If you have asthma, then you know just how hard it can be to work around your condition at times. While other people seem to do just fine on a smoggy day, you may find yourself heading to the emergency room in the middle of an asthma attack. Also, you may be saddened by the fact that you can't own pets without it negatively affecting your breathing, or that there are a lot of cleaning supplies that you are unable to use around your home. There are some things you should try doing that can help make life with asthma easier and more comfortable, and you can learn about some of them right here.
Keep your home as dust-free as you can – Dust and pollen can really cause trouble for those with asthma. If possible, you should have someone else dust, sweep, and vacuum your house regularly. Even the furniture should be vacuumed to remove the dust that settles in and then comes up into the air when people sit on it. If you have to do it yourself, then you should make sure you wear a mask. And when you're finished, leave the house for a bit to give the stirred-up dust a chance to settle. Also, make sure you keep your HVAC filter and registers clean, so dust doesn't get blown around the house when the unit comes on.
Research breeds before getting a pet – It is possible for many asthma sufferers to bring home a new puppy or kitten and be fine around it until it gets older. Once it ages, it will develop the dander that many asthma sufferers are sensitive to. But some pets are hypo-allergenic and will be less likely to cause an attack. For example, Malteses and poodles are two types of dogs that are known to be hypoallergenic. If you suffer from asthma and want a pet, look for a hypoallergenic breed.
Limit your time outside on days with bad air quality – When you leave the house on days with bad air quality, you increase your chances of suffering an asthma attack. It's best if you can limit the amount of time you spend outdoors. If you do have to leave, try to drive with your car windows up if you can.
Don't overexert yourself – Exercise is important for everyone's health and well-being. However, when you have asthma you want to watch out for that fine line between healthy exercise and overexertion that will cause you an attack. Work closely with your doctor or an asthma specialist in order to determine the types of exercises you should be doing, at what level you should be doing them, and for how long you should do them each time you work out.
See your asthma specialist regularly – When you work closely with your asthma specialist, he or she will be able to closely monitor your condition and can introduce you to new treatments that may really help you out.
For more information contact centers like The Regional Allergy Asthma & Immunology Center, PC.
Share28 March 2018
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