Asthma can cause life-altering changes to your life because of the severity of the condition. You should take necessary steps to keep it from becoming severe and out of control. The next few paragraphs will give you some practical tips for controlling asthma symptoms.
What type of asthma are you having to deal with? 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. For example, if you have exercise-induced asthma, you will want to always make sure you have an inhaler in your gym bag. If you are familiar with your symptoms and their patterns, you will be better able to avoid emergencies.
If you’re suffering from asthma, it helps if you can avoid any harsh cleaning products out there. Asthma sufferers are often sensitive to chemical cleaners; using these products can sometimes trigger asthma attacks. If you’re the one that cleans your home, try organic or natural cleaning solutions that are much less risky to your health.
You want to make sure you can avoid situations that could trigger your asthma. Certain asthma sufferers experience attacks when they around around allergy triggers, such as dust or pollen. For others, it may be linked to physical exertion. Try to see what cause your asthma so that you can avoid it.
You want to make sure you can avoid situations that could trigger your asthma. This is different for everyone, but some people, things like dust or pollen can trigger an attack. For others, physical activity can irritate them. Try to figure out when your asthma began so it can be avoided.
If the room that you’re in is dusty, do not turn on a fan. This will move all the dust around, and can easily trigger an asthma attack. A fan will just blow around dust without providing fresh air, so opening a window is a better option as it brings in fresh air and ventilation.
Asthma is an ongoing disease and requires ongoing health management. Take the proper medications for controlling your asthma daily, and keep quick relief medication somewhere on you just in case you have a sudden attack. Have a discussion with your doctor or allergist to determine what the best plan for you might be.
Ask everyone in your family to get a flu shot every year. It is a good idea to avoid all respiratory infections when you have asthma. To do this you must take extra precautions against getting sick, like washing your hands often and getting vaccinated every year.
If you have asthma and have frequent attacks that are related to allergies, there are medicines that can be injected to provide you with long-term relief. Ask your allergist about omalizumab, an antibody drug that can reduce the severity of asthma symptoms and the frequency of attacks.
Using more than four different types of cleaning products in your home has been shown to increase the risk of an asthma attack. Consider purchasing and using organic cleaning products since they are void of irritating chemicals.
Leukotriene inhibitors can help control the symptoms of asthma. A leukotriene inhibitor prevents the formation of leukotrienes. Leukotriene is a substance that may cause inflammation. This can make a person have an asthma attack. Using an inhibitor will counteract the negative effects of leukotriene, thereby decreasing the occurrence of asthma attacks.
Avoid exposure to secondhand smoke because it is as dangerous to asthmatics as smoking a cigarette. 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.
If you or your child suffer from asthma, it is important that you receive a flu shot every year. Getting vaccinated yearly can help keep many of these illnesses at bay.
To cut the risk of an asthma attack, keep your house as clean as you can, particularly the bedroom of the person with asthma. Don’t smoke indoors, or allow any junk food in your home. Harsh chemicals, like bleach and ammonia, can trigger asthma.
If you are an asthma patient, you may want to sleep with a pillow that does not contain feathers. Feathers can trigger asthma symptoms and reduce lung function. Also, make sure your other bedding is made with hypoallergenic materials.
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 could add another treatment into your regimen until the illness is better.
Even if you seem to be fine, see your doctor regularly for your asthma checkups. 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.
If you have asthma, you should get a flu shot once per year. A yearly vaccination will help minimize the number of infections your children have to deal with.
Bundle up during winter weather if you have asthma. Covering your nose and mouth with a scarf or muffler helps prevent asthma attacks. You can help warm the air with these things before they bring any harm to your lungs. Cold air can trigger severe attacks, especially for young children.
Avoid using a feather or down pillow if you have asthma. Feather can decrease lung function and trigger asthma symptoms. This applies to bedding, as well, so it’s best to make sure that everything on your bed is hypoallergenic.
Asthma is a medical condition that tends to slowly develop over time, and the symptoms are not always that obvious. There are known cases where someone has actually died from a single asthma attack, because they were unaware that they had the disease. Given that fact, if you have any kind of consistent cough or respiratory ailments, consulting a physician for testing is a good idea, since you want to know if you are suffering from asthma and if so, what to do about it.
Join an online or offline support group. Many people who suffer from asthma are unable to live a full life. Also, other asthma sufferers can alert you to scientific breakthroughs and changes, such as new medications.
Keep in mind that mopping your floors with a wet mop will cause less asthma problems than sweeping will. Sweeping can stir up some asthmatic triggers that will exacerbate your symptoms. Use a dampened rag when dusting, instead of a feather duster, so as to prevent stirring up loose dust particles and other asthma triggers.
During colder months, wear a shawl, scarf or muffler to avoid asthma. This way, the air will be warm before entering your lungs. Cold air can trigger severe attacks, especially for young children.
Your bed linens are where pollen, dust and other allergens like to collect. The easiest way to get rid of these triggering agents is by washing all of your bedding using your washer’s hot setting every Sunday. Having fresh bedding will let you breathe more easily and have a more restful night.
If you have asthma, clean your floors with a wet mop, instead of sweeping with a traditional broom. Sweeping sends dust and dander back into the air and could trigger an asthma attack. When dusting, use a damp cloth, as feather dusters just move dust around.
Consult with multiple doctors. Your primary physician should always be your first stop when dealing with asthma, but you may find it helpful to add a specialist’s knowledge. Pulmonologists, allergists, asthma centers and nutritionists can help you take advantage of the many treatments available to those with asthma.
Those with asthma should minimize time with pets and animals. Though dander allergies are often seen in conjunction with asthma, even asthmatics who are not allergic may have attacks that are triggered by the ancillary irritants transported by animals, including pollen and dust.
Avoid smoking. Most people are educated about how dangerous smoking is, but it is much more harmful for people who have asthma. Smoke is very irritating to sensitive lungs, so take care not to smoke or be around others who are.
You need to be educated in properly using your inhaler if you suffer from asthma. You can’t just spray into your mouth and softly inhale. You must simultaneously inhale and spray the inhaler, then hold your breath for several seconds. Without proper breathing techniques with your inhaler, your symptoms will worsen.
If you have asthma and allergies and use a humidifier, make sure it is thoroughly cleaned as often as necessary. If the machine stays wet, it can breed bacteria and you’ll end up pumping harmful allergens out into the air.
Finding out as much as you can about asthma is a good way to help you manage your asthma. If you know a lot about asthma, you can work towards fixing it. Make sure you are learning the newest information about treatments and get the best doctor to help you with it. The best thing you can do is educate yourself about asthma and its treatment.
Speaking with people in an asthmatic support group, or chatting with friends who also have asthma, can be helpful. They are there to help you win this battle with asthma through great tips and well planned ideas. Having support from other people in the same situation as you are is an amazing help to your treatment and state of mind.
Schedule regular appointments with your physician to keep tabs on your asthma. Your doctor should be recording your current state as a benchmark, and making necessary changes to improve your situation if needed. You need to stay on top of scheduling doctor visits. Otherwise, your condition might deteriorate suddenly.
Talk to your physician if you feel your symptoms aren’t improving. Also, you need to use these tips in your life when possible so you can avoid the worst of the symptoms. This will help you live a better life.
Asthma is a lung disease that is caused by environmental or genetic factors. If you have a family history of asthma, be especially attentive when asthma like symptoms manifest in another family member. There are many environmental factors, like mold, great deals of dust, smoke and pollution that can lead to asthma, so it’s important to keep both yourself and your children away from these things.