Asthma is an illness distressing the airways that carry air to and from your lungs. Individuals who suffer from this enduring condition (long-lasting or recurrent) are said to be asthmatic. The inside walls of an asthmatic’s airways are engorged or inflamed. This swelling or inflammation makes the airways tremendously sensitive to exasperations and upsurges your vulnerability to an allergic reaction.
If you are asthmatic, you need to follow all the measures that help to reduce your exposure to asthma triggers. The asthma triggers worsen your symptoms to such an extent that an asthma attack occurs. Fortunately, by following the preventive measures that we highlighted in our today’s article, you can control your asthma and prevent an asthma attack.
What are the different preventive measures for Asthma?
- Identify your asthma triggers and follow steps to avoid them
- Avoid allergens
- Avoid smoke
- Avoid cold
- Consider allergy shots
- Allergy-proof your environment
- Get flu vaccine
- Always be prepared
- Follow asthma action plan
- Work out
Identify your asthma triggers and follow steps to avoid them:
For asthma attack prevention, it is imperative for you to first identify the causes of it. Definite triggers can set off a flow of asthma symptoms – coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing – so it’s important you recognize the triggers. That way, you can take steps to elude an asthma attack.
The most common triggers include air pollution, the flu virus, cold air, allergies, fragrances, sinusitis (a sinus infection) and smoke.
If you don’t already see what’s causing your asthma attacks, start keeping track of your asthma symptoms in a diary.
Monitor for a number of weeks and recall to include all the environmental and emotive factors that are related to your asthma. When you experience an asthma attack, return to your diary to see which (combination of) factors might have added to it. Some common asthma triggers are not continuously obvious.
Once you’ve recognized your asthma triggers, it will be calmer to look into ways you can evade them.
Avoid allergens:
If you’re asthmatic and have allergies, it is significant to avoid allergens exposure – these are substances to which you are allergic. The exposure to an allergen increases the inflammation of the airways in asthmatic people that makes them more prone to an attack. Therefore, if you avoid or limit the exposure of allergens, you can prevent the condition.
Avoid smoke:
Smoke and asthma are a bad mix. Inhaling smoke – even secondhand smoke – can trigger an asthma attack and block your airways. Be certain to evade all sources of smoke, including tobacco, incense, candles, and fire. You may wish to follow some of these tips:
- Do not allow smoking in your home or car
- Avoid smoking zones in public areas, e.g. at the coffee shop
- When traveling, opt for a no-smoking room
Avoid cold:
In order to prevent asthma, you should avoid close contact with those persons who have a cold or flu because your symptoms may become severe when you get an infection from them.
Consider allergy shots:
If you have allergies, the allergy shots (immunotherapy) are recommended to prevent the symptoms of allergies and thus help to prevent asthma worsening.
Allergy-proof your environment:
If you have allergy-induced asthma, you can take measures to allergy-proof your environment for preventing the illness. These measures include:
- Change the bed linen repeatedly and wash your bed sheets and pillow covers in hot water to rid it of dust mites
- Mount an air purifier (with a certified HEPA filter) in the bedroom to diminish the number of the dust mites
- Utilize a dehumidifier to lessen moisture and prevent mold from materializing in your home
- Vacuum your floor with a suction cleaner containing a HEPA filter at least twice a week to avoid the buildup of dust
Get flu vaccine:
Get a flu shot annually to defend alongside the flu virus, which almost constantly makes asthma much worse for days to weeks. Individuals with asthma are more likely to have problems from the flu, such as pneumonia, and are more likely to be hospitalized as a result. Remaining current with vaccinations can avert flu and chest infections which may trigger the flare-ups.
Always be prepared:
It always pays to be prepared. Separately from keeping your asthma under control by taking your medication as prearranged, you can also make sure quick-relief asthma medication is eagerly available anywhere you go. If you’re heading out, to wherever new especially, be sure to bring your relief medication along and find out earlier the location of the nearby hospital so that you know where to head to in an emergency.
Asthma attacks are fundamentally signs that your condition is not well-controlled. If you find that you’re suffering the attacks once too often, refer your doctor to the lifestyle changes you can make to recuperate and control your condition.
Follow an asthma action plan:
Developing an asthma action plan with your doctor can support you control your condition. The plan should document important information, such as your prescriptions, how to handle asthma attacks, and how to control your asthma indicators in the long run. Most plans detached asthma symptoms into 3 colored zones – green, yellow and red – to help you monitor the sternness of your symptoms.
It is a constant condition that necessitates regular monitoring and treatment. Taking control of your treatment can make you feel more in control of your condition, and life in general.
Work out:
Know that physical activity is significant for overall health, even for those with asthma. One of the goals of asthma treatment is to help you keep a normal and fit lifestyle, which includes exercise and other physical activities. Swimming, for example, is usually well-tolerated by many people with asthma because it is usually done while breathing warm, moist air. It is also an outstanding activity for preserving physical fitness.
Finally, do talk over with your doctor to plan an apt workout routine that’s safe for you to follow through so that you can endure keeping fit.