Having asthma can completely change your life. At its worst, this condition can be life-threatening. And, even having mild asthma can greatly restrict the things you love to do in life. You should do whatever you can in trying to control this condition. Use these simple ideas to manage your asthma symptoms and regain your life.
Do you know what sub-type of asthma you’re plagued with? Being aware of your particular asthma condition can help you to effectively treat it on a daily basis. If people who have asthma suffer attacks triggered by exercise, they should bring an inhaler with them when they work out. Knowing your symptoms’ patterns can help you avoid big problems.
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. This can also be caused by beta blockers, like medications that are used in managing high blood pressure or heart problems. If you suffer from asthma, be sure that your medical professional is aware of this.
There are some medications that may contribute to asthma symptoms. A couple of common culprits that do this are aspirin and NSAIDs. You can also use beta blockers, which will help you manage blood pressure. If you suffer from any of these conditions along with your asthma, make sure you tell your doctor.
If you have asthma, you need to avoid any kind of tobacco smoke. Asthma creates breathing problems by constricting airways, and cigarette smoking only exacerbates the problem. Don’t breathe vapor or chemical fumes. This may cause an asthma attack you can’t stop. If you find that you have people smoking around you, get yourself out of that area rather quickly.
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that requires constant management. Make certain you are doing the most you can each day to keep your symptoms under control. Take the proper medications needed for everyday symptoms, and always have quick relief medication by you at all times in the event an attack occurs. Discuss your best options with your allergist and doctor.
Asthma Medication
Resist the urge to turn on a fan if you find yourself in a room filled with dust. This can move the dust around and can trigger an attack easily. If you feel you need airflow, open a window instead.
Consider consulting a social worker if your asthma medication is not covered by an insurance policy. Affording asthma medication is important for handling the illness, and social workers can find places the offer the medicine at low costs.
If you have asthma, you may wish to consider installing a dehumidifier in your home. If you lessen your humidity in the house, you will stave off dust mites that may make your asthma flare. Dehumidifiers eliminate your home’s humidity, leaving dry air.
If you have asthma, it is imperative that you stay away from smokers. If you inhale the smoke, it will harm your lungs and increase the possibility of an asthma attack. Always be mindful of this, especially in small spaces that do not have very much air flowing.
Always choose unscented products for your home if you have asthma. Products with a strong smell such as air fresheners, incense or perfume can trigger asthma attacks. Fresh paint and new carpeting also give off odors that may aggravate the airways. Strive to maintain an indoor environment that is free from these pollutants, keeping the air fresh.
People who have asthma should stick to using 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. Many things in the home release chemicals that irritate the lungs, such as newly installed carpet or fresh paint. Try to keep the indoor air as clean and fresh as possible.
You will need to keep your residence really clean, especially the bedroom where the asthma sufferer sleeps in order to help lessen the chances of an attack. Only permit food in designated eating areas, such as the kitchen or dining room, and don’t allow smoking inside the house at all. Bypass chemicals when cleaning your home if at all possible, and be sure to open doors and windows afterwards.
Receiving a regular flu shot is a great tip to implement if you or someone you love suffers from asthma. Make sure your child’s vaccinations are up-to-date to avoid as many infections as possible.
You should be ready to increase asthma treatments if you suffer from hay fever or a cold. Side effects that are associated with most illnesses can serve as triggers for asthma and may cause an increase in your asthma treatment. You might even get a new treatment added onto our existing program until the illness subsides.
Avoid using a feather or down pillow if you have asthma. Feathers can trigger asthma symptoms and reduce lung function. The same can be said for bedding, try to get hypoallergenic comforters and sheets.
Make sure that your rescue medication is at hand at all times during your travels. Traveling tends to put extra stain on the body, and you’re more susceptible to your asthma triggers under these conditions. It’s hard to have much control over your environment when you travel, which makes it more likely you will have some sort of symptoms or an asthma attack.
Support Group
Keep all your regularly scheduled asthma appointments, regardless of how you are feeling. You can not predict when an attack might hit you, or if your doctor has found a different medication that is safer and will help your symptoms more.
A support group can offer empathy and information about new treatments and medication. Asthma can be quite debilitating, especially if the asthma is severe, and this condition can interfere with daily life. By getting involved in a support group you will also be speaking with other sufferers who may know of new scientific discoveries and treatment plans you may not be aware of.
If you are going on a trip on a plane and need to take your asthma medicine, take your prescription with you! Carrying your prescriptions along with written proof that they are medically necessary, will cut down on potential problems at the airport checkpoints.
You can wear warm things like a shawl, muffler or scarf, which can help cover your nose and mouth in the colder months. Filtering and warming air before you inhale it can help prevent asthma attacks. Breathing in the cold air has been shown to trigger asthma attacks, especially in younger children with moderate to severe asthma.
It’s a very good habit to use your asthma inhaler as a daily preventative, although the drug residue can cause issues for your gums and teeth. Prevent these unnecessary side effects by gargling and brushing your teeth right after you use the inhaler.
Understand how to properly use your own asthma medication, particularly the rescue medication. Asthma is a condition traditionally treated with a combination of a regular medicine and an emergency medicinal inhaler. Because you will have asthma for the rest of your life, it is important that you take your maintenance medication properly, and that you use your emergency medication correctly.
Monitor how often, each week, you need your rescue inhaler. When you find you are depending on it more than thrice during a week’s period on an ongoing basis it is a sign your asthma is not under proper control and could lead to serious attacks if not addressed. Focusing on how often you need your inhaler makes you aware of when you need to make changes to your plan for keeping asthma under control.
Using your preventative inhaler should be done daily. It’s important to know, though, that it can cause sores and infections near your gums and teeth. Prevent these unnecessary side effects by gargling and brushing your teeth right after you use the inhaler.
When you are trying to prevent asthma, you should avoid smoke. Breathing in smoke can trigger an asthma attack. Vapors, cigarette smoke, and chemical fumes should be avoided. These are all common triggers and can aggravate asthma symptoms. If you are being exposed to things that may irritate your asthma, remove yourself from the situation as quickly as possible.
Take note of how often, from a weekly standpoint, you use the rescue inhaler. If you have to use your inhaler more than twice, then our asthma is not being controlled effectively, and you may need to see your doctor for a way to get it under control again. How often an inhaler is used can help to monitor the environment.
Being around animals should be avoided. While an allergy to animal hair or dander is a possible asthma complication, even those sufferers free of such allergies can experience an asthma attack caused by the dust and pollen all animals tend to carry along with them.
If you do have an asthma attack, make sure to stay calm. Locate your inhaler, inhale deeply with the spray, and allow 30 seconds to pass before you reuse it. If this doesn’t start to control your attack, get assistance right away. Ask someone to drive you to the closest hospital or call an ambulance. You can slow your breathing by placing a paper bag over your mouth and nose to slow your breathing until you get medical attention.
Avoid aggravating your asthma condition while sleeping by covering your mattress and pillows with plastic before putting clean linens on. You can cut down on these irritants or eliminate them altogether by washing your bedding and pillow cases in very hot water once a week. Fresh bed linens, laundered on a regular basis, will keep you breathing clearly and easily at night while you slumber.
Proper use of an inhaler is crucial if you suffer from asthma. When you spray the inhaler into your mouth, you cannot just lightly inhale. Breath deeply each time you push your inhaler button. Holding it in will allow the medicine to open up your bronchial passages and relieve your attack.
Go to several doctors. You want to see your primary doctor for asthma help, though you should also see some specialists. A pulmonologist, allergist, nutritionist and the staff at asthma centers can discuss a variety of treatments with you, to help you be sure you are following up on every possible good treatment available.
Always wear a face mask, if you are going to do any painting, in order to protect your airways from the fumes. Paint chemicals are a powerful irritant that can cause an asthma attack if inhaled without a mask. Do not go use certain chemicals that will make your asthma worse.
Asthma sufferers should definitely stay indoors more when pollen increases. A lot of the same things that can bother people with allergies will bother people with asthma as well. Information about local air quality is available in many areas so that those with asthma can reduce their outdoor exposure if irritants are within the air.
Many people underestimate asthma, or at least think that they can’t do anything about it since it is an incurable disease. However, you’ll be amazed at how much difference you can make simply by following these simple steps to try and relieve symptoms and reduce the sources of asthma attacks.
Do not use a vaporizer or humidifier unless you are sure it’s been thoroughly cleaned. The moist environment of a humidifier can become a breeding ground for bacteria, which can irritate allergies or trigger an asthma attack.