Asthma can limit you in your daily activities. With medication and coping strategies, however, you can live a full, healthy life, despite your asthma. This article is packed with useful tips and advice for living with asthma.
Don’t smoke around your child if they have asthma; this could worsen their situation. Secondhand smoke is one of the leading culprits that causes asthma. 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.
Some medications that you may take unknowingly can cause you to have asthma symptoms. Some NSAIDs and aspirins will do this for you. Beta blockers can also have this affect, as well as other medications for controlling high blood pressure and heart disease. Make sure your physician is aware of all of your chronic conditions and any medications you are on so they can treat your asthma appropriately.
Asthmatics should not smoke. If you smoke – quit immediately. Smoking isn’t good for anyone, but it’s worse for those with asthma. It cuts off the oxygen supply that your lungs need to function properly to keep away the asthma attacks.
Asthma doesn’t just go away, so you can’t just stop managing it. Make sure that your daily routine includes taking appropriate medication to keep you free of asthma symptoms, along with additional medication to treat you for any sudden asthma attacks. Your physician and allergist are the ones to approach with any questions you have about this disease and its treatment.
If you suffer from asthma, you should avoid cleaning products that have strong odors. A lot of the cleaning products have certain chemicals in them which can trigger asthma attacks. Use natural cleaners instead of chemical cleaners to reduce your chances of asthma attacks after cleaning.
Social Worker
When you are suffering from an asthma attack, exhale all of the oxygen from your lungs. Exhale in a hard and fast manner. This will force the air from your lungs. Breathe in by taking three quick breaths, followed by one very deep breath. Doing this will fill your lungs completely, and allow you to expel the air forcefully again. Paying attention this way will help you stabilize your breathing and make it rhythmic. In addition, it repeatedly empties your lungs of air, so that you can draw in more oxygen-rich air. If you cough or produce sputum, don’t worry. Just remain focused on your objective, which is to regain a normal rate of breathing.
If you have asthma that is not covered by health insurance, contact someone in a government agency, like a social worker. A social worker can possibly help you with finding treatment and low-cost medications.
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 is much better to open a window when you are in need of some air flow.
If you deal with asthma in your life, always choose products that are free of scents. Scented products such as air fresheners, incense and perfume heighten the degree of indoor air impurities and may possibly contribute to an attack. Fresh paint and new carpeting can also irritate the airway. Aim to keep the air as fresh as possible indoors.
If you suffer from asthma, avoid smokers, even if you do not smoke yourself. When you inhale tobacco smoke, particularly in small areas without much ventilation, lung function may be severely impacted, and you have a higher chance of having an attack.
If you’re suffering from a cold or allergies, you should talk to your doctor about taking additional asthma medication. Make sure your doctor prescribes a fast acting inhaler for emergency situations. It is also possible that your physician will add an additional treatment to your routine until you recover from your illness.
If you’re suffering from a cold or allergies, you should talk to your doctor about taking additional asthma medication. Many illnesses have side effects that could cause your asthma to flare up so badly that you need to have an increase in treatment. It is possible that your doctor will decide to modify your treatment, or even add additional treatments, until you are back on your feet.
If you have asthma, you should get a flu shot once per year. Therefore, it is very important to avoid as many infections to the lungs as possible by getting a vaccine each year.
Even if you have not had any recent breathing problems, you should nonetheless schedule regular checkups. It is important to make sure your condition isn’t worsening, and your doctor may want to prescribe a different medication.
If you suffer from asthma, it’s best to avoid pillows full of feathers. People are often allergic to these natural products that can affect breathing and bring on asthma symptoms. This also goes for bedding; use sheets, comforters and blankets that are crafted from hypoallergenic materials.
Know how to properly use asthma medicine, especially your rescue medication. A treatment made up of a daily medication plus a rescue inhaler can help to keep asthma under control. Asthma doesn’t go away, so it’s important to be vigilant about taking your daily medication and using your rescue inhaler when an attack occurs.
When you are traveling, be sure to carry your rescue inhaler with you at all times. Traveling causes extra strain on your already stressed body, which makes your body more susceptible to bothersome asthma triggers. The change in environment can also have a negative impact, since it is impossible to control. This can lead to more frequent attacks or attacks with symptoms that are worse than normal.
When you are removing dust or crumbs from your floor, you should use a vacuum or damp mop to avoid scattering dust in the air. Sweeping sends dust and dander back into the air and could trigger an asthma attack. Use damp rags instead of a dry feather duster so triggers won’t be filling the air.
When you fly, make sure to take along prescriptions or doctors’ notes for all of your asthma equipment and medications, especially if they are unusual. Carrying written prescription information will help you to avoid security hassles, and you won’t have to worry about your medication being confiscated.
If you are working to prevent asthma, it is best not to smoke. Inhaling smoke makes it harder for you to breathe and might result in an asthma attack. Stay away from cigarette smoke, fumes, and vapors as much as you can. Exposure to these substances can worsen your asthma considerably. If there are smokers around you, you may want to ask them if they will smoke in another area.
Stay Indoors
Asthma sufferers need to know which types of animals and breeds won’t trigger their asthma attacks. While allergies from animals can complicate asthma, those without allergies can get asthma attacks from dust or pollen that the animals carry.
If the pollen count is rising, stay indoors when possible. Asthma symptoms are not the same as allergic reactions, but allergies and asthma attacks have many common triggers. Many areas provide air quality information publicly, allowing you to stay indoors when the air outside is poor.
Allergens, pollen, dust and some other asthma aggravators can collect in your bed linens. It is important to wash your bed linens at least once per week in very hot water if you want to reduce or eliminate the potential aggravators. Clean bed linens that are washed frequently will help you breathe easier every time your head hits the pillow.
If you end up using your inhaler more than twice a week, then you need to consult a physician and change your medication. Increased reliance on your inhaler may be an indication that the medication is no longer working well enough. Having to restock your inhaler more frequently than once every six months is also a concern.
During times that pollen counts are high, asthma sufferers should try to stay indoors. Asthma symptoms are not the same as allergic reactions, but allergies and asthma attacks have many common triggers. The same air quality reports available in the local news for allergy problems can also help those with asthma issues stay indoors on particularly hazardous days.
It can help out to meet and talk with others who have asthma. Other sufferers can help you learn how to manage and live with your asthma, by offering tips and advice. Support from people around you is key.
When painting, you should buy a protective mask if you suffer from asthma. Paint fumes are especially dangerous for asthmatic people, but a mask will prevent asthma attacks efficiently. Do not go use certain chemicals that will make your asthma worse.
Increase the amount of vitamin B6 in your diet. Getting increased amounts of B6, also called pyridoxine, has been scientifically shown to make asthma attacks less frequent. Pyridoxine is instrumental in producing certain molecules that help to relax bronchial tissue. Bananas are a great-tasting source of vitamin B6.
Strengthen your core and gradually increase lung capacity. Do not try to push yourself to the limits, especially at first. This can cause an asthma attack.
Try to keep your living space clean and swept. You should wash sheets, pillows, and blankets very frequently. When you keep everything clean, you are preventing dust and mites from building up, which will help stop asthma attacks. Of course you sleep with your face literally touching your bedding, so a build up of dust can quickly trigger an attack, which is why it is so important to keep your bed dust-free.
If you’re attacked by your asthma and are without your medications, try and consume some caffeine asap. Any source of caffeine will help control asthma attack symptoms, including chocolate, coffee, or black tea. Caffeine constricts your blood vessels, which causes your airways to open.
Allergy Attacks
If you are an asthmatic, it is doubly important to practice proper warm-up and cool down protocol when doing strenuous exercise. Doing both will help you avoid experiencing asthma symptoms while exercising or after exercising.
Keep an eye on your allergy attacks and consider switching your prescription if you suffer from more than two asthma attacks a week. Medical professionals generally consider two or more allergy attacks weekly to be dangerous, but completely preventable.
Consider changing asthma medications if your asthma gives you trouble on a regular basis. If you have to use your inhaler to get attacks under control more than twice in a seven-day period or frequently wake up because you can’t breathe, your asthma medication is not keeping your asthma under control. Go to your doctor for advice.
Know the symptoms of a severe asthma attack so you will know when to seek immediate medical attention for your child. Signs that an asthma attack is underway can include blue or gray tints to the lips and fingernails. It is also possible your child will not respond to heightened doses of medication during an attack. Your child may also not be able to talk very well.
Let the fresh air in your home circulate often if you or someone else in the home has asthma. Open a window or a door every day to freshen up the air your breathe. Homes that are insulated contain twice as many allergen levels as homes that are ventilated well. If you ventilate your home it’s easy to get clean air.
Being in clean and dry conditions will aid in reducing the number of asthma attacks in the home. Use a dehumidifier to control your home’s moisture. Maintaining a steady level of humidity in your home will help you to control your attacks.
For people suffering from asthma, it is vital that the home environment is clean in order to promote good health. You can help keep your asthma symptoms at bay by vacuuming your home frequently, this will reduce the number of allergens you are exposed to, making an attack less likely. If you do not have a vacuuming system that blows the particles outside of your home, you should invest in a good vacuum that has an airtight container to trap in the irritating particles.
Asthma can be life threatening if not kept in check or left untreated. You have to protect yourself and always carry an emergency inhaler; be aware of air pollution and allergens as well. These tips will help you to conquer asthma and restore to you a more normal life.
Replace your bed pillows as often as possible. Purchase 100-percent-cotton towels and pillowcases since dust mites don’t penetrate these materials as readily as artificial materials. Dust mites are a huge aggravation to asthma sufferers, and can easily trigger attacks.