Asthma Assistance

Since there is no cure for asthma, people who suffer from this lung condition must learn to live with it. Management is key, and each person needs to figure out for themselves what kind of maintenance is necessary, but there are some general health tips for day to day reduction of asthma symptoms and long term care of your lungs.

The number one way to minimize breathing limitations caused by asthma is to prevent them. It’s impossible to avoid all of the potential triggers for asthma attacks. For example, catching a cold can bring on a flare-up, and you are bound to occasionally get sick. But there are some environmental irritants that you can lessen your exposure to which can significantly help control the frequency of asthma attacks.

To avoid coming into contact with allergens that can exacerbate your asthma, try to keep your home or office clean. Dust and vacuum often, even in curtains or corners where dust mites may be hiding. Use dust covers on pillows and mattresses and wash your bedding in hot water. If pet dander triggers your asthma flare-ups, you may want to refrain from adopting an animal. If you have one already, wash your pet frequently and vacuum daily.

Weather and air pollution can play a role in asthma flare-ups. Of course, you can’t control the weather or the air quality, but you can be aware of what the air is like and take precautions. Limit exercising or playing outside on days when the air quality is low or smog is high, or when it’s really windy. Smoking is a common trigger for asthma attacks, so stop smoking as soon as you are diagnosed, and avoid cigarette smoke from other people as much as possible.

Remember that asthma is a condition you need to manage, and knowledge is your first line of defense. Your health and breathing ability depend on keeping your airways clear, so to live with this condition, pay attention to your triggers and avoid them as much as possible.

Doctors aren’t sure exactly what causes asthma. It is believed the lung condition comes from genetic as well as environmental aspects of a person’s biological make-up. Obesity has been linked to asthma as well, but, of course, not everyone who has asthma is overweight. While the causes of asthma are unknown, doctors do know that asthma is a versatile condition, and affects each person differently. This means that each person’s asthma symptoms will be individualized, as will the things that create attacks. Causes of flare-ups are generally called triggers, and though each person will have different triggers, here are a few common ones.

People with asthma who also have allergies often find that allergens can cause asthma flare-ups. Mold, pollen, dust mites, and pet dander are some common culprits for allergies and should be avoided if they trigger your asthma symptoms. In the same way allergies can irritate bronchial tubes and create breathing difficulty for asthma sufferers, any kind of sickness that affects the respiratory system can also cause asthma attacks. Colds and flu viruses, for example, exacerbate the sensitive airways of asthmatics, cause attacks, and make breathing hard. Some people’s bronchial tubes are so easily irritated that dry, cold, hot, or extremely humid air can even make breathing stressful and cause asthma attacks.

Pollutants in the air are another common problem for people with asthma. Cigarette smoke is a particularly harmful airborne pollutant, and even second hand smoke frequently causes asthma attacks. For children with asthma whose parents are smokers, the trigger is hard to avoid. For others, don’t smoke or be around smokers. Airborne irritants also include chalk, dust, smoke from fires, and even strongly perfumed items like cologne or cleaning products, or intense odors like nail polish, paint thinner, or gasoline can create breathing problems and asthma flare-ups for some people.

Other potential causes of asthma attacks are exercise, crying, screaming, and coughing, but any number of other activities or outside influences can be triggers. If you have asthma, learn what yours are so you can avoid them as much as possible.