Asthma can make your life difficult, frustrating and sad. Perhaps you find your daily activities restricted by this condition. Unfortunately, there is no actual cure for asthma, but there are indeed treatments. You can get some tips from this article on how you can prevent asthma symptoms from being too hard to deal with.
Do all you can to learn not just about asthma, but your particular asthma. If you identify your specific causes, you can be prepared to treat the symptoms when they appear during your daily routines. An example would be to bring in your gym bag an inhaler if you happen to have exercise-induced asthma. You can avoid a crisis by knowing your symptoms’ patterns.
To keep your child healthy, make sure they are never around smoke. Secondhand smoke is almost as dangerous to asthmatics as actually smoking a cigarette. While making sure to never light up around your children, it is also vital that you make sure your kids are not around others who do not show the same courtesy.
You want to make sure you can avoid situations that could trigger your asthma. Perhaps you have allergies or are sensitive to dust and pollen. Others have asthma attacks when they participate in physical activities. Look for the trigger points in your life, so you can work around them.
If you are afficted with asthma, it is critical to quit smoking and avoid the use of any other tobacco products. Although smoking causes health problems for everyone, it is even more dangerous to asthma sufferers because the smoke causes airway swelling that cuts off oxygen to your lungs, and can trigger an attack.
A lot of medications can trigger an asthma attack without you knowing. Examples of medications that may contribute to asthma are aspirin and other NSAIDs. Beta blockers that are used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease can develop asthma like symptoms. 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
If you suffer from asthma, try seeing if a leukotriene inhibitor helps. These medications prevent the production of leukotrienes. Leukotriene are chemicals that may cause your lungs to get inflamed which can lead to an asthma attack. The inhibitor will prevent leukotrienes, which can decrease the amount of asthma attacks that you have.
You may be unaware that certain medications you might be on could cause asthma symptoms. Examples of medications that may contribute to asthma are aspirin and other NSAIDs. Additionally, beta blockers, a type of medication used for heart disease and hypertension, may cause asthma symptoms. If you suffer from any of these conditions along with your asthma, make sure you tell your doctor.
Make sure that everyone in your family gets their flu shot. When you are afflicted with asthma, steer as clear as you can of all types of respiratory infections. This includes preventive measures against sickness, such as practicing good hygiene and getting all recommended vaccinations.
Asthma is a disease that is ongoing and must be attended to every day. 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. Speak with an allergist or your doctor to determine the best care for you.
If you are asthmatic, it may be a good idea to use a pillow that is not filled with feathers. The feathers can make it harder to breathe right and trigger an attack. Same thing with bedding – purchase sheets and a comforter that are constructed from hypoallergenic materials.
When you suffer a medium-intensity attack, try and forcefully exhale all air from your lungs. Breathe out quick and forcefully. Try to force the air out of your lungs! Take three breaths in succession. These breaths don’t have to be deep, just breathe a little. Then take a deep breath, pulling as much air as possible into your lungs. When your lungs are as full as you can stand, force the air out. This gives your breathing a rhythm, which makes you aware of how many breaths you take. It also will push all of your air out of the lungs so that you can get more air in. You might cough or produce sputum, but that is fine; you are trying to get breathing under control again.
You should always have your rescue medication with you when you are traveling. Traveling can put additional strain on your body, making you more susceptible to asthma triggers. You can’t exert as much control over your environment when you travel, so you may have an asthma attack or exacerbation of symptoms under unfamiliar conditions.
If you’re a sufferer of asthma, stay away from cigarette smoke. Refrain from smoking! Avoid exposure to chemical fumes or vapors. This can trigger an asthma attack, which may be difficult to stop. If others are smoking nearby, leave that area as quickly as you can.
You may want to think about joining support groups you can find both online and offline. Asthma can be devastating and lead to lethargy and withdrawal from normal life – especially if it is quite severe. 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.
Make sure you use the inhaler in the proper, prescribed method. Find a spot that is out of the way, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter. Proper use delivers the medication to your lungs. Inhale air while spraying the necessary amount of medication into your mouth. Holding your breath for a minimum of 10 seconds gives the medicinal mist from the inhaler time to spread itself throughout your lungs.
Protect yourself against breathing in cold air that aggravates your asthma by wearing a scarf that covers your nose and mouth. This will warm the air that you breathe before it enters your lungs. Studies have indicated that asthma attacks are sometimes triggered when cold air is inhaled. This is especially true for young children who have asthma that is moderate to severe.
If you are dealing with asthma, you would benefit from buying a dehumidifier. Lowering the level of humidity present in your home can reduce the numbers of dust mites, a prime trigger of asthma. A dehumidifier makes the air in your home dry by keeping humidity to a minimum.
If you are taking your prescriptions with you on a flight, make sure to take your prescription. Without a written prescription stating that the item is medically necessary, you may experience frustration and delays at security checkpoints.
It has been shown that use of four or more different kinds of cleaning products can raise the risk of asthma attacks. Try organic cleaners that are free of irritating chemicals.
Do not smoke. If you have asthma, you could have serious health complications from smoking. The lungs of someone with asthma are irritated by smoking, whether by that person or someone nearby.
Unscented products are best for asthma sufferers. Fragrances are present in hundreds of common consumer products, including cleaning supplies, perfumes, detergents and room sprays. Any of these items could easily increase the of triggering an attack. New carpeting and even a fresh coat of paint can aggravate the airway and lungs as well. Try to keep the indoor air as clean and fresh as possible.
If you find yourself relying on your rescue inhaler more often than twice weekly, it may be necessary to speak with your doctor about changing medication. Frequent use may be a signal that the medication is not effective. If you must refill your inhaler over two times a year, then it’s time to inquire with your doctor about a medication switch as well.
If your child or yourself are asthma sufferers it is very important that you get the flu shot every single year. Stave off as many of these infections as possible by getting vaccinated every year.
Take in every piece of asthma information available to you. Having the right information can enable you to choose the treatments that are right for you, and help reduce symptoms. Keep up on what the most effective treatments are and ensure you are receiving the best treatments possible. The only way you can do this is by arming yourself with condition and treatment knowledge.
When the weather starts to turn colder, wear a scarf or shawl that covers your mouth and nose to help prevent asthma attacks. This will keep you from breathing cold air. Breathing in air that’s cold can trigger an attack, particularly in younger children that have moderate or severe asthma.
You must use a protective mask when you paint, so make sure you have one before you start your project. Paint fumes can be irritating to asthma sufferers, but a mask creates a protective shield. Learn what type of chemicals trigger your asthma and try to stay away from them.
As the above article has stated, asthma is a terrible condition that should never be taken lightly. Do what you can to prevent symptoms, and get professional help if you think it may be beyond your control. You can use the information that has been provided to take charge of your life and reduce the control asthma and it’s symptoms have over you.
Make sure you are getting enough vitamin B6. In many studies, it has been shown that vitamin B6 (which is also called pyridoxine) decreases the intensity and frequency of asthma attacks. This substance helps your body produce the molecules needed to relax the tissues of the bronchial tubes. Chicken and carrots, as well as bananas, are two good food sources which contain vitamin B6.