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Exercising with Allergic Asthma: How to Go About It

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that people should engage in aerobic activity every week to stay healthy.

While this is the case, for some people, physical activity and sports might cause asthma symptoms, such as chest tightness, coughing, Shortness of breath, and wheezing.

As a result, these symptoms make exercise difficult and sometimes deadly.

Taking adequate measures and adopting a symptom management strategy can allow you to reap the advantages of exercise while minimizing potential suffering.

Here’s what you need to know about exercising safely with allergic asthma.

How asthma is linked to exercise

Asthma affects around 25 million people in the US. The most frequent kind is allergic asthma, which is caused or worsened by particular allergens, including:

Pests such as mold, pets, pollen, dust mites, and cockroaches.

Whether you’re working out or going about your daily activities, avoiding these common allergens will help you avoid seeing your allergy doctor too frequently. It will also keep allergic asthma symptoms at bay.

Exercise itself can cause asthma symptoms. This is referred to as exercise-induced asthma.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, up to 90% of asthma patients develop exercise-induced asthma while participating in physical activity.

Asthma symptoms can appear while you’re exercising and usually increase 5 to 10 minutes after you stop.

Depending on the severity of the symptoms, you may need to use your rescue inhaler. Some people’s symptoms may resolve on their own within a half hour.

Even if symptoms resolve without medication, some patients may experience a second wave of asthma symptoms 4 to 12 hours later.

These late-phase symptoms are usually not severe and might be resolved within a day. If the symptoms are severe, do not hesitate to take your rescue medication.

How do you know exercise triggers your asthma?

If you suspect you have exercise-induced asthma, speak with your doctor about getting tested to confirm a diagnosis and build a treatment plan.

Your doctor can examine your breathing before, during, and after physical activity to evaluate how well your lungs are functioning and whether exercise is causing your asthma.

If you are diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma, you should consult with your doctor to develop an Asthma Action Plan. That way, you’ll know what to do in an emergency and have a list of drugs handy.

Tips for exercising with allergic asthma

Regular physical exercise is beneficial to your health, even if you have allergic asthma. If you are looking to exercise even with your condition, here are some recommendations that may help you exercise and participate in sports more safely:

Take your medication before you work out. Some drugs can be taken in advance to help you avoid the symptoms of exercise-induced asthma.

Your doctor may advise you to take a short-acting beta-agonist (or bronchodilator) a few minutes before working out, or a long-acting bronchodilator up to an hour before exercising. Your doctor may recommend Mast cell stabilizers in extremely unusual circumstances.

Be ultra-cautious throughout the winter months. Allergic asthma symptoms might be exacerbated in cold surroundings. If you must exercise outside in the winter, donning a mask or scarf may help you avoid symptoms.

Be mindful of the summer months, too. Hot, humid surroundings promote the growth of allergens such as mold and dust mites.

If you must exercise outdoors during the summer, plan your sessions for the mornings or nights when temperatures and humidity are often lower.

Select indoor activities. Avoid exercising outside on days with high allergen and pollution levels, as this can raise your risk of developing allergic asthma.

Practice less stimulating sports. Choose activities that require “short bursts of exercise,” such as volleyball, baseball, gymnastics, strolling, or leisurely bike rides. These activities may be less likely to cause symptoms than ones that involve continuous action, such as soccer, running, or basketball.

Store your things indoors. When left outside, exercise equipment such as bikes, jump ropes, weights, and mats can accumulate pollen or become moldy. To reduce unnecessary exposure to allergens that cause asthma, store your gear inside.

Always warm up and cool down. Stretching before and after a workout may help to alleviate asthma symptoms. Make time for a warm-up before you begin and a cool-down after each exercise.

Carry your inhaler with you. If your doctor has given you an inhaler to help you control exercise-induced asthma, keep it on hand during your workout. It can help reverse certain symptoms if they appear.

When should you seek medical attention?

Some minor symptoms of allergic asthma that appear during exercising may resolve on their own. So you don’t need to do much about them.

However, more severe responses may necessitate medical treatment. Seek emergency medical attention immediately if you experience:

Symptoms of an asthma attack include persistent shortness of breath, wheezing, and difficulty breathing.

Symptoms of shortness of breath include strained chest muscles and difficulty speaking for longer periods of time.

When you see any of these symptoms, don’t wait. Get in touch with your doctor as soon as possible so that they can analyze your condition and give you the necessary medication.

When you are hiring a medical doctor, don’t hire them the day the symptoms start showing. Instead, you should start the process early. You should visit a couple of doctors while you are still in good health and determine whether they are the right fit for you.

Since you have a condition, it means that you will be seeing your doctor too frequently. This means that when it comes to hiring them, don’t just look at their experience level. Take time to find out whether your personalities match. You want someone that you are comfortable around and you can easily talk to them.

Parting shot

Asthma symptoms should not keep you from living an active lifestyle. Avoiding triggers, taking prescribed medicine, and selecting the appropriate type of activity will help you exercise safely and avoid symptoms.

Keep track of how your body reacts to physical exercise and have an asthma action plan in place in case you need it.

When the condition worsens, don’t take chances. See an allergy doctor Manassas VA immediately.

What is of Aspirin Desensitization

Aspirin is an important drug used by people all over the world to help with medical conditions. However, with a lot of people that suffer from a sensitivity to aspirin, using aspirin as allergy treatment is very important for positive health outcomes. You can check an allergy clinic if you want to have an effective aspirin desensitization treatment so you can offer relief for individuals.

There are about 1.2 million and 1.6 million people in the US who have aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease, which causes a lot of frustration for a lot of patients. Due to aspirin desensitization, you can overcome the worst symptoms caused by this condition. If you want to know more about this, you can read on.

What is Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (AERD)?

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) includes chronic asthma, sinusitis that has nasal polyps, and aspirin sensitivity, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Patients who have this condition experience mild to severe symptoms of any respiratory conditions for aspirin-related medications. Other medications can have ibuprofen and naproxen. Approximately 1 in 10 patients who have asthma or 1 in 3 patients with asthma and sinusitis with nasal polyps could be sensitive to aspirin and other NSAIDs that leads to having AERD.

Symptoms of Aspirin Sensitivity

People with aspirin sensitivity can have symptoms like:

  • Hives, itching, swelling, or
  • Shortness of breath, worsening and wheezing of nasal/sinus symptoms

In some cases, the aspirin adverse reaction could be serious or life-threatening.

How is AERD Diagnosed

The AERD diagnosis is clinical, which means that there is no certain test or blood result that can be used to diagnose the disease. The triad asthma plus symptoms and nasal polyps and respiratory reactions to NSAIDs are everything that is needed for diagnosis. For patients with a history of possible reaction to an NSAID is unclear, and normally it is helpful to do an aspiring challenge to confirm your diagnosis. You can do this either as an oral challenge, or a combination of oral or intranasal challenges. The procedure is in a hospital or clinic with a medical team and an experienced doctor.

In addition, people who have AERD have huge numbers of eosinophils in the nasal polyps and elevated levels of eosinophils in their bloodstream. Eosinophils are a kind of immune cell that has inflammation. Even if the presence of an elevated eosinophil level is not needed in the diagnosis, it can be good additional insight for patients.

Benefits of Aspirin Desensitization

Aspirin desensitization will allow a patient to gain these benefits:

  • Improved asthma control
  • Decreased doses of corticosteroid
  • Delayed regrowth of nasal polyps that causes surgeries that are less related to sinus (polyps surgeries)
  • Less need for medication for respiratory symptoms treatment
  • Aspirin tolerance (ASA) and NSAIDs
  • Better sense of smell and taste
Success Rate of Aspirin Desensitization

There is a recent study reported that AERD patients who can continue aspirin desensitization treatment for over a year, were the ones to experience the most benefits.

Risks of Aspirin Desensitization

The aspirin dose that is given during desensitization of aspirin is a lot smaller compared to what is taken in a lot of cases. The reactions because of a lower dose are normally less severe, in most cases compared to the reaction of what a patient would have gone through if they took a full dose. Here are the risks of aspirin desensitization:

  • Runny nose
  • Nasal congestion
  • Tightness in your throat
  • Stomach pain
  • Heartburn
  • Nausea
  • Hives
  • Blood pressure rarely drops

The physician will monitor you closely, including your vital signs, lung function, and oxygen intake.

You can check an allergy center Manassas VA anytime.

Why Asthma Gets Worse in the Fall?

Yearly, asthmatics have an uphill battle in the fall. That is because the air is more polluted when the weather is dryer and colder, which causes their lungs to fight asthma attacks harder. Asthma patients have more risk of having asthma attacks during the months of September and November so you should always take note.

While it is colder outside, trees, grasses, and other plants will enter the dormant season. In this period, plants release nitric oxide to prevent freezing. Nitric oxide majorly triggers asthma. Nitric oxide is produced by humans and it is important for survival. It will help blood vessels dilate and it improves blood flow.

You can go to an allergy doctor about this, but here is what else you need to know:

There is Ragweed Pollen

Ragweed pollen is a prevalent allergen in the fall. Starting late summer, ragweed season will continue in the fall and it causes symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Ragweed is an important cause of discomfort for a lot of people with hay fever, but it is mainly challenging for anyone who has allergic asthma. After getting exposed to ragweed, most of the time your chest will feel tighter. It will make breathing harder, and your respiratory system will suffer persistent irritation.

Air is Dryer in the Fall Season

While the days are shorter in the fall, the air will become drier and cooler. Even if this is a welcome change when it comes to comfort after the humid and hot summer, it is a factor that exacerbates asthma symptoms. Dry air will irritate your respiratory system, and it worsens COPD and asthma. Despite this effect is more common in the winter, it also adds to the reason why symptoms are worse in the fall.

Mold

Mold is a common allergen which is a specific problem in the fall and summer. One way to treat allergic asthma is to avoid allergens. Unfortunately, the damp leaves that fall from the trees will give the best conditions for mold to grow, and you have a very high exposure to allergens. According to studies, it has been found that links between mold sensitization and severe asthma attacks require you to be admitted to the hospital.

Leaf Cleanup

Leaf cleanup in the fall is a chore that the majority of households should face. If you suffer from asthma, though, leaf cleanup can be an issue. Most of the time, fallen leaves have mold that grows on them if they are not cleaned up right away, and the dry ones produce leaf dust. In both events, leaf cleanup worsens asthma symptoms. It is not helpful if you are living near someone who is burning leaves, like smoke and ash from fires which also triggers asthma attacks.

Fall is the Beginning of the Flue and Cold Season

When the flu and cold season starts, you are more prone to virus exposure because you will go out more. Even if you get exposed to some viruses, your asthma makes you more prone to developing asthma.

Allergies and viral infections work hand-in-hand to increase asthma symptoms. It is not surprising to learn that this one-two punch will happen during the fall shortly after the start of school. As a parent, you will be with your child more when they go to school. You will also notice a seasonal pattern where more people experience worse asthma symptoms from September through November with a respiratory infection and wheezing because of asthma. Airborne allergens cause hospitalization even more in the fall.

You can visit an allergist Germantown MD anytime before the fall to prepare yourself.

 

 

Tips on How to Use Your Inhaler More Efficiently

Humans develop habits throughout their lives. Most of the time, the same route should be taken to your office or you put your shoes in the same spot every day when you come home. Some of those habits are ingrained that they have become a routine such as drinking a cup of coffee or brushing their teeth. They have become a natural part of your daily rhythm that you feel like something is missing if you forget to stick to it.

For those who have asthma, making the inhaler a regular part of their routine goes a long way when it comes to maintaining good health. Your asthma doctor will be happy if you use the inhaler correctly.

Here are tips for you:

Start Small but Do it Right

A bad habit is the hardest break. Therefore, it is a good idea to remember that while you make the inhaler a regular part of your daily life, you should ask your doctor to make sure you are using it correctly. Keep in mind to always follow the instructions for the medicine and the ones given by your healthcare provider. For instance, you can learn how deeply and quickly you should inhale when you take medicine and while you hold your breath, helping you make sure that you are getting the best form of asthma treatment.

Use a Spacer

A spacer is an important device to make sure that the medicine goes where it needs to go, which is deep inside your lungs. When you seal your mouth around the spacer, you need to spray one puff and slowly and deeply inhale. You should hold your breath and count to 10, then slowly exhale. For young children who use a spacer, make sure the child is taking five to six full breaths.

Doing Two Habits at the Same Time

Combining the inhaler you use with another habit is similar to brushing your teeth is a way to make sure that you can get it done. Even in the morning when you rush out the door, you do not neglect taking care of your teeth, and when you connect two habits, you are less likely to forget to use the inhaler.

Take One Puff with Every Breath

If your doctor already prescribed a dosage of one puff or more, you need to take each one separately. Do not spray multiple puffs of the medicine into your spacer. It is because multiple puffs will not work for one breath.

It Should be Stored in a Safe Place

If you do not see an object all the time, there will come a time when you will forget about it. When you store your inhaler in a place where you can see it, like on top of a makeup table or a spot you can frequently access is going to serve as a reminder that it should be regularly used. It is also worth it to make sure that you need to store your device very well.

Replace Your Inhaler Before it Runs Out

A lot of inhalers have counters with canisters. You must keep an eye on the counter and replace it before the medicine runs out. You should not put the canister in water to check if it is empty because it does not work. Take your inhaler with you when you go to clinic appointments, so your doctor can make sure that you are using the inhaler correctly.

You can go to an allergy specialist doctor Germantown MD to ask if you are using your inhaler correctly to get the most out of it.

What to do if Someone has Allergies

Allergies are a common indication of illness and can happen at any time in someone’s life. Different things can cause allergies from medication to pollen, which means it can be challenging to know the best home remedies or treatments.

When your body encounters allergens, it causes mild symptoms such as watery eyes, skin irritation, or sneezing. In other people, allergies could lead to anaphylaxis. When this happens, the person will experience a life-threatening condition. It will result in shock, blood pressure suddenly drops, and breathing difficulty. This can cause respiratory failure and also cardiac arrest.

If there is an allergy clinic nearby, you can take them there right away or contact an ambulance. Find out more about how you can help someone with an allergic reaction because you might be able to save someone’s life.

Allergic Reaction Symptoms

  • Rash
  • Itching
  • Hives
  • Watery eyes and sneezing
  • Mouth or throat swelling
  • Nausea
  • Fast and weak pulse
  • Rapid or difficulty in breathing

When you touch, eat, or breathe something you are allergic to, your immune system will produce histamines to handle a bothersome substance.

However, while your body has good intentions, the natural response triggers the symptoms that were mentioned.

Call Emergency

You need to call medical assistance since the allergic reaction can affect the person quickly, and it is potentially dangerous. The reaction could cause their airway to swell, and make them stop breathing eventually.

Calling the emergency hotline is better compared to driving there yourself. Emergency technicians in the ambulance follow certain protocols and access treatments mainly for severe allergic reactions.

Aside from that, a lot of people with severe and life-threatening allergies always have an injector that delivers epinephrine. It helps reverse allergic reactions while waiting for medical care.

Treatment

If the allergic reaction is mild to moderate, it can be treated at home or they can drink OTC medications. The treatments can be commonly used to reduce allergic reaction symptoms.

Antihistamines are taken to prevent symptoms like hives as it blocks your body’s histamine receptors so your body will not react to allergens. Decongestants help clear your nose and are effective for treating seasonal allergies. However, you should not take them for more than three days.

These medications can be bought in tablets, nasal sprays, and eye drops. A lot of OTC drugs cause drowsiness as well, so you should not take them before doing anything.

Stay Away from the Allergen

The best way you can treat and prevent any allergic reaction is to be aware of your triggers and stay away, especially from food allergens.

When this is not realistic or possible, using decongestants or antihistamines when you encounter allergens are helpful in treating symptoms.

How to Treat Severe Allergies

People must talk to a professional If they suspect that they are suffering from chronic or severe allergies.

An allergy or doctor specialist is able to prescribe medications that contain many stronger doses of compounds available in OTC products.

The treatment options for severe or chronic allergies are:

  • Allergy shots or immunotherapy. The immunotherapy can be between 90 to 98% effective when it comes to reducing allergic reactions to insect bites or stings.
  • Asthma medications are prescribed, like inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators.
  • You can take oral cromolyn if you suffer from food allergies.
  • Drug desensitization therapy can be used for certain allergens.
Natural Remedies
  • Dietary changes – Low-fat diet with complex carbohydrates
  • Bioflavonoids – Plant-based chemicals found in citrus fruits
  • Supplements – Zinc, flaxseed oil, and vitamins A, C, and E
  • Acupuncture – – These treatments can help some people find relief symptoms

You can go to an allergy center Manassas VA for treatment.

 

 

 

What is Allergy Desensitization

You can have allergy shots regularly and it is generally given over the course of three to five years to reduce or stop allergy attacks. Allergy shots are an excellent form of treatment known as immunotherapy. Each shot has a small number of certain substances that trigger allergic reactions. These are known as allergens and they contain enough allergens that can stimulate your immune system, but it is not enough to cause an unbearable allergic reaction.

Even if allergen immunotherapy involves the typical administration of increasing allergen doses gradually over a certain period, immunotherapy can be given as injections or tablets.

In case you want to visit an allergy specialist doctor for allergy desensitization you can learn more about it here.

Oral Immunotherapy Treatment (OIT)

Desensitization treats peanut allergies, tree nut allergies, milk allergies, and other food allergies. The process will require patients to consume different allergen doses. Initially, food should be consumed under an allergist’s supervision. After this, patients must eat fixed amounts of the allergen until they reach a maintenance dose.

With the completion of OIT, individuals have to maintain the consumption of periodic doses of certain foods to ensure that there is ongoing desensitization. Normally, successful patients would have reduced the chances of allergic reactions. With the approval of an allergy doctor, it could even be possible to reintroduce it into your diet.

Risks

Most people do not experience a lot of trouble when they get allergy shots. However, they contain substances that cause allergies – so there can be possible reactions, which can include:

  • Systemic reactions – These are less common, but are more serious. You could develop sneezing, hives, or nasal congestion. Other severe reactions can include wheezing, throat swelling, or chest tightness.
  • Local reactions – This can involve redness, irritation, or swelling at the injection site. Normally, these common reactions start within a few hours after the injection and they clear up soon after that.
  • Anaphylaxis – Life-threatening reaction to allergy shots. It causes low blood pressure and trouble breathing. Most of the time, anaphylaxis starts within 30 minutes after injection, but they sometimes start at a later time.

If you will get allergy shots weekly or monthly, you are less likely to have a serious reaction.

When you take an antihistamine before an allergy shot, it reduces the risk of a reaction, mainly a local reaction. You should check with your doctor to find out if this is recommended.

Immunotherapy

It is similar to oral immunotherapy treatment, but with the use of allergy shots, seasonal allergies are less common and you will no longer be affected by indoor triggers or insect bites. Allergy shots can be used to treat pollen allergies, mold, dust mites, pet dander, and bee stings by giving small allergen doses via injection. When you administer incremental doses of the allergen, your immune system will become desensitized to its existence in your body.

Even if immunotherapy requires periodic visits to the allergy clinic, treatments will offer more benefits to patients. An individual can reduce their dependency on medication, and the immune system will get used to its presence in the system.

Where the Shots Should be Given

This kind of treatment must be supervised by a physician in a facility with the right staff and equipment to treat and identify adverse reactions to injections. The idea is that immunotherapy should be given at the allergy clinic. In case it is not possible, the allergist or immunologist should give the supervising physician clear instructions about the treatments of allergy shots.

You can check an allergy center Germantown MD if you need allergy desensitization.

 

 

Allergens that Cause a Sore Throat

Among allergy symptoms that affect daily life, getting a sore throat caused by allergies is irritating. If you have a runny nose and itchy eyes, a sore throat can be discomforting which can disrupt your routine.

Allergy sore throat symptoms can include a scratchy and dry feeling in your throat. The different kinds of allergies that cause this can be seasonal or something at home that is affecting you.

There are different steps you can take so you can manage or reduce symptoms.

Your allergy specialist will also tell you that histamines trigger your body to produce more mucus so your nose, mouth, and throat will not dry out. Most of the time, you will not notice the body’s mucus production.

Allergens and How they Affect You

Post-nasal drip is the culprit when it comes to an allergy-induced sore throat.

It is because of exposure to allergens and they occur when there is congestion in the sinuses and nose to your throat. This will cause scratchy or tickling pain.

The drainage can also cause:

  • Excessive swallowing
  • Coughing
  • Throat discomfort and clearing
  • Difficulty in speaking

A lot of allergies, like pollen, are seasonal.

If your symptoms are all-year-round, your symptoms could worsen during the seasons when there are a lot of airborne irritants.

Other Symptoms that Appear

  • Fatigue
  • Stuffy or runny nose
  • Sneezing and coughing

Symptoms of cold, flu, and other infections, but not normally allergies – include:

  • Body and muscle aches
  • Fever
  • Swollen lymph nodes

If you feel itchy, have watery eyes, and have a sore throat, it is most likely caused by an allergic reaction because the eye symptoms do not occur with the flu or cold.

Another clue is how long the sore throat lasts. A flu or cold does not last more than 2 weeks.

However, your allergic reaction can last for as long as you are exposed to the allergen. For instance, someone with a pollen allergy can have reaction symptoms for about 6 weeks, which depends on the season.

Oral Allergy Symptoms

  • Itchy mouth
  • Irritated, scratchy throat
  • Swelling and redness of the mouth and lips
  • Other symptoms of seasonal allergies

Anyone who has a sore throat or other allergy symptoms after they eat raw fruits or vegetables should talk to an allergy doctor.

How to Prevent Sore Throat Caused by Allergies

If you want to prevent sore throat caused by allergies, you would want to take steps in order to limit exposure to the substances that trigger you.

You should do your best to stay away from known irritants, like pet dander and cigarette smoke. If your allergies are seasonal, such as hay fever, are caused by trees and flowers in bloom, there are a couple of things you can do:

  • Keep your windows and doors closed
  • Wear a pollen mask when you are outside if it is “allergy season” to protect yourself from any airborne allergens
  • Take a shower after you come from outdoors
  • Wash clothing that you wore outside
Treatment

Preventing allergies is important in alleviating a sore throat, as well as other related symptoms. The primary step is to limit your allergen exposure as much as you can.

Avoid any known irritants, like pet dander or cigarette smoke, as much as possible. You should keep windows closed or wear a surgical mask outside so you can protect yourself from airborne allergens during the worst seasons.

You will not be able to avoid allergens all the time. This is the time when allergy shots and medication can help.

You can contact an asthma doctor Germantown MD anytime if you need a sore throat allergy treatment.

Tips to Improve Indoor Allergens in Your Home

The control of asthma and allergy starts at home. A lot of people who have allergies stay in their homes when the outdoor air has a lot of spores and pollen. However, dust mites, animal dander, and cockroaches can cause problems indoors. If you want to reduce indoor air pollution, you need to have adequate ventilation, control pollution sources and clean your indoor air.

After you see an allergy specialist, you should also do your part by controlling indoor allergens in your home. If you want to know what to do so that the allergens in your home are kept at bay, this article is going to give you what you need. Read on to know more.

Control Dust Mites

Keep surfaces in your home clean and uncluttered. The best ones are bare walls and floors, specifically the one in your bedroom where you spend most of your nights. If you have a carpet, throw rugs that are washable or low-pile carpets are even better.

The most important method is to put zippered allergen impermeable or pillow covers, box springs, and mattresses. Encased mattresses work better compared to air cleaners in order to reduce allergy symptoms. You should wash your bedding, uncovered pillows, and stuffed toys every week in hot water.

If you are turning on the heat, allergens such as pet dander and dust are lurking in the air ducts. It is recommended that you use a high-efficiency furnace filter to lessen indoor allergens that circulate in your home. It is recommended that you immediately change your filters every 90 days. You should start to change it with the seasons so that you can remember.

Limit How Much Pollen Goes Inside Your Home

You should ask as much, to keep your window closed if you require air conditioning to keep pollen from being blown inside your home. Remember to take off your shoes outside, or put a mat outside the door so you can wipe dirt off your feet. When you keep temperatures inside cool is also helpful in preventing humidity. This creates the best environment for dust mites and mold.

Clean Your House Regularly

Vacuuming your home with a HEPA filter weekly will also cut down allergens indoors like pet dander and dust mites. When you dust around your knick-knacks and books, you should use electrostatic cloth or microfiber that holds dust instead of only moving it around. As you dust and vacuum, dust is going to get stirred up in the air, so if you are allergic, you can use an N95 filter mask while you clean.

When it is possible, you should use wall-to-wall carpeting, even in the bedrooms. Hardwood floors become easier to clean because you can see the dust while cleaning. However, you can use washable area rugs as well to cut down allergens.

Avoid Any Mold Spores

You should reduce moisture around your bathroom, kitchen, and other water areas in your home. Dehumidifiers are also helpful in reducing dust mites and mold. You should limit yourself to a couple of house plants. You should fix every leak and other cause of the damp areas in your home. Clean the moldy surfaces. Get rid of the moldy firewood, and piles of weeds and leaves.

Keep the Cockroaches Controlled

You should not leave any garbage or food uncovered. You should use boric acid, poison baits, and traps instead of chemical agents that will irritate your rhinitis and/or trigger asthma.

If you cannot control indoor allergens, you can always contact the allergy doctor Manassas VA.

Early Asthma Attack Warning Signs to Watch out for

When you have an asthma attack, you will feel your asthma symptoms suddenly worsening, and that is caused by muscle tightening of muscles on your airways. The tightening is known as bronchospasm and when you have an asthma attack, the lining of your airways become inflamed or swollen. You will start to produce thicker mucus and a lot more. These factors like inflammation, bronchospasm and mucus production can cause an asthma attack like wheezing, trouble breathing, shortness of breath, coughing, and challenge in performing daily activities.

Before you call up your asthma doctor, you should be well aware of those signs and what you can do to stop them from getting worse. Read on to find out more.

Warning Signs of an Asthma Attack

  • Breathing changes
  • Mucus changes (sputum)
  • Congested/runny/stuffy nose
  • Sneezing
  • Your throat is sore/itchy/scratchy
  • Itchy chin or beck
  • Watery/itchy eyes
  • Dark eye circles
  • You are always feeling tired, weak, or fatigued
  • Moody
  • Feverish
  • Restless
  • Dry mouth or hoarse voice
  • Not sleeping properly
  • Headache
  • Paleness
  • Anxious
  • Excitable
  • Chest pain
  • Symptoms worsen despite taking medications

Some asthma patients can go for long periods without experiencing an asthma attack or other symptoms as well. The interrupted worsening of symptoms because of asthma trigger exposure like exercise or cold air exposure are also signs.

It is generally more common to experience asthma attacks. Normally, it takes a few minutes to a couple of hours for the airways to open up after treatment. Severe asthma attacks are not as common, but they last longer and need medical help right away. Treating and recognizing mild symptoms early on is important because it will prevent you from having severe episodes.

Severe Asthma Emergency Symptoms

  • Worsening asthma
  • Worse shortness of breath
  • Your skin is sucked in around the neck or ribs
  • Experience trouble in walking or talking because of shortness of breath
  • Breathing becomes hard and fast
  • You cough a lot
  • Shoulders are hunched over
  • The asthma quick-relief and medicine are not helping at all
  • Your nostrils are wide open (could be rare if you are an adult)
  • Fingernails or lips are blue

What to Do During an Asthma Attack

If someone is experiencing a milk asthma attack, all they could need is an asthma medication, like a quick-acting inhaler. Some mild attacks may sometimes go away on their own.

It is essential that people who have asthma consult with their healthcare team about an action plan. This plan helps in guiding people on how their asthma can be treated, based on the symptoms they go through and what can be done.

A person would have to carry an inhaler and reliever with them, which can have asthma medication to relax their muscles in the airways. The medications can include rapid onset, short-acting, and anticholinergic bronchodilators.

The asthma attack can be dealt with by trying these first:

  • Sitting upright
  • Staying relaxed and calm
  • Using quick-acting medications, normally use a blue inhaler, and following an action plan for asthma
  • Call an emergency medical hotline if the symptoms worsen or if the medications are not helping

Your Asthma is Not Well-Controlled if:

  • You have asthma symptoms 2 times a week or more
  • You are taking quick-relief medications more than twice a month
  • You need to take corticosteroids more than twice a year
Asthma Symptoms Act up at Night

You will have nighttime asthma if it is uncontrolled and has something to do with your body rhythms and hormone changes. You can sleep through the night if your asthma is well-managed.

You can also go to an allergy specialist doctor Manassas VA for better asthma management.

 

What Should An Asthma Patient Avoid?

Do you suffer from asthma and wondering what should an asthma patient avoid? Well, to avoid having to visit your asthma doctor now and then for treatment, there are several things you should avoid. These things include:

Dust

Unless you live in rural areas where there is dirt everywhere, you should strive to stay away from dirt as much as possible. And you should start with your home.

At least once a week, give your house a thorough cleaning. You should clean every corner of the house, including the corners of the house and beddings.

Pollen

It’s not a coincidence that asthma and allergy symptoms increase when there is a high pollen count in the atmosphere.

To protect yourself, stay away from flower and tree pollen. This calls for you to avoid going outdoor during the day when the pollen count is high. If you have pollinating plants and trees in the house, get them outside.

Even if your indoor plants don’t have pollen, you should take good care of them so that they don’t form mold. This calls for you to avoid overwatering the plants. You also should keep them in a sunny area and remove as many dead plants as possible.

Pets

Pets are soothing and comforting. Unfortunately, they can be harmful to asthmatics. The reason for this is because the small fur pieces, hair particles, saliva, and skin are known to trigger asthma.

As an animal lover, it can be difficult to stay away from your dog or cat but to reduce your asthma severity, you have to keep a distance. You can give the pet to a friend or take them to a shelter. It will be difficult, but you have to do it for your health.

Wine

A glass of wine is said to be good for a healthy heart, but it can be harmful to those who have asthma. Whether it’s red, white, black, pink, or purple, wine will cause more harm than good so stay away from it.

Any type of wine is harmful because it contains sulfites, a type of preservative you find in various foods and beverages. These sulfites are known to cause asthma, so you are better off staying away from them.

Getting worked up

We are emotional beings, and it can be hard to tell someone not to be angry, frightened, or anxious, but as an asthmatic, you have no way out, other than to try to control your emotions as much as you can.

You should restrain yourself from getting worked up because by doing so, you alter your breathing, which significantly contributes to an asthmatic attack.

Smoke and kitchen aromas

These two are serious irritants to people living with asthma, so you should avoid them. An ideal situation is to stay out of the kitchen, but if you can’t, ensure the kitchen is properly ventilated.

If you don’t have the money to install a chimney or exhaust fan, install a large window that will allow the kitchen smells to escape outside.

Asthma triggering foods

Did you know there are some foods that can trigger your allergies? The common ones are eggs, soy, milk, peanuts, shrimp, fish, and others. Allergist specialist Manassas VA also report that food preservatives such as potassium bisulfate, sodium bisulfate, potassium metabisulfite and sodium sulfite can also trigger asthma.

Cold

You should stay away from the cold weather and the normal common cold. This calls for you to stay indoors during the cold season. You also should stay away from people suffering from a cold or flu. When you come into contact with anyone with flu or cold-like symptoms, wash your hands as soon as possible.