If you have asthma, you should learn everything you can about your condition. You are not the only one. More and more people are being diagnosed with asthma and are in search of reliable sources of information. You may find some of the facts delineated below surprising, but they can be extremely helpful in allowing you to control this condition.
When you have asthma, you need to be careful around chemical cleaning products. Asthma sufferers are often sensitive to chemical cleaners; using these products can sometimes trigger asthma attacks. If you're the one that cleans your home, try organic or natural cleaning solutions that are much less risky to your health.
Avoid being around any known asthma triggers. Some people have allergies that cause asthma, and allergens such as dust and pollen can cause an attack. For others, it may be linked to physical exertion. Pay attention to what causes your attacks so you can prevent them from happening.
If you have asthma, avoid people who smoke. When you inhale tobacco smoke, you are severely increasing the likelihood of an asthma attack. This is especially true in small, confined areas with little to no ventilation.
Buy products that are unscented if you suffer from asthma. If you are using scented products like perfume, incense, or air fresheners you should up the level of air pollution in your home. You should also avoid fresh paints or new carpets, as they give off fumes that can irritate the airway. Try to make it your goal to keep the indoor air as fresh and allergen free as possible.
Regular flu shots are important if you or one of your children suffer from asthma. This annual flu shot will prevent infectious damage to your lungs.
Figure out your asthma triggers. Once you know what they are, you can change your lifestyle to prevent asthma attacks. If you can't avoid a trigger, you can pack your inhaler, take allergy pills or engage in other preventive measures so you don't have an attack. 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. When it is possible avoid substances that make you have symptoms or attacks.
Avoid pillows stuffed with goosedown or other feathers if you have an asthma problem. The feathers contained in these pillows can aggravate asthma symptoms and reduce lung function. You should also look into hypoallergenic materials when buying sheets and a comforter.
A humid home will cause mold or mildew to appear. Asthma attacks are easily triggered by these substances. Therefore, try and keep the home dry. When you use the heater in the winter, be sure to have a dehumidifier control the humidity in your home. During the summer time, be sure to use the air conditioner to maintain a dry home.
Be sure you understand how to use your asthma medication, especially emergency medication. Asthma is generally treated with a rescue medication, usually an inhaler, in addition to a regularly-taken maintenance medication. It's important to use both forms of medication properly to treat your chronic condition.
Take note of how often, from a weekly standpoint, you use the rescue inhaler. If you find that you are relying on it more than two times a week, your asthma is possibly not being well-controlled. Remembering the times you use the inhaler provides a good way to keep checking your environment, as well as other things in your plan to manage your asthma.
Asthma Attack
When you are cleaning your home, it is always better to use a wet mop rather than sweeping your floors. Sweeping can cause the rise of dust and dander, which may trigger an asthma attack. A damp rag should be used when dusting because a feather duster can cause dust to kick up and lead to an asthma attack.
Avoiding smoke is one of the best asthma-prevention tips out there. Inhaling smoke makes it harder for you to breathe and might result in an asthma attack. Avoid triggers like vapors, chemical fumes, and cigarette smoke as much as you can. These are all common triggers and can aggravate asthma symptoms. If someone smokes around you, ask them politely if they could smoke when you are not around.
Refrain from smoking. Most people know that smoking is unhealthy, but the consequences are even worse for someone who has asthma. Smoke greatly irritates the sensitive lungs of the person with asthma, so in addition to not smoking, someone with asthma should avoid people that are smoking.
Asthma sufferers should stay indoors as much as possible when pollen counts rise. Asthma symptoms are not the same as allergic reactions, but allergies and asthma attacks have many common triggers. Technology has brought with it real-time air quality reports that can be consulted before exposure to outdoor air that may cause irritation to asthmatics.
Don't use humidifiers or vaporizers in your home until they have been rigorously cleaned, if you suffer from either asthma, allergies or both. Bacteria can breed inside the moist machine and you would be releasing them along with the humid air.
If conclusion, it's normal for people experiencing asthma to be curious about their condition because it affects their everyday life. The purpose of this article is to give you important information about asthma that you could use to help ease the stress of having this type of condition. Use what you learned from this article, and apply it as much as possible to make your life a bit easier.