Asthma is considered to be a medical condition that is very serious and may cause limitations on how you live and appreciate life. However, when you are treated properly and know how to deal with you asthma, you can manage it and live a fulfilling life. This article is packed with useful tips and advice for living with asthma.
Avoid anything that can trigger your asthma. Perhaps you have allergies or are sensitive to dust and pollen. Or, you may need to avoid certain activities that overexert your body. Keep a journal of your attacks so that you can start to learn what your triggers are so that you can prevent flareups before they begin.
Do not smoke around a child with asthma. One of the biggest reasons people have asthma is secondhand smoke. Any place where smoking is allowed should be avoided if you have a child with asthma.
Never use a fan in a dirty, dust-filled room. This can move the dust around and can trigger an attack easily. Open a window to bring clean, cool air inside instead.
If you suffer from asthma, strong cleaning products should be avoided. The chemicals in these products make you more prone to an asthma attack. If you are responsible for cleaning your residence, think about purchasing natural products, which are less likely to set off your asthma.
If you have asthma and cannot get health insurance, see a social worker. If you cannot afford medicine for asthma, your social worker can help you locate someone that can help.
Asthma Symptoms
If you’ve got asthma, don’t smoke or be near smokers. The functionality of your lungs can be dramatically impaired if you inhale tobacco smoke, especially in areas with little ventilation, and you run a greater risk of attack.
Some medications that you may take unknowingly can cause you to have asthma symptoms. Some NSAIDs and aspirin might do this. Additionally, beta blockers, a type of medication used for heart disease and hypertension, may cause asthma symptoms. If you suffer from these conditions and also have asthma, be sure to let your doctor know.
Keep your home meticulously clean to reduce attack potential if there is an asthma sufferer living there, especially the bedroom. Also, you should keep food confined to the kitchen, and opt to smoke outdoors only. Let in plenty of fresh air if the weather permits, and avoid using harsh chemicals to bleach.
Unfortunately, asthma sufferers must realize that their condition is chronic which requires ongoing treatment. 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. Consult with your physician and allergist to find out what is best for you.
Those who have asthma should avoid down pillows. Pillow feathers are known to worsen asthma and affect the lungs. The same reasoning applies to all bedding – only purchase bed sheets and comforters that are manufactured from hypoallergenic materials.
Leukotriene Inhibitor
Some of the most notorious causes of asthma attacks exist in normal households. These are dust, mold and spores. Have your home inspected for and cleaned of these things to reduce the occurrence of asthma attacks. Cleaning your house on a regular basis is one way to keep these substances from accumulating.
When struggling with asthma, consider using a leukotriene inhibitor. A leukotriene inhibitor is for the prevention of 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. This inhibitor can prevent leukotrienes, which makes you less likely to have an asthma attack.
A lot of times asthma will develop over time, and has symptoms that aren’t always obvious. There are known cases where someone has actually died from a single asthma attack, because they were unaware that they had the disease. Because of this, persistent respiratory problems need to be checked out by a doctor, who may prescribe medication to treat existing symptoms or prevent new ones from appearing.
Consider consulting a social worker if your asthma medication is not covered by an insurance policy. A social worker can possibly help you with finding treatment and low-cost medications.
If you’re flying with asthma medications, be sure you get a prescription from your physician. Having proof that it belongs to you and is medically necessary will make the security check easier.
Asthma sufferers should take Vitamins E and C. These vitamins make lungs function better and keep symptoms of asthma under control. You can gain vitamins from supplements or the old fashioned way, from food! These vitamins will also help prevent illnesses by boosting your body’s immune system.
Monitor how often, per week, you find it necessary to use your inhaler. If you are utilizing your inhaler more than two times per day, you might not be controlling asthma as well as you think you are! If you notice an increased use in your inhaler, reexamine your management plan and check for any changes in your surroundings that may be triggering the asthma.
A dehumidifier is a beneficial investment for anyone with asthma. Cutting down the humidity in the house will lower the amount dust mites in the air, and that will mean fewer asthma flare-ups. Try running a dehumidifier to dry up the air in your home.
When you are cleaning your home, it is always better to use a wet mop rather than sweeping your floors. Sweeping stirs up dust and other things that can trigger your asthma. When you dust, use a damp cloth instead of a feather duster which can spread these triggers.
If you’ve got asthma, don’t smoke or be near smokers. When you inhale tobacco smoke, the lung’s function can be decreased, and you will increase the chance you have an asthma attack. Smaller areas without proper ventilation make you even more susceptible to an attack.
Avoid smoke, if you don’t want to have an asthma attack. Smoke is a major cause of asthma attacks. You should attempt to minimize your contact with cigarette smoke, chemical fumes, and noxious vapors. Your asthma symptoms will be exacerbated by these things. If someone is smoking around you, you have every right to nicely ask them to not to.
As mentioned in the beginning of this article, asthma is a harmful condition that can endanger your life if not treated properly. Stay alert to possible threats to your asthma and be as prepared as possible with all the tools in your medical arsenal. These tips can free you from the fear of asthma and help you live a normal life.
For those struggling with their asthma, avoiding regular contact with pets is important to control symptoms. Even sufferers not allergic to a certain animal need to remember that dust and pollen on the animals can still trigger an attack.