Try Out These Tips For Helping With Your Asthma
November 25th, 2011
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.
You do not have to be physically inactive just because you have asthma. Unlike decades ago, when asthma treatments were few and far between, there are plenty of different asthma inhalers and medications that you can take prior to and after performing physical activities. Ask your doctor for the best treatment for your specific needs.
Have your home inspected at least once a year for mold and other spores. Many asthmatics, especially children, can have their asthma exacerbated by exposure to these allergens. Living in a home full of mold spores can even trigger repeated asthma attacks to the point of permanently damaging a child’s respiratory system.
If you find yourself without an inhaler when an asthma attack is coming on, try having a cold soda. The caffeine can actually open your airways and control the asthma. Preferably keep your inhaler on you at all times, but in case you find yourself without one, try drinking a caffeinated beverage.
Bronchodilators are a common treatment for asthma that is prescribed by a doctor. It is usually in the form of an inhaler, and there are short and long-acting treatments. The short-term will help with an immediate symptom, while the long-acting dose will be for ongoing problems.
Wash your bedding, including your pillowcases, at least weekly, using hot water and chlorinated bleach. This will be more effective at killing dust mites than the use of liquid washing detergent alone. You have to wash bedding regularly to prevent the ones that do survive from continuing to multiply and causing problems.
Make sure that you get at least eight or nine hours of sleep every single day. It is important to get rest so that you can restore the energy necessary to take on your day. Lack of sleep yields stress, which can affect your ability to breathe during the day.
Keeping your pediatrician well informed of your child’s asthma conditions is an important part of formulating an effective treatment plan. Keep a daily log of how often flare-ups occur, the home treatments you used to control them and how effective they were, any noticeable side effects of the medications, and the extent to which symptoms are interfering with your child’s daily activities, including sleeping. This can provide your pediatrician with a wealth of information on how best to manage your child’s asthma.
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.
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