5 Tips for Controlling Asthma

Here is the article reviewed by me for Healthy Idaho Magazine. Useful tips to control asthma.

Asthma attacks are often quite debilitating. The wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest, and shortness of breath can be difficult to deal with, and they can give the asthma patient a scare. Asthma attacks cannot be completely avoided, but there are strategies to reduce the risk of experiencing an asthma attack. Here are five tips for controlling asthma:

1. Stay alert to changing weather conditions. Dry air and cold air can exacerbate symptoms of asthma and can act as triggers for asthma attacks. On exceptionally dry and cold winter days, do your best to stay indoors.

2. Stress and anxiety are common triggers for asthma attacks. Stress and asthma can be intertwined. The stress may cause you to feel short of breath and panicked, which can then incite an asthma attack. To help get asthma under control, work to get stress and anxiety under control. Learn stress reduction techniques such as deep breathing or positive self-talk. Anticipate and prepare for stressful situations.

3. Allergies are a common cause of asthma attacks. To combat this, control your exposure to potential allergens such as dust mites, cockroach fecal matter, animal dander, or pollen. Learn what your triggers are.

4. Develop an asthma management plan with your doctor. Your asthma specialist can give you instruction on how to track symptoms and can give advice on how to deal with asthma triggers. Your allergy or asthma specialist can also provide you with appropriate medication to use when needed.

5. Do your best to stay healthy! Asthma attacks can be exacerbated by viral and bacterial infections, such as the common cold or pneumonia. Staying healthy will act as a protection against infection and against potential asthma attacks. Wash your hands, eat a healthy diet, get sufficient rest each night to help your immune system fight off infections.