated you are about your asthma, the more proactive you can be about your treatment. You will know that you are using the most effective methods if you stay current with asthma information. Make sure to explore new and different options to keep the symptoms of your condition under control.
Learn all that you can learn about the condition you have. The more you educate yourself about your asthma condition, the more you are able to be proactive about your treatment. Keep up with the latest asthma news and see to it that you’re getting the best possible care. There is no other way to get the best care possible than educating yourself on asthma, and staying informed about your treatment options.
Speaking to your peers, who also suffer from asthma, can be an eye-opening and life-changing experience. The other members can give you valuable advice on how to cope with the everyday challenges of living with asthma, and how to handle specific situations. Having support from other people in the same situation as you are is an amazing help to your treatment and state of mind.
Identifying what triggers your asthma attacks will go a long way towards treating them. Start an attack journal to help identify these triggers, and share what you record with your doctor. Once they are identified, you should make every attempt to avoid the triggers and remove them from the environment that you live in when at all possible.
Vitamin B6.
Keeping your home neat, clean, and regularly swept can really help to reduce the number of asthma attacks you have. Keeping your bedding clean and washed regularly can really make a difference when trying to control your asthma. By doing this, you get rid of dust and dust mites. Both of these things can trigger an asthma attack. When the dust has a chance to build up, the air can irritate asthma sufferers and put them more at risk of having an attack.
Eat more foods that contain vitamin B6. Recent research has shown that vitamin B6 , widely known as pyridoxine, is effective at reducing the occurrence of asthma attacks. Vitamin B6 helps your body to produce molecules that work to relax your bronchial tissues. A banana is a great food that is rich in vitamin B6.
Watch for these symptoms of serious asthma attack to know whether or not you should rush your child to the emergency room. Some symptoms of a dangerous attack include blue or gray nails and lips and a lack of response to medications. Additionally, your child may have trouble speaking.
If you have read this article, you now understand how you can deal with treating asthma. However, you will still need to try out a few different methods to find the one(s) that works best for you. There’s a lot of information which can assist you in finding helpful treatments. If you can apply the tips you have learned in this article, then you are one step closer to getting a handle on those asthma symptoms.
If you’re having asthma attacks without control medications at hand, get a shot of something caffeinated. Strong tea, chocolate or even coffee can help to reduce the severity of your attack. Caffeine constricts your blood vessels, which causes your airways to open.