What Can You Do To Prevent Asthma

What Can You Do To Prevent Asthma

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Asthma is an illness distressing the airways that carry air to and from your lungs. Individuals who suffer from this enduring condition are said to be asthmatic. The inside walls of an asthmatics 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 todays article, you can control your asthma and prevent an asthma attack.

What Parents Can Do To Reduce Asthma Attacks

Children often outgrow their asthma as they age. Until then, reducing risk is the best way to prevent serious attacks. Here are some of the best ways to do that:

Keeping a healthy body weight can reduce your childs asthma risk. There is a documented link between childhood asthma and obesity, with research showing that the risk of asthma increases by 20% in children who are overweight. A sedentary lifestyle is one of the biggest causes of obesity in children and teens, which can make breathing worse. In fact, our asthma program provides physical therapy to help facilitate exercise in a controlled environment.

Most kids with asthma can safely participate in sports and exercise. However, the fear of triggering an asthma attack can lead to anxiety, causing kids to sit out and parents to restrict activity. Talk with your provider to come up with a plan that allows your child to be active.

Limiting exercise now can cause more obesity-related health problems down the road, including high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Make sure your child takes medications as prescribed and warms up before exercise to reduce the risk of an exercise-induced asthma attack.

If your child is struggling with asthma or allergy symptoms, talk with a pediatric pulmonologist or allergist about allergy and lung function testing. We see young patients in Dallas and Frisco, in person and via telehealth our goal is to help your child feel like an active kid again, instead of a fish out of water.

Why Is Asthma Keeping Me Awake

Its common for asthma symptoms to come on at night, but you shouldnt have to put up with them. Night-time asthma symptoms are a sign that your asthma isnt well controlled, and you may be at risk of an asthma attack.

If your symptoms come on early in the morning, it could be a sign your asthma has been difficult through the night, even if you werent aware of it.

Here are some reasons why your symptoms may come on at night:

There is also evidence to suggest that a lack of sleep can make your asthma symptoms worse. If youre struggling with sleep and its affecting your asthma, speak to your GP or asthma nurse.

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Tips To Keep Your Asthma Under Control

Almost three million Canadians and more than 300 million people worldwide have asthma, including many top athletes. Asthma is a common chronic lung disease that can make it difficult to breathe. Although there is no cure for asthma, those with the condition can live healthy, active lives if their asthma is under control.

For World Asthma Day , the Canadian Lung Association has some helpful tips for people with asthma.

1. Know your triggers and avoid themTriggers like allergens and irritants can make your asthma symptoms worse by irritating your airways. The best way to control your asthma is to know what your asthma triggers are and how to avoid them.

2. Take your asthma medication as prescribed by your doctorMany people think they can skip their asthma preventer medications when they dont feel any symptoms thats not true. Asthma is a chronic disease. If you have asthma, you have it all the time, even when you dont feel symptoms. You have to manage your asthma every day, not just on days when you feel symptoms. Read more about asthma medications and how to use them.

3. Learn how to use your inhaler properlyYour health-care provider can show you how to use your inhaler properly so that your medicine reaches the airways. Ask him or her to watch you useyour inhaler. Your health-care provider may offer suggestions on how to improve your technique so that the medication gets to your airways. Watch our videos on how to properly use your inhalers.

Know Your Triggers And Get Away/stay Away From Them

Get Away: In case of an attack, ease symptoms by getting as far away as possible from whats triggering you. Dont be afraid to ask for help if you cant get there on your own.Stay Away: Avoid triggers by:

• Quitting smoking or staying away from smokers
• Finding out what you are allergic to and avoiding it
• Warming up slowly before exercise
• Avoiding emotional stress by learning relaxation techniques

See Dr. Mayank Shukla for asthma treatment in Queens to find out what your triggers are.

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How Can You Prevent Asthma

by Health Professional

A common concern of moms and dads – especially when asthma runs in the family – is how they can prevent their children from getting asthma. New evidence suggests there are things you can do – or not do – to at least reduce the risk your child will develop asthma. Even folks with no history of asthma can develop asthma. Good examples of this are premature births and occupational asthma.

To get a better understanding of why the following may lead to asthma you should read up on the that surmises asthma may be caused by lack of exposure to bacteria, and the microflora hypothesis that surmises asthma is caused by an imbalance of microbes in the intestines.

Here are some things believed to prevent one from developing asthma:

Visit A Complete Care Er Immediately If You Are Experiencing A Severe Asthma Attack

Despite having a better understanding of how to prevent an asthma attack, its not always possible to avoid triggers. If youre experiencing a severe asthma attack dont wait to seek medical attention. Visit one of our 24 hr emergency walk-in clinics equipped with hospital-grade technology and friendly medical staff.

We have convenient ER locations in both Texas and Colorado. Head into one of our facilities or give us a call today!

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What Triggers An Asthma Attack

Numerous triggers can cause asthma attacks, including:

Tobacco smoke While smoking is unhealthy for anyone, its particularly dangerous for people with asthma. If you smoke, you should quit.

Secondhand smoke can also trigger an asthma attack. Avoid situations in which people around you smoke. Also don’t let people smoke in a place where you spend a lot of time, such as your home or car even if you’re not present when they smoke.

Smoke from wood or grass Even though it may seem natural, smoke from these sources contains harmful gases and particles.

Avoid burning wood in your home. If you live in an area where wildfires occur, monitor air quality forecasts and try to stay inside when particle levels are at their worst.

Outdoor air pollution

Certain foods and food additives While almost any food can cause an allergic reaction, a few additives are widely believed to cause adverse reactions in some people.

Acid reflux can also trigger an asthma attack in some people, so any food that aggravates this condition may also be responsible for symptoms.

Respiratory infections These include influenza , the common cold, respiratory syncytial virus , and sinus infections.

Strong emotional statesCertain medications

Consider Immunotherapy Allergy Shots

If your doctor finds that you have allergies, allergy shots may help prevent allergy symptoms and keep your asthma from getting worse. With allergy shots, the doctor injects small doses of allergens under your skin on a regular schedule. Over time, your body may get used to the allergen and respond less when youâre exposed. This can help keep your asthma under control.

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Asthma Signs And Symptoms

Even if you know how to treat asthma, recognizing signs and symptoms can be beneficial. Asthma attacks happen as a response to an external trigger such as exercise or allergies. As a result, the airway becomes swollen and narrow, making it hard to breathe.

For some people, asthma is nothing more than a minor inconvenience. For others, it is a life-threatening concern that needs to be managed daily.

Symptoms of asthma include:

Advice For Friends And Family

It’s important that your friends and family know how to help in an emergency.

It can be useful to make copies of your personal asthma action plan and share it with others who may need to know what to do when you have an attack.

You can photocopy your existing plan, or you could download a blank personal asthma action plan from Asthma UK and fill it in for anyone who might need a copy.

Or you could take a photo of your action plan on your phone, so you can show or send it to others easily.

Page last reviewed: 19 April 2021 Next review due: 19 April 2024

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Having A Medical Plan

Dr. Shabnam usually prescribes medications to help you with asthma symptoms and mild attacks.

Patients with mild asthma do well with a rescue inhaler to give them fast relief. But, if you have more than two asthma attacks per week, you may need daily medicine that includes a maintenance inhaler or anti-inflammatory.

These medications take a bit of time to work. When they do start working and your symptoms and frequency of attacks subside, keep taking the medication.

If you have stress-induced asthma, you may also benefit from certain breathing exercises. Focus on breathing slowly in and out for a minute to help you get back in control. Breathing exercises are not a replacement for medical care, however.

If you struggle with asthma, get the care you need at the office of Saba Shabnam, MD. Call today or use this website to book an appointment. We can help you manage your symptoms, minimize uncomfortable, life-threatening attacks, and live a normal life.

Figure : Stepwise Approach To Asthma Management For Children Ages 5

ICS=inhaled corticosteroids, LABA=long-acting beta agonists, LTRA=Leukotriene receptor antagonists, SABA=short-acting beta agonistsAdditional Figure 2 notes

• Every step: Reduce exposure to triggers, exercise, eat healthy, and manage stress
• Steps 2, 3, and 4: Consider immunotherapy for allergies
• Steps 5 and 6: Consider adding asthma biologics

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Triggers And Lifestyle Changes

What causes your airways to become inflamed, swollen, and easily irritated? A trigger is anything that causes the airway to tighten or twitch. It can be an infection, irritants such as smoke or air pollution, allergens in the air, strenuous exercise, or strong emotions. Each persons asthma is unique and reacts to different triggers.

In most cases, triggers are found in the air we breathe especially allergens, which can cause an allergic reaction that increases inflammation and sets off asthma symptoms. By knowing the allergens that you react to, you can take actions to avoid them and prevent your airways from becoming inflamed and swollen.

Reducing exposure to your asthma triggers is the first important step in keeping your airways open and managing your asthma. Following are the most common things that trigger asthma. Dont be intimidated by the full list most asthma patients react to a few, not all of them.

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 its 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 and smoke.

If you dont already see whats 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 factors might have added to it. Some common asthma triggers are not continuously obvious.

Once youve recognized your asthma triggers, it will be calmer to look into ways you can evade them.

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Do You Know What Type Of Asthma You Have

Asthma is a disease that affects your airways, which carry air in and out of your lungs. The type of asthma you have depends on your specific triggers.

Thanks to advances in asthma research, doctors have been able to identify the different types of asthma. The five most common types of asthma are: exercise-induced bronchospasm , allergic asthma, cough-variant asthma, occupational asthma, and nocturnal or nighttime asthma. EIB occurs after physical exertion. Its not always easy to determine which type of asthma you have. Proper diagnosis and regular communication with your doctor can help you to determine the best course of action.

Asthma is a chronic lung disease, so its important to receive treatment as soon as possible to ensure that your condition doesnt worsen.

After An Asthma Attack

You should see a GP or asthma nurse within 48 hours of leaving hospital, or ideally on the same day if you did not need hospital treatment.

About 1 in 6 people treated in hospital for an asthma attack need hospital care again within 2 weeks, so it’s important to discuss how you can reduce your risk of future attacks.

Talk to a doctor or nurse about any changes that may need to be made to manage your condition safely.

For example, the dose of your treatment may need to be adjusted or you may need to be shown how to use your inhaler correctly.

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Take Your Asthma Medications

When it comes to managing asthma attacks, its best to be prepared. Aside from ensuring that youre taking your medications as your doctor prescribed*, you never know when youll need extra support. Make it a habit to grab any medications you might need before heading out.

*Please be sure to check in with your doctor before starting or making any changes to your medications.

There are several types of asthma medications and multiple types of inhalers on the market such as:

• Long-term asthma medications including corticosteroids, short acting beta agonists, or nebulizers
• Rescue medications including ipratropium and asthma inhalers
• Allergy based asthma medications including anti leukotriene drugs and injections

Keep reading: What is a nebulizer?

Tips To Prevent Asthma Attacks

More than half of the global population is worried about Asthma and getting a sure shot cure for the health issue is really tough. Severe and continuous coughing and wheezing are the primary asthma symptoms and the main causes that trigger the problem include pollution, an unbearable cold environment, allergies from chemicals or specific fragrances, flu virus, etc. Asthma has been a vital topic for medical researchers for a long while but the medical experts are still not able to discover a cure that is 100% efficient for Asthma treatment. There is no specific trigger of Asthma that incite the sudden asthma attack for every Asthma patient. The triggers may vary for different Asthma patients. The first thing is to identify the causes due to which a patient faces frequent Asthma attacks and keep the patient away from those triggers as much as possible. Depending on the years of Asthma treatments, the highly effective and reliable tips that can help an Asthma patient avoid a sudden attack are mentioned below.

As it is said prevention is better than cure, one must take care of the triggers or possible triggers to avoid a huge medical expense for Asthma treatment. Visit your nearest healthcare center at least once a month and let your doc know about your present Asthma status.

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Create An Asthma Action Plan

For anyone who has asthma, an asthma action plan is essential for preventing symptoms that can progress to a full-on asthma attack. This is a written document you and your asthma doctor will develop together based on your asthma triggers, usual symptoms, peak flow readings, and what you should do at different stages of progressively worsening symptoms.

A typical asthma action plan uses the color coding of a traffic light and is divided into three zones.

In terms of prevention, the action plan will identify all of your known triggers and ways to avoid them. It also will list your medications and how you should be taking them.

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Wise Approach To Treating Asthma

The National Asthma Education and Prevention Program recommends a stepped approach to asthma treatment based on age and asthma severity. Where you begin on the steps depends on how intense your asthma is at first. If your doctor follows other guidelines, your treatment may be different.

If 1 drug is not enough to control your asthma in 2 to 6 weeks, your treatment goes up 1 step. This may mean increasing the dose or adding another drug. If your asthma is well controlled for at least 3 months, you may go down 1 step. Going down a step means your doctor will try a lower dose or cutting out a drug to see if your asthma stays under control.1

In general, the types of asthma control medicines prescribed for the 6 steps of asthma severity include:1

• Inhaled steroids
• Asthma biologics

The recommendations for when these drugs are prescribed change based on a persons age and asthma severity.

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