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Controlling Asthma
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Controlling your asthma
You can help control your asthma by following your doctor's advice, taking medications as prescribed by your doctor, staying away from anything that bothers your breathing, and monitoring your asthma so you can respond quickly to signs of an attack.
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Lose weight if you are overweight. Losing weight helps you feel better and makes it easier to breathe.
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Do not smoke. Smoking is an asthma trigger that you can control but kicking the habit can be tough. Don’t give up if you don’t succeed on the first try. Many people who have quit tried several times before they succeeded. If you smoke, pick a quit day now. Here is some an additional resource related to stopping smoking:
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Schedule and keep regular appointments with your doctor. Your doctor is the one person best able to help you decide about your treatment goals and what you need to do to achieve those goals.
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Avoid allergens (substances that cause an allergic response) or irritants. If you are allergic to any of the following, the control measures listed below may be helpful.
Allergens
House dust mites are tiny insects that live in dust and are most often found on mattresses, pillows, carpets, bed covers, and upholstered furniture. Dust mite droppings may trigger your asthma.
Wash bed pillows, sheets and covers every week. Use the hot water temperature on the washer.
Use special dust-proof mattress and pillow covers.
Use a dehumidifier (dust mites need moist air to live).
Consider removing carpets, extra pillows, and upholstered furniture, especially in your bedroom.
Animal dander – skin, fur, or feathers from dogs, cats, birds, and small rodents can cause your airways to swell and become inflamed. If you are found to be allergic to your pet, consider the following:
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If possible, find a new home for your pet.
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Keep your pet away from carpet and upholstered furniture.
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If you want to keep a pet, try to keep it outside or, at least, out of your bedroom.
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Wash your hands after you handle your pet.
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Bathe your pet once a week.
Tree, grass, and weed pollens are common allergens. Stay inside when the pollen count is high. Keep your windows closed. Use air conditioning in both your home and car.
Molds, which may cause asthma fare-ups, are found indoors and outdoors in damp places.
Use a dehumidifier to reduce the humidity in your home to less than 50%.
Have someone regularly clean tubs, sinks, and other mold and mildew sites using a cleanser with bleach.
Avoid damp places such as basements, bathrooms, and closets.
Keep your furnace and air conditioner filters clean. Clean air ducts regularly.
Avoid sources of mold outdoors such as wet leaves and garden debris.
Cockroaches leave droppings that may be an asthma trigger for you. Keep your kitchen clean and take your garbage out daily. Store your food in tightly sealed containers. Use traps and poison baits to control a cockroach problem if one is present. Do not use chemical sprays unless you can be away from home during the spraying.
Food, medicine, and cosmetic allergies can cause asthma flare-ups, especially food with sulfites (additives found in juices, beer, wine, vegetables, dried fruits, shellfish if they are packed in ice, and some processed foods) and medicines such as aspirin, aspirin-like pain relievers or antibiotics.
Irritants
Cigarette, pipe, and cigar smoke can affect asthma severely.
Do not smoke. Avoid secondhand smoke-don’t allow anyone to smoke in your home or car.
Use an indoor air-cleaning device. It will not only reduce smoke in the air, but will also help control mold and animal dander.
Wood Smoke is a possible asthma trigger. Avoid fireplaces and wood-burning stoves. Do not use kerosene heaters.
Strong odors from paint, cleaning products, garden chemicals, perfumes, lotions, hair sprays, and deodorants can trigger asthma problems.
Use perfume-free products.
Use scent-free cleaning products.
Do not burn potpourri or scented candles in your home.
Leave your home while it is being painted, and only return when the odor is gone.
Outdoor triggers - On days when air quality is reported as poor, stay indoors as much as possible. Weather changes can affect your lungs and airways. Stay indoors when the weather is very hot or very cold. If you do go out in cold weather, wear a scarf over your nose and mouth to protect your lungs.
Illness, such as sinus problems or upper respiratory tract infections can make your lungs more sensitive.
Get a flu shot every year.
Avoid people who have colds.
Wash your hands frequently during the flu season.
Treat cold symptoms immediately-talk to your doctor.
Emotions and stress that come with feeling upset or excited can change your breathing and trigger asthma symptoms. Relax and breathe in slowly through your nose, hold for 2 counts, then pucker your lips and breathe slowly out through your lips for 4 counts.
Exercise-induced asthma. Exercise can help with your asthma by reducing shortness of breath and improving your overall health. Exercise can also trigger asthma episodes. Exercise-induced asthma occurs when your airways become narrow and constricted within just a few minutes after beginning to exercise. The attack will generally peak in severity about 5 to 10 minutes after starting to exercise, and may continue for 20 to 30 minutes. Symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and tightness in the chest. You can exercise with asthma if you follow your doctor’s instructions, take your asthma medication before you exercise, do warm-up and cool-down exercises, and do not push yourself.
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