Don’t let your asthma control you. You need to control your asthma. There are many ways to help prevent attacks and to deal with an attack that occurs. Here are a few tips to help you in understanding and controlling your asthma symptoms. Read on for more information.
A great tip that can help you manage your asthma is to keep your home clean. If your house is messy, you’ll be much more susceptible to having an asthma attack. Make sure you don’t use any cleaning products that have harsh chemicals in them because they can also trigger asthma.
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.
You may want to consider not getting pregnant if you have severe asthma. Hormones caused during pregnancy may increase asthma symptoms. If you do decide to get pregnant and you have asthma, be sure that your doctor knows of your asthma so that they can help control your symptoms during pregnancy.
Be wary of what pain relievers you use. People with asthma try not to use aspirin and NAIDs, or Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, like Advil, Motrin, and Aleve, because there is a possibility of them worsening your asthma symptoms. Instead, try to use acetaminophen, more commonly known as Tylenol, to help relieve your pain.
Keep dust and dirt to a minimum in any bedroom where an asthma sufferer sleeps. Only permit food in designated eating areas, such as the kitchen or dining room, and don’t allow smoking inside the house at all. Don’t use bleach or harsh chemicals inside, and air out the house as much as possible after cleaning.
Be aware of how your diet affects your asthma. Often specific foods like peanut butter contain allergens for anyone suffering from asthma. If you have certain food-based triggers, manage your diet to avoid those ingredients and lessen your asthma symptoms and attacks. If you try a new food, monitor your symptoms to ensure it does not cause increased asthma problems.
Asthma is known to intensify the effects of the common cold and the flu, particularly the associated sinus and respiratory infections. It is therefore suggested to stay on top of flu shots during the winter if you have asthma. You should also take care to dress warmly and stay dry to reduce the chances of catching a cold.
Take a friend or member of your family with you when you visit your doctor. Often, you are discussing so much information with your doctor that it can be difficult to keep track of all the data. Having someone with you gives you another set of ears to listen to the information and think of relevant questions. As a side benefit, having someone with you hear what the doctor says can help you engage your support network in your efforts to manage your asthma.
There is a vast amount of information in the world about how to deal with asthma. We’ve only covered a tiny portion of it here. Take these tips, go out, and learn more about your particular type of asthma. You can get on top of your symptoms, and keep yourself healthy.