Breathe Easy: Some Asthma Relief Tips
Author: Nick Carter

Asthma is the seventh-ranked chronic health condition in the
United States and the leading chronic illness of children. It
is a chronic inflammatory disease that makes airways (bronchial
tubes) particularly sensitive to irritants.

During an asthma attack, tightening of the smooth muscles
around the bronchial tubes causes them to become inflamed,
narrow inside, and produce excess mucus. This makes it
difficult for air to pass in and out of the lungs and decreases
the oxygen levels in the blood. A person suffering from an
asthma attack has a sensation similar to drowning.

It is currently estimated that as many as 300 million people
world wide suffer from asthma, and that number continues to
rise

Here are a few symptoms of asthma:

·Cough
·Chest tightness
·Shortness of breath
·Wheezing
·Triggers of asthma

And some triggers:

·Allergens
·Irritants such as tobacco smoke, strong odors
·Weather changes
·Viral or sinus infections
·Exercise

People have their own triggers. If you have asthma, you can
minimize your symptoms by avoiding the factors that trigger
your symptoms and by working with your physician to develop an
effective management and treatment plan.

In order to help you, before you decide to go to the doctor,
here are a few tips on how to prevent, foresee and minimize the
risk of asthma.

Caffeine and Asthma

If you feel an asthma attack coming on and don't have your
inhaler handy, try a couple cups of coffee, tea, hot chocolate
or chocolate bars. The caffeine will help open your airways.

Controlling Your Asthma

If you find yourself using your quick-relief inhaler to stop an
asthma attack more than twice a week, it may be time for a
different medication. In fact, if you have to refill your
inhaler more than two times a year or are awakened by asthma
symptoms two nights or more per week, you also probably need a
change.

Correct Inhaler Use

If you use an inhaler to treat your asthma, remember that it's
not a breath freshener. You must deeply inhale the medication
into your lungs and hold it for three to five seconds before
exhaling slowly.

Dust mites

Dust mites can be especially troubling when traveling away from
home, take your own pillow with an allergen-proof cover and
request down-free pillows if staying in a hotel.

Homemade food

Carry self-injectable epinephrine in case you accidentally eat
a food to which you are allergic. Homemade items do not have
ingredient lists and can be contaminated with trace amounts of
allergenic foods through contact with storage containers,
baking sheets and utensils.

Exercising with Asthma

If your asthma is bothered by air pollution, cold or damp air,
exercise indoors. A stationary bicycle is a good example of
indoor activities. Cover your mouth and nose with a scarf when
exercising outdoors in cold weather.

Loving your pet

Decide which areas of the house will become your exclusion
zones. I recommend you never allow your pet into at least two
rooms, the bedroom and lounge. You may want to add other rooms
to the list. If your pet once slept in those rooms, wash as
much of the bedding or upholstery as possible and consider
buying a new mattress and duvet. Keep the animal's bed in
another room, perhaps a utility room or lobby. For a cat,
sprinkle some catnip there to make the area seem more
attractive. However, if your asthma is severe and triggered by
pet allergens the best advice is to find a new home for the
animal.

It may not be possible to 100% cure your asthma, but by putting
the above into practice you should be able to alleviate it quite
considerably.


About The Author: Nick Carter is editor of
http://www.allergyasthmarelief.com,a website dedicated to
providing resources and tips on asthma relief