If you’re one of the millions of people of all ages, from teenagers to seniors, who are suffering from asthma, don’t worry. There are many easy and simple methods described in this article that can help you overcome your symptoms, improve your health, and stop it from taking over your life.
If your children have asthma, let everyone know; from their school teacher to their babysitter. If you make an effort to educate people about how they can reduce the risks of your child having an asthma attack, your children will go through their day in a much better environment. Do not assume that everyone knows how to take care of asthmatic children.
A great tip that can help you get a grip on your asthma is to bring your own pillow when you travel anywhere. You never know how much dust there’s going to be when you’re staying at different places. Bringing your own clean pillow will reduce the risk of breathing in dust.
If you suffer from asthma, it is crucial that you are using your inhaler properly. Make sure that you take a deep breath before taking your asthma pump. By not using your asthma inhaler properly, you may not be getting the proper treatment in order to control your asthma symptoms.
A good tip that can help you if you suffer from asthma is to make sure you have some kind of emergency plan in place. You never know when your asthma is going to flare up. When this happens, you should have some kind of emergency plan to act on so that you don’t waste any time.
If you have asthma and you get a cold try to avoid decongestant medication. These medications can cause heart palpitations in asthma patients and worsen asthma symptoms. Go to your doctor when you get a cold and they will be able to prescribe the medications that are safe to use.
Sometimes it is easy to get caught without your inhaler. If you feel and asthma attack coming on, but you don’t have your inhaler handy to deal with it, consume some caffeine. Coffee, tea, energy drinks, or whatever you can find. The caffeine will open up your airways and make it easier to breathe.
Leukotriene inhibitors are a very popular treatment for people that have asthma. This type of medication will work to stop chemical substances that can cause an asthma attack. It is very important that if you are prescribed these, you make sure to take it exactly how your doctor tells you to.
Keep in close contact with your allergist to let him know if your medication is working correctly to control your symptoms. Make him aware if your medication seems to be not working as well as it once may have. Your dosage or medication may need to be changed in order to help you.
You may want to consider acupuncture if you have asthma. Acupuncture is used for a variety of different illnesses, and for asthma, it is used to help relax you so that you can have better lung function. Speak with your doctor about an acupuncturist in your area. Some even take medical insurance.
If you are an asthma patient, be sure that you are drinking water that has been filtered. Unfiltered water could possibly contain allergens which could cause a severe asthma attack or flare up your symptoms. If you can afford it, you may want to consider only drinking water that has come from a bottle.
If you have asthma, figure out what your triggers are. Indoor or outdoor allergies can trigger an asthma attack. If you know what your triggers are, you can remove them from your environment or take steps to avoid them. Educating yourself is the first step toward avoiding an asthma attack.
If you are asthmatic, it may be a good idea to use a pillow that is not filled with feathers. Feather can decrease lung function and trigger asthma symptoms. Your other bedding, such as sheets, blankets and comforters, should be hypoallergenic, too.
Make sure you use your preventative inhaler that is prescribed by your doctor. Note that a preventative inhaler is different from a rescue inhaler, which is used during an acute attack. A preventative inhaler, on the other hand, dispenses medicine designed to keep the air flowing, which reduces acute attacks.
Avoid eating foods that make you gassy or bloated. The added fullness of your abdomen will put extra pressure on your abdomen. This makes it even harder than usual for your diaphragm to expand and contract while breathing. While bloating will probably not trigger a full-on attack, it will interfere with your breathing.
Reduce the amount of stress in your life to improve your ability to manage your asthma. Stress can trigger an attack, so taking steps to lessen controllable stress helps with management of the condition. While stress cannot be completely avoided, reducing it through actions such as time management plans can lessen the effect.
If traveling by plane with your asthma equipment or medications, always carry your written prescription with you to avoid problems. If you have the proof that this is a medical necessity, it can cause less hassles during the security check.
To decrease your asthma symptoms, you should try to avoid going outside during humid seasons. You should also try to stay inside when the seasons are changing. The amount of pollen in the air increases with a season change. Pollen is one of the main triggers for asthma attacks and other asthma symptoms.
Dust is known to be a common trigger for asthma attacks for many patients. Try to keep your home dust-free by mopping and vacuuming regularly and wiping down all surfaces. Try to eliminate carpets, rugs and fabric upholstery too, as these abviously hold a lot of dust. It is even better if someone else in the household takes care of the dusting if you suffer from asthma.
Asthma is a disease that you should never ignore. Always seek appropriate medical help when you think that your symptoms are getting worse, and always watch out for warning signs of an asthma attack. If you follow these simple methods, you’ll lessen your chances of getting an asthma attack and improve the severity of your symptoms.
