Do not let your asthma become too heavy of a burden for you. Knowing the right way to treat and manage your asthma can dramatically improve your life. Read further to learn some helpful ways to cope with asthma.
Cleaning products can trigger an asthma attack, so try to keep your exposure to them to a minimum. Asthma sufferers are often sensitive to chemical cleaners; using these products can sometimes trigger asthma attacks. There are many natural alternatives you can use to clean your home, instead of using harsh chemicals.
Avoid the things that trigger your asthma. This is different for everyone, but some people, things like dust or pollen can trigger an attack. Others may have attacks that are triggered by physical activity. 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.
Blood Pressure
You may be unaware that certain medications you might be on could cause asthma symptoms. A couple of common culprits that do this are aspirin and NSAIDs. Some medications can cause your asthma to be worse such as beta blockers for high blood pressure or heart disease. If you have asthma paired with heart disease or high blood pressure, tell your doctor.
If you have asthma and cannot get health insurance, see a social worker. It is important that you are able to afford your asthma medications, so a social worker may be able to find you a clinic or hospital that offers your medication at little to no cost.
Asthmatics should have a flu shot every year to prevent contracting a serious respiratory infection. You do not want to have a respiratory infection if you have asthma. This means that you should take all standard precautions to avoid illness, such as washing your hands, getting vaccinated and avoiding those who are sick.
Vitamins E and C are beneficial to anyone with asthma. There is some evidence that these two vitamins can improve breathing and lower the frequency of asthma attacks. Many foods have these vitamins in abundance, but you can also use a supplemental pill. The vitamins will help improve the immune system, which will help you fight off illnesses that cause asthma.
To minimize the chances of triggering a bout of asthma, keep your house extra clean, particularly rooms where asthma patients sleep. Only eat in the kitchen, and never let anyone smoke inside the house. Air the house out thoroughly after cleaning and avoid the use of bleach and other harsh chemicals indoors.
Hay fever and colds can worsen asthma symptoms so prepare to need increased treatments. The effects of some illnesses can exacerbate the effects of your asthma, causing the need for more treatments. Your doctor may need to add new treatments to your typical asthma regimen until you are well.
Bundle up during winter weather if you have asthma. Covering your nose and mouth with a scarf or muffler helps prevent asthma attacks. This allows you to warm air before it enters your lungs. Breathing in air that's cold can trigger an attack, particularly in younger children that have moderate or severe asthma.
It is essential that you learn the proper ways to use all of your asthma medications, especially those used in rescue situations. Asthma is a condition traditionally treated with a combination of a regular medicine and an emergency medicinal inhaler. Asthma is considered a chronic condition. For this reason, you should take the management of it very seriously.
If you are going on a trip on a plane and need to take your asthma medicine, take your prescription with you! Having written documentation supporting this medically necessary item will eliminate any hassles when going through the security check point.
You should definitely use your preventative inhaler on a daily basis. However, you should be warned that the drug can also cause infections in your mouth, particularly near your teeth and gums. You may be able to avoid this problem by brushing your teeth or rinsing your mouth thoroughly after each use of the inhaler.
Being around animals should be avoided. Having an allergy to dander or animal hair could be possible asthma complications, even sufferers free of these kinds of allergies could still have an asthma attack that is caused by pollen and dust animals seem to carry around with them.
Avoid smoking. The dangers surrounding smoking are well documented, but for asthma sufferers the issues can be much more serious. Smoke irritates the lungs of an asthma sufferer, so avoid the presence of people who smoke if you have asthma.
Remain calm if you do happen to come under an asthma attack. Use the inhaler, wait thirty seconds, and use once more. Don't suffer in silence or wait it out if your breathing gets worse instead of better after using your inhaler. You need immediate medical attention if this happens. Have some one call for an ambulance or take you to the hospital. You can slow your breathing by placing a paper bag over your mouth and nose to slow your breathing until you get medical attention.
Knowing how to properly manage your asthma is very important. If you arm yourself with knowledge about your asthma, you can learn to live with it easily. We have, thankfully, learned a lot about living with asthma and how you can be happier if you have it.