And some triggers: ·Allergens ·Irritants such as tobacco smoke, strong odors ·Weather changes ·Viral or sinus infections ·Exercise People have their own triggers. If you have asthma, you can minimize your symptoms by avoiding the factors that trigger your symptoms and by working with your physician to develop an effective management and treatment plan. In order to help you, before you decide to go to the doctor, here are a few tips on how to prevent, foresee and minimize the risk of asthma. Caffeine and Asthma If you feel an asthma attack coming on and don't have your inhaler handy, try a couple cups of coffee, tea, hot chocolate or chocolate bars. The caffeine will help open your airways. Controlling Your Asthma If you find yourself using your quick-relief inhaler to stop an asthma attack more than twice a week, it may be time for a different medication. In fact, if you have to refill your inhaler more than two times a year or are awakened by asthma symptoms two nights or more per week, you also probably need a change.
Correct Inhaler Use If you use an inhaler to treat your asthma, remember that it's not a breath freshener. You must deeply inhale the medication into your lungs and hold it for three to five seconds before exhaling slowly. Dust mites Dust mites can be especially troubling when traveling away from home, take your own pillow with an allergen-proof cover and request down-free pillows if staying in a hotel. Homemade food Carry self-injectable epinephrine in case you accidentally eat a food to which you are allergic. Homemade items do not have ingredient lists and can be contaminated with trace amounts of allergenic foods through contact with storage containers, baking sheets and utensils. Exercising with Asthma If your asthma is bothered by air pollution, cold or damp air, exercise indoors. A stationary bicycle is a good example of indoor activities. Cover your mouth and nose with a scarf when exercising outdoors in cold weather. Loving your pet Decide which areas of the house will become your exclusion zones. I recommend you never allow your pet into at least two rooms, the bedroom and lounge. You may want to add other rooms to the list. If your pet once slept in those rooms, wash as much of the bedding or upholstery as possible and consider buying a new mattress and duvet. Keep the animal's bed in another room, perhaps a utility room or lobby. For a cat, sprinkle some catnip there to make the area seem more attractive. However, if your asthma is severe and triggered by pet allergens the best advice is to find a new home for the animal.
It may not be possible to 100% cure your asthma, but by putting the above into practice you should be able to alleviate it quite considerably. Read about underarm bumps and underarm odor at the Underarm Pain website.
