Handle Asthma in a Home

Keep your asthma well-controlled with long-term control medicines and quick-relief medicine taken as directed. Learn your triggers and track them using a peak flow meter.

Pet dander, saliva and feathers can be triggers for some people. Keep pets outdoors if possible. Bathe furred animals regularly, and wash bedding weekly.

Keep the Air Clean

If someone in your home has asthma, avoiding triggers will help them stay healthy and free of attacks. Triggers are things that make breathing difficult and can cause symptoms like wheezing and coughing. Some triggers are controllable, such as cigarette smoke or the presence of mold in the house, while others are uncontrollable, such as living or working near an industry or a highway. Your doctor can help you figure out what triggers your or your child’s asthma and make lifestyle changes to minimize those factors.

Air pollution can also trigger asthma, particularly when it comes from factories or cars. It can even be caused by wildfires, as the smoke from burning wood and plants contains a mix of gases and small particles called particulates that can be inhaled deep into the lungs. Children, adults sixty-five and older and people with heart or lung conditions are especially vulnerable to the effects of particulates. Pay attention to air quality forecasts and avoid outdoor activities on days when pollen levels are high.

Indoor allergens such as pet dander, dust mites and mildew can be major triggers of asthma in some people. Regularly washing bedding in hot water and replacing carpeting with hardwood or linoleum flooring can cut down on these allergens. Vacuum carpeting, area rugs and floors regularly using a vacuum with a HEPA filter and keep humidity levels low.

Other things that can trigger asthma include physical activity; some medicines, including corticosteroids; bad weather, such as thunderstorms or high humidity; certain foods and fragrances; and strong emotions. Having an inhaler on hand can help someone with asthma calm down quickly and breathe more easily when they have an attack.

It’s a good idea for anyone with asthma to test their lungs regularly with a device called a peak flow meter. The meter tells you how well your lungs are working and can be used to detect when the asthma is getting worse so you or your child can take an asthma medication before an attack. Your doctor can teach you how to use the meter and interpret the results.

Get Rid of Allergens

If you have asthma, your home environment should be an important part of your treatment plan. Many triggers such as pet dander, mold, second hand smoke and scented cleaning products can be found in the home. An environmental assessment or a visual walk-through of the house can help identify and reduce these triggers. Asthma home-based services (AHBS) offer this assessment and individualized asthma self-management education.

Allergens can cause your asthma to flare up, making you cough, wheeze and grasp for air. They can also make symptoms worse for a while after you’re exposed. This is why removing as many allergens as possible from the home is so important. Online at Specialitymedz, our store, you may get Asthalin Inhaler.

The best way to reduce allergens in the home is to get rid of wall-to-wall carpeting, rugs and heavy drapery, which can trap dust mites and other allergens, says the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. If you have pets, keep them outside as much as possible and bathe them regularly.

Another source of allergy-related asthma is mold and mildew. Keep humidity in the home below 50% and use dehumidifiers in basements and damp rooms to prevent mold and mildew from growing. Clean basements, attics and garages and remove stored items from these areas. Vacuum and mop floors frequently. Clean moldy walls and ceilings with a mixture of water and bleach.

Whether you have allergies or asthma, it’s important to work with your doctor to create an action plan that will help you cope with your symptoms. Using rescue inhalers when needed and avoiding triggers will help you stay healthy, active and free of asthma attacks. However, if your symptoms become severe and you’re having trouble breathing, seek emergency medical attention.

Keep the Kitchen Clean

A person’s diet and environment can have a major impact on how well they manage their asthma. Home remedies and lifestyle changes, such as keeping the kitchen clean, can help reduce the symptoms of asthma attacks when used alongside a doctor-prescribed asthma action plan.

Attacks, which cause coughing and wheezing, happen when a person’s airways become inflamed and swollen with extra mucus, restricting the flow of air through the lungs. A variety of triggers can set off an asthma attack, including respiratory infections like influenza or colds, sinus infections, cigarette smoke, allergies, certain chemicals, exercise and acid reflux.

Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and may last minutes, hours or days. If they get worse, the person should call 911 for medical assistance. Other triggers include stress, intense emotions and dietary factors.

Keep surfaces in the kitchen and other areas of the house clean, using cleaning products that are certified as safe by EPA’s Safer Choice program. Avoid overusing chemical cleaners, and use sprays and foggers sparingly. Clean up food crumbs and spills right away to prevent pests from gathering in the kitchen, and vacuum or sweep floors and counters regularly.

Humidity levels can be a big asthma trigger, so check them with a hygrometer and aim for a reading of 50% or less. Keep refrigerators and freezers clean, and wipe refrigerator and window corners with a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. Scrub mold and mildew with detergent and water, and dry thoroughly.

Keep the Bedroom Clean

People spend the majority of their time in their bedroom, so it is important to keep it clean. Start by getting rid of clutter and reorganizing items. Next, wipe down all surfaces. Start with the tops of tables, then move to chair legs and the fronts of dressers and nightstands. Don’t forget to check the backs of bookshelves and the inside of window frames. Also, remember to wipe down light fixtures and the ceiling fan.

Keeping the bedroom clean can also reduce asthma triggers such as pet dander. Additionally, smoking and secondhand smoke can trigger an asthma attack in those who are sensitive to it. It is best to make the bedroom a nonsmoking area and encourage other household members to quit smoking.

Once the room is free of clutter and messes, vacuum and mop or sweep the floor. This will remove any dirt, dust and cobwebs that are trapped in the crevices of furniture. Be sure to move the furniture and vacuum behind it, as well.

For those who are extremely prone to asthma symptoms, it is best to vacuum twice per week or more. Likewise, it is best to mop or use a carpet cleaner on stains. In addition, a good rule of thumb is to change out a vacuum filter each month.