Asthma can be serious to have and may cause a lot of negative problems in your life. Understand your condition and its triggers. Keeping your asthma controlled is the most effective way to deal with it. This article contains several tips and methods to help manage your asthma.
What kind of asthma do you have? Being fully informed about the specific type of asthma you have is very important. For instance, people with exercise-induced asthma would do well to carry an inhaler in their gym bag! If you are familiar with your symptoms and their patterns, you will be better able to avoid emergencies.
If you have an asthmatic child, do not allow anyone to smoke around him. Secondhand smoke is one of the leading culprits that causes asthma. It’s best to also keep your child away from places in which others will be smoking.
If you are an asthmatic, it is vital that you never smoke, and if you already do, you should quit as soon as possible. Smoking is, of course, unhealthy for anyone. The habit is even more dangerous for asthma patients, however, because anything that reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the lungs can trigger an attack.
Stay away from anything that you are aware of that may trigger your asthma. For some people, it may be related to allergies, such as a reaction to dust or pollen. Others may have attacks that are triggered by physical activity. You need to determine what your triggers are so that you can avoid them.
If you suffer from asthma, stay away from the fumes of household 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 do the cleaning in your house, use natural solutions that are safer for you to breath in.
You may be unaware that certain medications you might be on could cause asthma symptoms. Aspirin along with other NSAIDs can have this effect. Some medications for blood pressure and heart disease – those referred to as beta blockers – can also exacerbate asthma problems. Talk to a doctor if you have any of these conditions along with asthma.
In order to prevent asthma attacks, keep away from triggers. For some people, this is allergy related; things like pollen and dust can start an attack. It could also be some type of strenuous exercise. Determine what sets your asthma off so you can stay away from these things.
Cigarette smoke and asthma do not mix. You should not smoke! Inhaling the chemical-laden fumes and even the vapors from cigarettes can be extremely harmful. These can trigger a severe asthma attack that can be difficult to get under control. The minute you spot people smoking, immediately remove yourself from the area.
Be sure to avoid cigarette smoke if you have asthma. Smoking is off limits. Avoid breathing in the vapors and any other types of chemical fumes. Chemical fumes will trigger asthma attacks that you won’t be able to put an end to. If you see people smoking in your vicinity, you should get away from them as soon as possible.
Use your inhaler as directed. Get to a place out of the way, and read the directions before starting. The inhaler only helps if the medication reaches your lungs. While taking a deep breath, spray in the recommended dosage. Continue holding your breath for approximately 10 seconds. This way, the medication will soak into the cells of your lungs.
Never turn on a fan when the room you are in is very dusty. The wind will move dust around and get into your airways causing an attack. It’s better to open the window if you’re in need of fresh air.
If you’re having asthma problems, a dehumidifier is a beneficial purchase. Dust mites are a major source of asthma attacks, and dehumidifiers are great at getting rid of the little buggers. Air is kept dry by dehumidifiers by sucking the humidity out of it.
If allergens are causing you to suffer from frequent asthma attacks that are moderate to severe, there is an injectable medication that can provide you with long-term relief. Known as Omalizumab, this antibody medicine can control the body’s allergic senses and lower the symptoms or reactions that asthma patients suffer.
Know that your asthma treatment or medication may have to be increased a bit if you are suffering from allergies, hay fever or a cold. Make sure your doctor prescribes a fast acting inhaler for emergency situations. Your physician might also work an additional treatment into your therapy until such time as you are healthier.
Contact a social worker if you have asthma but do not meet the eligibility requirements for health insurance. Asthma patients need their medications, and a social worker might be able to hook you up with programs to help you such as clinics and programs through pharmaceutical companies.
Make it a habit to always have some rescue medication available when you travel. Traveling causes extra strain on your already stressed body, which makes your body more susceptible to bothersome asthma triggers. It is also difficult to control your environment while traveling, making it more likely that you may experience an attack or worsening symptoms.
Make sure that everyone in your family, including you, gets annual flu shots. Do everything you can to avoid a respiratory infection if you have asthma. Precautions include washing your hands and staying current with vaccinations.
Even if your asthma is not acting up, attend all of your doctor’s appointments. You don’t know when another flare-up will happen, or when your physician can offer you safer or superior medicine for your symptoms.
Consider buying a dehumidifier for the home if you have asthma. Not only will a dehumidifier decrease humidity, but it will also be helpful in controlling the dust mite population. Both are causative factors in asthma attacks. Dehumidifiers remove the humidity by drying out the air that flows through your house.
You can join an online or offline support group. Suffering from asthma can mean many days are spent at home with your condition stopping you from participating in a full and fulfilling lifestyle. In addition, a community of other asthma sufferers will let you know about changes in medications or other relevant scientific discoveries.
Studies show that using a variety of cleaning products in the home can actually increase the odds of triggering an asthma attack. Use organic products as often as possible, as these contain fewer harsh chemicals.
See your doctor if your symptoms are worsening. More importantly, you should apply these tips whenever possible, to keep the symptoms down and hopefully, improve your quality of life.
Scented products could cause averse reactions to asthma sufferers. It is safest to use unscented products when possible. Products with a fragrance raise the air pollution indoors, and increase the risk of an attack being triggered. Some of these products include incense, scented body sprays and air fresheners. In addition, paint that is fresh or carpet that is new release odors that can cause breathing irritations that lead to an asthma attack. Try to maintain fresh air inside your home.