Understanding Asthma is a Free comprehensive guide covering asthma's various forms, its symptoms, its management, and its treatments. An essential guide for anyone wanting to understand this growing health concern. Free! Learn more.

INVALUABLE ASTHMA INFORMATION

Asthma is a chronic lung condition. It's characterized by a difficulty with breathing.  Asthma sufferers have extra sensitive or hyper-responsive airways.  During an asthma attack, the airways become irritated and react by narrowing and constructing, causing increased resistance to airflow, and obstructing the flow of the air passages to and from the lungs.

Controlling your asthma requires avoiding those triggers that tend to bother your airways, while taking the medicines as prescribed by your doctor.  If you have asthma, it's essential to learn how to take care of yourself.

The first step in this process is working with your doctor to develop an action plan. As part of this process, you'll need to:

• Tell your doctor about all medications and drugs you're taking, in case one might affect your asthma.
• Follow your asthma action plan and have regular checkups.
• Learn to use your medication correctly.  Ask your doctor to teach you how to use your inhaler.  This is very important.  If inhalers are not used correctly, smaller doses of medication make it into your airways.
• If you are having problems taking your asthma medicine, seek your doctor's advice immediately.

You also need to learn to identify and avoid those things that heighten or trigger your asthma symptoms.  These include:

• If animal dander is a problem for you, keep your pet out of the house and/or at least out of your bedroom. You'll also need to wash your pet often, or unfortunately, find it a new home.
• Do not smoke or allow smoking in your home.
• If pollen is a problem for you, stay indoors with the air conditioner on when the pollen count is high.
• To control dust mites, wash your sheets, blankets, pillows, and stuffed toys once a week in hot water. You can get special dust proof covers for your mattress and pillows.
• To prevent colds and flu, wash your hands often and get a flu shot every year. Children with asthma should also get their flu shots.
• If cold air bothers you, wear a scarf over your mouth and nose in the winter.
• If you get asthma when you exercise or do routine physical activities such as climbing the stairs, work with your doctor to find ways to be active without triggering asthma symptoms.  Physical activity is important to maintain good health.
• If you are allergic to sulphites, avoid foods (such as dried fruit) or beverages (such as wine) that contain sulphites.   For example, sodium metabisulphite (E220-227) can be found in wine, home-brewed beer, fizzy drinks, prepared meats and prepared salads.
• Do not allow smoking indoors unless there is a room reserved for smokers which has a separate ventilation system to move the smoke outside. Never allow smoking around anyone with asthma.
• Try to keep humidity levels in the home between 30 and 50 percent. High humidity can promote growth of biological agents that may trigger asthmatic episodes.  Use exhaust fans or open windows in the kitchen area when cooking or using the dishwasher, in the bathroom area when taking a shower.  Make sure clothes dryers are vented to the outdoors, and use a dehumidifier in the basement if necessary.
• Avoid using humidifiers.  If it cannot be avoided, clean your humidifier according to the manufacturer's instructions.  Refill it daily with fresh water to prevent the growth of harmful microbes.
• Minimize your exposure to combustion particles and gases that can cause breathing difficulties.  Have combustion-powered furnaces, stoves, or heaters checked yearly to make sure they're operating properly.  Change furnace filters according to the manufacturer's instructions, or every month or two during periods of use.  Consider installing higher efficiency filters to reduce the number of particles in the air.  Never use a gas stove to heat the home, and always use the exhaust fan when cooking on a gas stove.
• Avoid sprays such as deodorants, perfumes, or air fresheners. Paint emissions and strong cleaners can start a child's asthma attack.
• Keep the house clean to reduce allergens such as microscopic dust mites, pollen, and animal dander.  Use an allergen-proof comforter and encase mattresses and box springs in vinyl covers.  Wash bedding frequently in hot (130°F) water.  Avoid furnishings that collect dust.  Try to eliminate cockroaches.  Try to keep pets out of the bedrooms of family members with asthma.  Consider using a high-efficiency vacuum filter or a vacuum system that is vented to the outside to clean the house.  If possible remove the carpeting, drapes, and all upholstered furniture from the bedrooms of those suffering from asthma.

You'll want to become alert for the warning signs of an asthma attack:

• Watch for symptoms (coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing) and use your medication as directed by your doctor.
• Use your peak flow meter as directed to monitor your asthma.

Finally, you should adopt a healthy lifestyle.  While this may not keep you from having problems with allergies and asthma, being healthier in general can't hurt.  Eat a healthy diet, rich in fruits and vegetables and low in fats and sugars. Get plenty of rest.  Exercise regularly. Try to find ways to manage stress in your life. And don't smoke.

The following list includes various signs that your asthma is getting worse:

• Your asthma symptoms are occurring more often.
• Your asthma symptoms are worse than they used to be.
• Your asthma symptoms are bothering you at night and causing you to lose sleep.
• You're missing school or work because of your asthma.
• Your peak flow number is low or varies dramatically from morning to evening.
• Your asthma medications no longer seem to be working well.
• You have to use your short-acting "quick relief" or "rescue" inhaler more often. (Using quick relief medicine every day, or using more than one inhaler a month is too much)
• You have to go to the emergency room or to your doctor because of an asthma attack.
• You end up in the hospital because of your asthma.

If your asthma seems to be getting worse, see your doctor. You may need to change your medication or try other things to get your asthma back under control.

At A Glance

• Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that makes airways (bronchial tubes) particularly sensitive to irritants, and this is characterized by difficulty in breathing.
• If you have asthma, managing it is an important part of your life.
• Controlling your asthma means staying away from things that bother your airways and taking medicines as directed by your doctor.
• If you have any of the warning signs for asthma, then it is important to seek urgent medical advice.
• Common early warning signs of asthma include fatigue, coughing (especially at night), wheezing, difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, runny nose, and itchy throat.