What Are the Ways to Prevent Asthma?

One must understand asthma and its causes before learning how to prevent it. Asthma is a chronic lung disease that is characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways caused by certain triggers. The common symptoms of asthma include shortness of breath, tightening of the chest, coughing, and wheezing. Because the triggers for asthma are different for each person, the causes vary as well.

The allergens that are most common however include strong odor, pollutants, pollens, dust, and specific weather conditions. While asthma can't be cured completely, it can be prevented in many different ways.

One way to prevent asthma is by utilizing high efficiency particulate (HEPA) air filters. This can remove pollen, pet dander, dust, and other micro allergens. When asthma is severe, removing the carpet can be considered since dust sticks to it. Vacuuming won't even remove allergens as they accumulate in the carpets. When cleaning, a protective mask must be worn. Asthma attacks can be caused by odor of cleaning products and dust.

Outdoor allergens are almost impossible to avoid in order to prevent asthma. However, the contact you have with allergens and irritants can be minimized by wearing a protective mask and limiting your time outdoors as much as possible. While some might be apprehensive about wearing a mask around, in today's age people generally understand. Not only will allergens and dust not be able to enter when wearing a protective mask, but cold air won't either which can be a trigger.

Asthma can be prevented as well with prescription medications. Corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory medications that are highly recommended. This medication is generally prescribed as oral inhalers. Over time, the inflammation will be reduced in the airways with this medication. Leukotriene blocker is another preventative medicine that is designed to stop the production of the chemical leukotriene, which is what causes the bronchial tubes to swell and excess mucus production. While doctors advise both medications, neither is supposed to provide relief immediately
All ages of people and even children are affected by this common condition known as asthma allergy. This ailment can be scary at times, so many sufferers of it are searching for effective remedies for their symptoms. Asthma is described as the tightening and inflammation of the airways, causing difficulty breathing. Patients often don’t experience asthma  for extended periods of time, ended by an outbreak of wheezing. The duration of an attack can be only several hours or days. Others unfortunately have to deal with shortness of breath and asthma wheezing daily.

In order to prevent an attack from occurring, knowing the asthma allergy triggers is critical. Allergy tests may have been administered by your doctor in order to discover these. The following are some of the most common triggers:

• infections
• stress
• cold weather
• chemicals
• foods
• dust
• pet dander
• mold
• pollen
• cigarette smoke

You can prevent asthma wheezing from occurring once you are aware of the triggers. For instance, if one of your triggers is cold weather, then during the winter months you can do your best to avoid being outside as much as possible. And when you do venture out, you can wear a scarf over your mouth. If one of your triggers is a specific food, then avoiding it will prevent asthma wheezing.

While staying away from triggers is effective, managing asthma allergies is more complex than that alone. Medication might be prescribed by your doctor for more help. For example, one type of drug would provide quick relief during an attack, while another would be designed for asthma attack prevention.

The quick acting medication is generally taken by those with mild asthma allergy when necessary. The drugs that are long lasting are taken by those who experience consistent symptoms of asthma. With really severe attacks, one may have to go to the hospital to receive more powerful medications from an IV. To make it easier to breathe, the hospital may supply oxygen to the patient.

If you utilize a peak flowing device routinely, sometimes you will be warned when an attack is coming. Your doctor can provide this small instrument for you to use while at home. It measures the rate in which you can blow air from your lungs. When the readings are lower than usual, this indicates that the airways are becoming restricted and inflamed, even if you haven’t noticed any symptoms yet. The attack however can be reversed if medication is taken before it’s too late.

Without proper treatment, asthma allergy can reach serious levels. Each person is different as far as the symptoms and advancement of the condition. Some children out grow it, while others aren’t as fortunate. While no cure is available, in most cases it can be managed well. The effectiveness of the treatment depends on how well you avoid triggers and your commitment to taking the appropriate medications or remedies.