A diagnosis of asthma can place significant restrictions on your lifestyle; it is a very serious condition and should be regarded as such. However, you should be aware that many of the symptoms of asthma can be manageable if you use several methods of dealing with your disease, in addition to taking your prescribed medication. This article condenses those techniques into a few informative paragraphs.
What kind of asthma do you have? Gaining as much knowledge as you can about the type of asthma you have can make your day-to-day activities a little easier. A perfect example is that if you have asthma caused by exercise you should put a inhaler in your locker or gym bag. You will be able to prevent asthma attacks if you can recognize symptoms.
What triggers your asthma? Understanding the specifics of your asthma will help you to avoid attack triggers in your day-to-day life. Those whose asthma is exacerbated by exercise will know to always have an inhaler on hand. Knowing your symptoms’ patterns can help you avoid big problems.
Asthma sufferers should avoid smoking cigarettes and any place that has cigarette smoke. You should not smoke yourself! Avoid breathing in the vapors and any other types of chemical fumes. This can aggravate your asthma and it might not stop. If you find that you have people smoking around you, get yourself out of that area rather quickly.
Stay away from anything that you are aware of that may trigger your asthma. For some people, this is allergy related; things like pollen and dust can start an attack. Others experience an attack from physical activities. Know your asthma causes so you can avoid putting yourself in a situation where you may suffer from an attack.
Never use a fan in a dirty, dust-filled room. This will move all the dust around, and can easily trigger an asthma attack. It’s better to open the window if you’re in need of fresh air.
Blood Pressure
When suffering from asthma, there are vitamins that can help, including E and C. It is thought that these vitamins will help increase lung function and will help control asthma symptoms. Many foods have these vitamins in abundance, but you can also use a supplemental pill. These vitamins will also provide a boost to your immune system. This will prevent respiratory illnesses that can trigger your asthma attacks.
Certain prescription medications have the potential to cause asthma symptoms. Some NSAIDs and aspirin might do this. Other medications that may have an effect on the respiratory system include beta blockers used to treat high blood pressure. If you have asthma paired with heart disease or high blood pressure, tell your doctor.
If you’ve got asthma, don’t smoke or be near smokers. Tobacco smoke causes your lung function to decrease, increasing the risk of a very severe attack, especially in enclosed rooms without much air flow or ventilation.
When you suffer a medium-intensity attack, try and forcefully exhale all air from your lungs. Exhale hard and fast. Forcefully push the air out from your lungs. Inhale for three quick breaths, and then take one deep breath so that you can allow your lungs to fill with air, and then force the air out again. The breathing rhythm that you create by doing this will cause you to be aware of every breath you take. It also expels air from your lungs so more can enter. This may cause you to cough or it may cause phlegm, but your breathing will be back to normal again.
Try to keep your home as clean as possible, especially the bedroom of the asthma sufferer, to reduce the risk of an asthma attack. Food should be restricted to the kitchen, and smoking inside the home should never be permitted. After cleaning around the house, open windows and allow fresh air into the house. This can reduce the smell and pervasiveness of household cleaners like bleach.
A leukotriene inhibitor should be taken into consideration when asthma is a struggle. There are modern medicines that are highly effective at blocking leukotrienes. Leukotriene, a chemical released by the body in response to an allergen, is responsible for inducing many of the symptoms of an asthma attack. The prescription will help to decrease home much leukotriene is in your system and therefore, the number of asthma attacks you have.
If you suffer from asthma, you should refrain from sleeping on a pillow that contains feathers. Feathers can trigger asthma symptoms and reduce lung function. The same can be said for bedding, try to get hypoallergenic comforters and sheets.
Cleaning Products
Even if you seem to be fine, see your doctor regularly for your asthma checkups. You don’t know when another flare-up will happen, or when your physician can offer you safer or superior medicine for your symptoms.
It has been shown that use of four or more different kinds of cleaning products can raise the risk of asthma attacks. Consider purchasing and using organic cleaning products since they are void of irritating chemicals.
A humid home will cause mold or mildew to appear. These things can trigger asthma attacks very easily. You should do your best to maintain a dry home. Use a dehumidifier during the winter time so that you can keep humidity in control when you use a heater. You can use the air conditioning in your household during summer time to get the same affect.
Keep all your doctors appointments even if your asthma symptoms aren’t bothering you. A flare-up can occur at any time, and your physician may have learned of a prescription medication that can treat your symptoms more safely and effectively.
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 lets the air warm slightly before you breathe it in. Young children are especially at risk for an asthma attack if the air they breathe is too cold, but this problem can affect anybody with asthma.
Asthma typically develops over a long time, and sometimes the symptoms aren’t very obvious. Many individuals died from their very first asthma attack because they weren’t aware they had the risk factors for an attack. So, if you have difficulty breathing or a cough that doesn’t go away, see a doctor to figure out whether you suffer from asthma and to determine whether you will be needing medication to prevent or treat the condition.
Know the right way to take your asthma medication, and above all any rescue medication. Most people treat their asthma with regular daily medication, and carry supplemental emergency medication in the form of a rescue inhaler. Asthma is an illness that is chronic in nature, so it is imperative to take the management medicine as directed and only using the rescue inhaler when necessary.
When cleaning your house, clean floors with a wet mop instead of a broom. Sweeping stirs up irritants that can trigger an asthma attack. When you dust, use a damp cloth instead of a feather duster which can spread these triggers.
If you’re flying with asthma medications, be sure you get a prescription from your physician. If you have written proof about the item you have,and that it is medically necessary, there will be less hassles going through security.
Avoid Smoke
During spring or other high-pollen times, don’t go outside unless you have to so that you can avoid a pollen-triggered asthma attack. While asthma isn’t a type of allergy, those with asthma are frequently bothered by the same kinds of irritants that cause problems for allergy sufferers. Now that you have information on local air quality in most areas, people who suffer from asthma will be able to decrease outdoor activities if there is potential irritants in the air.
Avoid smoke if you want to prevent asthma. Sometimes smoke can cause an asthma attack. Avoid smoke of any kind, including cigarette smoke, if you’ve got asthma. Exposure to these substances can worsen your asthma considerably. Ask people around you not to smoke in your presence. Don’t be rude about it, but don’t be afraid to ask for what you need.
If you are an asthma sufferer, it is crucial that you are using your inhaler the proper way. Spraying it into your mouth and then inhaling doesn’t work. Once you spray the inhaler you must take deep breaths for a couple of seconds. If you are having trouble using it correctly, ask your doctor for help at your next visit.
As discussed previously, unchecked asthma can threaten your health and your happiness. Always follow your asthma treatment plan, whether inhaler or allergen avoidance, to keep your symptoms under control. If you apply the advice you were given here, you should be able to manage your asthma in a safe and healthy manner, allowing you to live life to the fullest.
If you are going to paint your home, purchase a mask beforehand so that you will not breath the fumes. Paint fumes are especially dangerous for asthmatic people, but a mask will prevent asthma attacks efficiently. Substances and chemicals which have the power to trigger asthma should be widely avoided.