A life with asthma can be very challenging, but if you find ways to manage the asthma, you can find ways to lead a healthy, active life. You have many options for treating your asthma and not letting it hinder your life. Read this article to find out how you can manage your condition more easily.
What type of asthma do you suffer from? If you know as much as you can about the kind of asthma that you have, you can find out how to battle it day-by-day. If you have exercised-induced asthma, for example, you'll want to bring your inhaler with you to the gym or other locations where you might be involved in physical activity. Knowing the patterns related to your symptoms could aid you in avoiding crises.
It is crucial that you stay away from all types of cigarette smoke if you suffer from asthma. If you don't smoke, don't start. If you do smoke, stop. It is also a good idea to stay away from the fumes or vapors from harsh chemicals, such as those used in cleaning. Any of these things can trigger an asthma attack. You should give up on the smokes if you have asthma and also make sure to avoid other people who are smoking.
Never turn on a fan when the room you are in is very dusty. If you do, the dust will move around, and you can trigger your asthma. Open a window to bring clean, cool air inside instead.
Proper knowledge of how to use your inhaler is necessary if you have asthma. Get to a place out of the way, and read the directions before starting. The inhaler will only reduce symptoms if the medication can get to your lungs. While inhaling air, spray required dosage in your mouth. Don't exhale for ten seconds so that the medicine can go through your lungs.
If you're having asthma problems, a dehumidifier is a beneficial purchase. Lowering the level of humidity present in your home can reduce the numbers of dust mites, a prime trigger of asthma. Air is kept dry by dehumidifiers by sucking the humidity out of it.
If you suffer from asthma, avoid smokers, even if you do not smoke yourself. 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.
If you've been diagnosed with asthma, be sure to get flu shots every year. This is doubly important for asthmatic children. You can ward off a great number of these infections by having annual vaccinations.
Be certain you are aware of all your asthma attack triggers so you know both how to steer clear of them and also be ready to take care of your symptoms. If you have asthma, it's most likely triggered by things such as being around animals or pollen. Most asthmatics also can't tolerate smoke. Try to avoid the things that make your asthma flare up.
Make it a habit to always have some rescue medication available when you travel. Traveling causes extra strain on your already stressed body, which makes your body more susceptible to bothersome asthma triggers. Controlling your environment is harder when traveling, so this makes it much more probable that you experience worsening symptoms or an attack.
Support Group
Join an online or offline support group. Asthma can be an extremely debilitating health issue and can stop you from participating in life the way you want to. By joining a support group, you will be able to discuss new scientific breakthroughs or treatment alternatives with those who are interested.
You need to know how to properly use asthma medications that are prescribed to you, especially your rescue medication, so that you are prepared if you need to use it during an emergency. For most asthma cases, an emergency treatment option, such as an inhaler, is used to supplement day-to-day management medication. Asthma is not curable, so it is very important that you take your medication properly and only use your rescue medication if you need it.
Monitor how many times, on a weekly basis, you are using your rescue inhaler. It is possible that your asthma may be out of control or that there are extenuating circumstances that are exacerbating your condition. Counting how many times you reach for your inhaler can be a good aid to remind you of what environments you need to control and what else you may need to manage.
Bed linens tend to collect asthma triggers like pollen, dust and other allergens. These threats can be reduced or even eliminated by keeping your bed linens laundered every week using hot water. Fresh linens, washed regularly, can ensure you breathe better as you sleep.
Remain calm in the event of an asthma attack. Wait half a minute and try the inhaler one more time. If this does not help and your attack gets worse, you need to get immediate medical assistance. Have someone call an ambulance for you, or have them bring you to a hospital. Breathe into a paper bag for assistance in slowing your breathing during the trip to the hospital.
When you have asthma, it is very important to have regular check-ups with your doctor. Your physician must check you out regularly to see if you need to do anything differently with your treatment. It is important that you keep these appointments so that your doctor is able to keep you healthy.
As this article shows, you can control the symptoms of asthma and keep on with your daily routine. Having asthma doesn't need to be the end of the world; if you are well-educated on living with asthma, your quality of life will improve.