There are numerous chronic diseases that we get to hear of, and one of them is Asthma. Some people might take it lightly, but in reality, it is one of the most fatal diseases. This is why we are going to share with you some tips for the prevention of asthma in this blog, so keep reading.
What Is Asthma?
Do you know that asthma is a condition that affects nearly 30 million Americans? Yes, that’s true! Kids and adults are equally likely to have it. Most children with asthma may get cured as they get older, but for some, the condition becomes chronic. The scariest thing about asthma is that if you do not know the symptoms and ways to prevent asthma, the lung condition can kill you. But worry not as there are numerous ways for the prevention of asthma so that you can take better control of your life or your child’s life.
What Are the Ways to Prevent Asthma Attacks?
Here we are sharing with you some expert asthma prevention tips to help you navigate the disease better:
1. Identify Triggers and Stay Away from Them
Asthma attack symptoms are not the same for everyone, but there are some common triggers. Yes, you heard it right! Asthma trigger avoidance can be implemented if you know what factors increase your risk of getting an asthma attack and stay away from them. Common triggers include:
Most people can learn what triggers they need to ignore on their own. But for others, there are triggers they know they have but do not know what the source is.
In times like this, it’s helpful to create an asthma diary to track everything you do and the locations you visit. You should keep a log for several weeks so that you can know your triggers and work on the prevention of asthma attacks.
Find ways to keep your home and workplace free from allergens. It would help if you become mindful of the locations you visit and travel to.
You should know that there are emotional and physical factors that can cause asthma. So, attacks can happen while working out or occur during periods of stress, depression, or shock.
2. Boost Your Immunity
Remember that anyone can benefit from a healthy immune system, especially those who have asthma. You can boost your immune system by taking vitamin C, drinking plenty of water, and eating foods rich in antioxidants and vitamins to equip your body with the nutrition it needs.
Having a strong immune system can prevent you from getting sick often, which can cause attacks. It would help if you also washed your hands often to lower the chances of getting respiratory infections.
If you have several allergies, you may want to consider getting allergy shots for better prevention of asthma. Getting all your vaccinations can also prove to be useful.
Other than getting flu shots to protect you against the flu virus, it will help to get a pneumonia shot (Pneumovax) as well. This is a shot you should get every 5-10 years. Other vaccinations include the zoster vaccine, which shields you from shingles, and Tdap, which protects you against whooping cough, tetanus, and diphtheria.
3. Follow Your Doctor’s Asthma Prevention Strategies.
Your doctor understands your condition and generally tries to create a personalized action plan for asthma attack prevention. They give you your medications and advise you on how to use the peak flow meter.
This meter is sufficient for measuring how well air travels throughout your lungs. It can also let you know in advance when your airways are narrow ahead of time before symptoms show. Yes, that’s true. And this alone can save you from an attack before it happens.
Peak flows let you know how fast you can expel air from your lungs and provide readings to measure your results. But remember that you must understand the zones to see if your breathing is optimal or if you are in danger.
There are also spirometry tests the doctor may add to the plan to see how much air your lungs can contain and how much air you can release following a deep breath. This is known as forced expiratory volume (FEV), and the recording is often expressed as a percentage.
4. Take Your Medications
Asthma attacks account for about 25% of all emergency visits in the US. Yes, that’s true. But it is believed that many of these attacks could have been prevented in situations when asthma medications were taken as prescribed.
You need to keep in mind that one of the key tips for preventing asthma attacks is to take your medications as prescribed by your doctor. This is because it helps address the symptoms and stop them before they can surface. The best way of controlling asthma attacks is with the use of long-term medications like:
- Cromolyn
- Theophylline
- Oral corticosteroids
- Inhaled corticosteroids
- Leukotriene modifiers
- Inhaled long-acting anticholinergics/beta-agonists
There are also medications available that the doctors prescribe to provide fast relief in case you have an attack. They also provide inhaled short-acting anticholinergics and beta-agonists when needed.
Some doctors recommend the use of biological drugs that treat asthma by working with your immune system. This drug works by blocking immune responses responsible for causing the airways to get inflamed and contract. Remember that biological drugs like omalizumab (Xolair) are monoclonal antibodies used in cases of severe symptoms.
5. Take Necessary Precautions
We feel that for the prevention of asthma, it is crucial now more than ever to get as much fresh air as possible. After the coronavirus, more people prefer to stay indoors, and closed spaces pose various risks for people with asthma. Yes, that’s true.
When you are in closed spaces, you are more likely to expose yourself to allergens and infectious diseases. So, it is important to remember the chances of exposing yourself to allergens and viruses when you remain in areas void of ventilation.
Remember that those with asthma are more sensitive to risks and complications related to infectious diseases, so you should be sure to follow the guidelines the CDC advises.
Final Thoughts
All in all, we can say that asthma is a significant problem in the US. And the saving factor about the chronic condition is that it’s controllable. But remember that prevention of asthma is possible only when you follow the above-mentioned tips.
Knowing what your triggers are, boosting your immunity, listening to your doctor, and exposing yourself to fresh air as much as possible is essential. You should never skip taking your medications either. Most doctors prescribe anti-asthmatics, like Asmanex, to their patients.
You need to keep in mind that when you live with asthma for a long time, you must refill the medication often. You can skip the trip to the drugstore by starting an order online to have the life-saving medication you need to be delivered to you.
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