If you have asthma, you probably have medications from your doctor to treat and prevent attacks but there are some simple things you can do on your own to reduce the likelihood of an attack. Here are some helpful recommendations to help you make your home environment work with you, instead of against you, in your quest to cut down on asthma attacks.
Clean up your house from food and water. Keep your food inside the fridge. When you let food or water sit, you are attracting small bugs and roaches, which can trigger allergic reactions. If you need to keep food outside of your fridge, consider getting a food pantry or opening your windows.
When you have asthma, you are more vulnerable to infections. Wash your hands as often as possible, especially before eating. If your child has asthma, teach them this habit early. By washing your hands, you can stop the spread of certain harmful bacteria that would result in a lung infection.
A good tip that can help you if your child has asthma is to do everything you can to educate your child about asthma. Young children have no idea what asthma is or how it affects them, so it’s your job to inform them and to help them work through it.
If you enjoy using a vaporizer or a humidifier, you have to make sure it is clean before each use. These types of machines can build up a lot of dust and calcium, that you do not want getting into the air you breath. You need to be breathing the cleanest air possible, at all times.
If you live in an house where you tend to need to sweep the floors often, try using a wet mop instead. Sweeping can stir the dust in the air and also triggers allergies to spread. If you do not have a wet mop and have asthma, now is the time to purchase one.
Persons suffering from severe asthma should take acetaminophen based pain killers. Aspirin, NSAIDs and ibuprofen based medication such as Advil or Motrin may trigger or worsen your asthma attacks. Be sure to carry the right type of medication with you as your coworkers, friends or family members may not have the appropriate one.
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.
If you suffer from asthma and you have carpet in your home, you may want to consider getting rid of it and replacing it with hardwood floors. Carpets tend to collect dust and other unhealthy materials that can trigger asthma symptoms and attacks. If you do keep your carpet, be sure to vacuum it often.
With these tips, you can make your environment cleaner and safer, which can help prevent asthma attacks. Prevention is much easier than treatment, so implement these tips and reduce your exposure to common asthma triggers. These tips, used in conjunction with your doctor’s advice and medications, can reduce the length and severity of asthma attacks.