If you’re one of the millions of people in the world with asthma who believe that their medication isn’t doing enough to deal with their symptoms, you’ll be glad to learn that most of the symptoms can be relieved simply by taking proactive steps, such as improving your environment. This article will guide you through some of these methods to do this.
If you’re caught without your inhaler when you have an attack, grab a cup of coffee. The caffeine in the beverage will open up your airways and allow you to breathe a little easier. If you don’t have a caffeinated beverage on hand, the small amounts of caffeine in a chocolate bar can also help.
You should use the AC as much as possible so that you can breathe fresh air. But make sure you clean up your AC unit regularly. If you are going to use a humidifier, clean it too. An unclean AC system could make your life absolutely miserable if you have asthma.
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.
It may be wise to wear an ID bracelet if you have asthma. This way, if you were to have an asthma attack and you cannot speak for yourself, paramedics will know that you have this condition. If you do not feel comfortable wearing and ID bracelet, be sure to carry something on you that says you have asthma.
Asthma is not a curable disease and will require life-long health management. Be certain that you are prescribed or using the appropriate medicine to manage your daily symptoms, and that you have an emergency medicine readily available in the event of an attack. Have a discussion with your doctor or allergist to determine what the best plan for you might be.
Medications that will help you control symptoms when you have an attack are oral corticosteroids and bronchodilators. Bronchodilators, usually referred to as “rescue medications”, are usually inhaled but also come in liquid, tablet, or they are injectable. These are the most popular forms of ‘rescue medications’ that you can get.
Having the proper medications and treatments for your asthma is very important. If you need to use your inhaler more than once a day, or are awakened by symptoms more than twice a week, it may be time to switch to a more controlling medicine that can prevent your symptoms.
Quick relief or preventative treatment inhalers are medicines that need to be administered properly. Make sure you breath deeply into your lungs as you depress the inhaler. Hold the medication in your lungs for at least 3 to 5 seconds before you exhale allowing it to take better effect.
Asthma, if left untreated, can grow into a life threatening disease. You should always seek the appropriate medical help when you see signs of worsening symptoms. However, if you are persistent in trying to improve your condition, you will find that asthma is indeed manageable. Apply these tips to put your asthma under control and start enjoying your life.