Asthma Control: The Facts You Need
If you or a loved one suffer from asthma, it is important to learn all you can about how to control asthma and ways to prevent the condition from affecting your health and well-being. Your doctor should be able to give you important asthma info during your visits, but you should also know a few things that will make dealing with the condition easier for you on a day to day basis.
Since asthma affects your airways, you will want to figure out what triggers an asthma attack. During an asthma attack, the airways become especially small and sore, and prevent vital organs in the body from getting enough oxygen — especially the lungs. Some people experience asthma symptoms simply because their airways are swollen or constricted on a regular basis; this could be due to other conditions, such as sinus infections or lung complications. However, some asthma sufferers have allergic asthma, which means that certain factors cause the asthma, such as dust, pollen, certain foods, and pet hair. If you think that you may have allergic asthma, the condition is much easier to treat; simply dust as often as possible to prevent allergic reactions in the home, and keep pets out of the home.
Corticosteroids are the most common medication used to treat asthma. However, if you have any special considerations that may prevent you from taking corticosteroids, your doctor will find another means of asthma control for you. For instance, if you are pregnant and have asthma, your symptoms could improve during the pregnancy, but if you experience complications, you will need another form of medication.
If you have just started to suffer from asthma attacks in your 40s and 50s, your symptoms may be worse, especially if you have been a smoker or heavy drinker. And, if you’re especially active or play sports on a regular basis, you could experience asthma attacks after working out, so be sure to ask your doctor for prescriptions that will help your lungs and airways to function properly during sports activity.
For ongoing asthma control, it is important to watch your diet and make sure you are not consuming some of the common foods that cause allergic reactions or shortness of breath in people, such as nuts, wheat, and dairy products. You may also be placed on long-term medication from your doctor that you should take in conjunction with your new diet to prevent attacks. If you have an inhaler, be sure to take the medicine only as prescribed, and keep a log of your asthma symptoms with you to show the doctor on your next visit; changes in your symptoms or health may be an indication that you need to change medication, or that you will not need as many prescriptions.
Kim writes for the Treatment for Asthma site. If you are interested in learning more about this condition, drop by to read her recent article on Take Control of Your Asthma.
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