Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with the condition known as asthma? This article provides many easy tips that will help you be better able to control asthma symptoms.
What type of asthma are you having to deal with? Learning about your type of asthma will help you manage its impact on your life. People who suffer from exercise-induced asthma will need to make sure that they have an inhaler with them inside of their gym bag. Learn what activities trigger your symptoms, and prepare accordingly so that you’re never caught without your inhaler during an asthma attack.
It is imperative that you do your best to avoid cleaning chemicals if you are asthmatic. Many chemicals contained in common cleaning products can aggravate your asthma, triggering an attack. While anyone responsible for cleaning their home can’t avoid cleaning products altogether, it’s best to only use natural products.
If you have asthma, it is crucial that you do not smoke, or quit if you do. Smoking is bad in general for everyone, but it is particularly worse for asthma suffers because it decreases the amount of oxygen in the lungs, putting you at higher risk for asthma attacks.
Avoid the things that trigger your asthma. Allergens such as dust and pollen can bring on an asthma attack at any time. For others, attacks can be caused by physical activities. Know your asthma causes so you can avoid putting yourself in a situation where you may suffer from an attack.
Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can actually trigger an asthma attack. Some anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, can flare up asthma symptoms. Additionally, beta blockers, a type of medication used for heart disease and hypertension, may cause asthma symptoms. Talk to a doctor if you have any of these conditions along with asthma.
If the room that you’re in is dusty, do not turn on a fan. All this does is circulate the dust, which is an invitation to triggering an otherwise avoidable asthma attack. It could be better to open the window if you need to get airflow.
You need ongoing treatment for asthma because it’s an ongoing disease. You need to keep taking your medications to control the asthma symptoms every day, and if an attack should occur, you should have quick relief medication at your disposal. Speak to an allergist and doctor to see what’s best for you.
If you are an asthmatic who also has allergies, injected allergy medication may be just the thing you need to get relief. Ask your allergist about omalizumab, an antibody drug that can reduce the severity of asthma symptoms and the frequency of attacks.
When you are suffering from an asthma attack, exhale all of the oxygen from your lungs. Exhale in a hard and fast manner. Push that air from your lungs with all that you’ve got! Inhale in a series of three, or three shallow breaths and one deep breath. After your lungs are filled with air, forcefully exhale again. Breathing in this rhythmic manner helps you to concentrate on the breaths you’re taking. This technique also forces the air from your lungs to enable more air to come in. If you cough or produce sputum, don’t worry. Just remain focused on your objective, which is to regain a normal rate of breathing.
Make proper use of your inhaler. A lot of people use inhalers improperly, so be sure that you’re adhering to the manufacturer’s suggested instructions. The medicine must go to your lungs for it to work. Spray the dosage into the mouth while you inhale air. After inhaling, it’s important that you hold the medication in by holding your breath for 10 seconds at the least.
If you suffer from asthma, and have many attacks that are related to your allergy symptoms, there is a medication that is injected and provides long term effects. Omalizumab, an antibody medicine, might be suggested by an allergist and controls allergic reactions.
Be sure you and your family members get a yearly flu vaccination. If you suffer from asthma, it is best to avoid respiratory infections of any type as much as possible. This means you should also be sure to wash your hands frequently and get vaccinated.
Always use your inhaler in the proper manner. Find a relaxing spot, and be sure that you follow the directions that the manufacturer provided. Proper use delivers the medication to your lungs. Inhale deeply and spray the correct dose into your mouth. Don’t exhale for ten seconds so that the medicine can go through your lungs.
People suffering from asthma should stick to unscented products. Indoor air pollution rises with the constant use of anything scented, ranging from air fresheners to incense, and all this can trigger asthma attacks. Irritating odors are also given off by new carpeting and paints. Try keeping the air indoors as fresh as it can be.
The use of multiple (more than four) household cleansers can cause an increase in asthma attacks. Choose instead organic products that are not filled with harmful chemicals.
Have your rescue inhaler with you at all times, especially when on vacation. Traveling is hard on your body, and you might have an asthma attack easier because your body is more likely to respond to triggers. You also have little control over your surroundings as you travel, and this may result in an increase in symptoms or frequency of attacks.
People who have asthma should avoid using scented household products. Using products in your home such as incense, perfume or air fresheners can increase the amount of microscopic pollutants indoors and trigger asthma attacks. Fresh paint and new carpeting also produce smells that can cause irritation to the airways. Try to maintain the air in your house as free from possible asthma triggers as possible.
The above article contains many tips to help you control asthma. However, the most important factor is your persistence in applying them. If you ignore warning signs and neglect to vigilantly care for your asthma, your asthma symptoms will come back stronger than ever. Be diligent and protect yourself when you implement the ideas from this article to manage your asthma.
Hay fever and colds can worsen asthma symptoms so prepare to need increased treatments. Many of these illnesses will worsen your asthma symptoms bad enough to require more treatments than you typically need. Your family doctor may recommend adding another treatment or medication to your current regimen until you recover from your illness.