Asthma is a relatively common condition that a lot of people have to live with. While it does affect your respiratory system, this doesn’t mean that you can’t still live a full and happy life if you are diagnosed with this condition. However, it is important to know how to manage your asthma properly to avoid asthma attacks which can be scary and, in worst-case scenarios, result in death. If you have recently been diagnosed with asthma or have a loved one who has, here are some tips on how to stay healthy and ease symptoms that you might find useful.
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Research
A good place to start is by researching asthma in more depth. The more you know about the condition, the better equipped you will be to deal with asthma attacks when they may occur and understand what you should do to avoid triggers for attacks. The triggers that you might have for asthma could be different from someone else’s, however, so you need to identify what your specific triggers are to manage your health more effectively, or that of your child’s, partner’s, etc.
Always Carry an Inhaler
Hopefully, you won’t need to use your inhaler too often, but this will depend on the extent of your asthma and whether or not you are in an environment that can trigger it. Always carry an inhaler with you as this will help you take back control if you can feel tightness in your chest or if an asthma attack might be developing. You should have more than one inhaler so that you have a backup if one gets lost.
Go for Regular Check-ups
It is important to make sure that you’re going for your check-ups with the doctor, as this will help to monitor your asthma and adjust your medications should you need to. It’s also a good opportunity to speak to a medical professional who can offer you further advice on any adjustments you might need to make to your lifestyle or other questions you might have regarding your asthma and how it is affecting you.
Look at Other Treatments
You should always discuss your treatment options with your doctor before you try anything new for their advice, but if you are finding your current treatments aren’t being as effective as you would like, ask about other options you can explore. For example, this clinic that offers ozone therapy in NYC has found that patients with asthma can sometimes benefit from this type of treatment. Again, always discuss this with your doctor first to see if they can give your further advice, but do think about exploring other treatment options if you feel you need to try something new.
Wrap Up in Cold Weather
The colder weather can be a common trigger for asthma, so during the cooler months, make sure that you’re wrapping up warm, and try breathing through your nose instead of your mouth, as your nose will warm up the air, and this will help to stop your asthma flaring up. You should always have your inhaler on you, but ask your doctor if they can renew your prescription during the winter months as you may need to use your inhaler more often over these few months.
If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with asthma, consider these simple tips as a good starting point to help you live with it more comfortably.
