10% of the population of North America have asthma. That’s an astounding number of people. Luckily, the prevalence of asthma means that a lot of information is available for dealing with the symptoms of this disease. Read on for tips on how to prevent flare up and keep yourself healthy.
Dust is known to be a common trigger for asthma attacks for many patients. Try to keep your home dust-free by mopping and vacuuming regularly and wiping down all surfaces. Try to eliminate carpets, rugs and fabric upholstery too, as these abviously hold a lot of dust. It is even better if someone else in the household takes care of the dusting if you suffer from asthma.
If you are going out into cold weather, be sure to cover your mouth and nose with a scarf or muffler to reduce the amount of cold air that enters your airways. This can significantly reduce the occurrence of asthma attacks. A ski mask is also a good way to protect your airways from excessively cold air.
Your doctor may thing that corticosteroids are the best relief from your asthma attacks. This is especially true if you have really bad attacks. They may be a little harder to diagnose but can be swallowed or injected in the case of an attack to open up your passages more effectively.
If you have problems with asthma, consider using plastic covers on your pillows and mattress. These bedding materials are extremely porous and provide a fertile harbor for dust, mold, pollen and other irritants that can bring on an asthma attack. Sheathing them in plastic – especially if you do it immediately after purchase – can keep your pillows and mattresses from turning into asthma traps.
If you have asthma, you are especially sensitive to things you breathe into your lungs. It is important to avoid whatever triggers your asthma. In some people, this will be cigarette smoke. For others, it is chemical fumes or other vapors that can irritate the lungs and bring on an attack.
Use a peak flow meter regularly. A peak flow meter measures how much air your lungs can put out. If you keep track of your peak flow, you can notice changes in your airflow capacity before you even start to notice symptoms of an attack, and take preventative action to stop it.
Make sure that you remember to keep any fans in your home clean. Fans circulate air. If you have ever gotten up close to a ceiling fan, you know that this can cause them to get quite dirty. That dust and debris starts circulating around your home if you are not careful.
It is important to learn what triggers your asthma and how to deal with the effects. Knowledge is the key to dealing with this condition, and hopefully we’ve given you some great advice to help you on the path to controlling your symptoms. Asthma can strike anywhere so pass this advice on to those who may need it.