Asthma can negatively affect you, both physically and emotionally. It would be best if you did a lot of your research so that you don’t end up in the emergency room from not being able to breathe or end up losing consciousness. There are some tips listed below to help you start treating your asthma.
You should stay home as much as possible when it is humid outside or when there is a lot of pollen in the air. Humidity and pollen will make it hard for you to breathe. If you must go outside, you can wear a mask over your nose and mouth.
Know your triggers, and know them well. Most types of asthma have specific triggers that lead to acute asthma attacks. By knowing your triggers, you can either limit your exposure to them or take measures to counteract their presence before you go. Preventing attacks is sometimes as simple as knowing what will cause them.
Your doctor may think that corticosteroids are the best relief from your asthma attacks. This is especially true if you have horrible attacks. They may be a little harder to diagnose but can be swallowed or injected in the case of an attack to open up your passages more effectively.
Use natural remedies for your asthma. While doctor-prescribed medication might be necessary to prevent deadly attacks, a healthy diet will help to improve everyday life. Beta carotenes promote healthy mucus membranes in your mouth and nose, which help to reduce the chances of severe asthma attacks.
Specific triggers cause asthma. Therefore the easiest way to avoid painful attacks is to avoid them. These triggers can be anything from pollen to pet hair, so it is essential to seek professional help to determine the underlying cause. If this is not an option for you, keep an asthma diary, listing your activities before an attack to help to identify the actual cause.
Talk to a social worker if you’re not eligible for any health insurance or are a person living with asthma. Social workers are trained to help people find resources for affording health care, particularly for debilitating conditions such as asthma.
If you are an asthma patient, be sure that you are drinking water that has been filtered. Unfiltered water could 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.
Even if you have not had any recent breathing problems, you should schedule regular checkups. Your health care provider may have new prescriptions that could benefit you if the need arises.
Be aware of how your pets may affect your asthma. Ideally, a person living with asthma should not have any fur-bearing pet because of the pet dander shed by all furry animals, even those considered low allergen. At the same time, if you frequently visit friends with pets, take appropriate precautions to lessen the effects of exposure to dander during your visit.
If you have asthma and need pain relief, you should use acetaminophen, like Tylenol, instead of aspirin and NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) such as ibuprofen. NSAIDs, such as Advil, Motrin, Aleve, and aspirin, can often worsen asthma. Stick with acetaminophen for pain, and you should be fine.
One potential solution to your asthma problem might be a leukotriene inhibitor. Leukotrienes are chemical compounds that aggravate asthma symptoms and bring on attacks. They can cause the muscles of the throat to constrict involuntarily. Consult a physician about your particular case and the potential suitability of a leukotriene-inhibiting treatment.
When keeping your asthma under control, do not exercise in very cold or dry air. Cold air can make the airways seize up, and dry air can deplete them with moisture. Try to exercise in a warmer, more humid environment. This will make breathing easier comfortable.
Develop an asthma attack action plan. Get to know your symptoms to tell when an attack is coming, and have a plan to deal with emergencies. Make sure your doctor approves of your plan, and see if they have any suggestions. Share your action plan with family and friends.
Reduce asthma symptoms by removing carpets from your home, which can hold in all sorts of environmental hazards that can trigger a severe asthma attack, especially if you have pets. Furthermore, do not let them in your room if you have a cat or dog. You breathe deeply in your sleep, so the bedroom is the worst place for fur, dust, or dander.
Avoid stress if you have asthma. Being over-stressed or exposed to a lot of emotional turmoil can cause an asthma attack. Get plenty of rest, eat well, and get light-to-moderate regular exercise such as yoga and swimming to optimum health. Taking up meditation may also help you keep your emotions under control to avoid an asthma attack.
Environmental irritants often trigger asthma attacks. One of the primary irritants in modern society is cigarette smoke. If you have asthma, smoking is one of the worst possible habits to pick up and should be avoided. In addition, try to stay a reasonable distance away from any smokers or rooms rich in the smell. Too much of this irritant could trigger an attack.
If you get at least two attacks a week, it might be time to try a different medication. Two asthma attacks a week or more are a very avoidable danger to your overall health.
A change in environment may have a significant positive effect on your asthma symptoms. You may make environmental changes to the place where you now live (e.x. frequent vacuuming, eliminating sources of dust and pollen, adding better air filters to your heating and cooling system), or you may decide to move to another place!
Asthma can be very troublesome, but you can keep it under control with some work and some patience. It just takes research and asking your doctor what to do and how to treat it safely so that you can breathe better. Do yourself a favor and try using the above tips to help treat your asthma.
