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Asthma TRIGGER PROOF YOUR HOME
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Imagine the panic of being asthmatic. You wakeup in the middle of the night short of breath. You reach over to the night table and switch on the light and open the drawer to discover that your inhaler is not there. It has disappeared for some reason its not there. Now you really cannot breath. That's panic. Here are a few tips asthma sufferer really needs to know. To beat this disease and live free of limitations of fear. Exercise, Strange Foods. Cold air. Dust mites.mould.Even car exhaust can trigger an attack in some people. It takes a fair bit of education to get patients to understand that this disease is not severe if you know what you have and take appropriate treatments. On the other hand this is a condition, which you will have for a long time. That also means that you can be off your medication and be perfectly fine for periods of time, but it can come back sometimes years afterwards. With knowledge and care, breathing can be easy. Asthma should not kill. To minimize asthma triggers and make your home a safe heaven, start in your bedroom and make your way out to the rest of the house. That's the advice of Zofe Roberts, a registered Respiratory therapist and asthma educator in Chatham Ontario "keep the clutter in the house to a bare minimum" she says "put things in the closet and keep stuffed toys off the beds. Also there should be no feather-filled pillows or duvets on the beds. Since two of the biggest are cats and dust mites, Roberts strongly suggests that special efforts be made control or totally eliminate these allergens altogether. She adds the following tips to keep these and other asthma triggers at bay. 1- wash sheets and bedding in hot water every two weeks 2- vacuum frequently, especially where there are rugs and carpets. Preferably when the sufferer is out of the house 3- purchase mattress and pillow covers, which help control, dust mites. These are available through home health care centers in range of styles and prices 4- considers removing your carpets especially if you are planning to renovate. Replace carpets with tiles or stick with original hardwood flooring 5- keeps the humidity throughout the house at a comfortable 40-50 percent. Monitor it with hydrometer, which are widely available in DIY stores 6- keeps your home's windows closed, especially during season that gives you difficulty (for example Spring when pollen count is high) 7- An Air conditioner promotes cool dry air which does trigger your allergies try to reduce use of it 8- reduce mold that can grow in the grout of the bath room "simply having a fan and drying things out can reduce that problem 9- anyone with Asthma should make effort to quit smoking or even stay away from smokers because passive smoking can trigger the asthma. You have good control of asthma, when · You do not wheeze, cough or have shortness of breath · You do not wake up at night with asthma symptoms · You are able to exercise and play sports · You can undertake your daily activities · You use your inhaler less than 3 times a week Your asthma is getting worse, when · You need your inhaler more often than usual · You wake up at night with asthma symptoms · You are short of breath during your daily activities YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR Your asthma is becoming severe, when · You are getting little relief from your inhaler · You are more and more breathless, even when you take your medication properly · You are very short of breath during your daily activities CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATLEY Your asthma has become dangerous, when · You are not getting any relief from your medication or inhaler · You find it hard to speak · You can only walk a few steps · You feel faint or frightened GET EMERGENCY MEDICAL HELP RIGHT AWAY |
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Courtesy of Health Journal of Ontario Canada And express Permission of Al-Huqq Magazine |
