Asthma is a condition where the airways of the lungs become inflamed, become narrowed and swollen, and produce excessive mucus,
which makes it more difficult to move air in and out of the lungs, resulting in
limitations in physical activities.
Asthma may be triggered by pollen, dust mites, airborne allergens,
cockroach particles, mold spores, pet dander, cold air, smoke, certain medical
conditions such as GERD, some medications, emotional stress, and food
preservatives.
Asthma can be of different types, allergic asthma, non-allergic asthma,
cough-variant asthma, exercise-induced asthma, occupational asthma, etc.
The symptoms of asthma commonly include wheezing, coughing, shortness
of breath, and chest tightness, etc., and these could interfere with daily
activities. In some cases, the symptoms can be life-threatening.
Doctors usually use spirometry to diagnose lung function, which
involves inhaling the air deeply and exhaling forcefully into a spirometer.
Asthma cannot be completely cured but can be managed and controlled
with professional support, by bringing the symptoms to a negligible level.
Asthma is usually managed with rescue inhalers, controller inhalers,
longer-acting inhalers, inhalant steroids, and some medications.
The following are the 12 easy and smart tips to effectively manage and
control the symptoms of asthma.
1. Know the triggers and avoid them
Several allergens and irritants ranging from pollen and mold to cold
air, smoke, and air pollution can act as triggers and can worsen the symptoms
of asthma by irritating the airways.
The common triggers are smoke, either from tobacco or from burning wood
or grass, household pets including cats and dogs, dust mites, mold, strong
perfumes, pollen, air pollution, cockroaches, respiratory infections such as
influenza, emotional stress, cold air, etc.
The best way is to find out the triggers and avoid them by avoiding
smoking and second-hand smoke, by using properly-washed and dried bedding,
regular and thorough vacuuming, using air-tight food containers, keeping the
pests away, by maintaining the storage and dining areas clean, by having air
filters in the bedroom, etc.
2. Quit smoking and avoid second-hand smoke
Smoking is a powerful trigger of asthma. Cilia, the hair-like
projections in the airways, get damaged due to tobacco smoke, causing the
improper function of cilia. Tobacco smoke contains carcinogens (cancer-causing
substances) such as tar, carbon monoxide, nicotine, and others, and the
deposition of these substances in the lungs could cause lung diseases such as
COPD, lung cancer, and emphysema, etc. Smoking can cause asthma attacks to
happen more frequently. Smoking reduces the efficacy of asthma medications
significantly.
Second-hand smoke (passive smoke) is more harmful as it is the
combination of smoke from the burning cigarette as well as the smoke exhaled by
the smoker. The lungs of children are at increased risk as their lungs are
small and are developing.
Quitting smoking not only helps with asthma but also helps with
second-hand smoke. Quitting significantly reduces the severity and frequency of
symptoms. Smokers should quit smoking and others should avoid second-hand smoke.
3. Breathing exercises
As per some studies, regular breathing exercises help in reducing
symptoms of asthma and significantly improve the quality of life of people with
asthmatic conditions. Breathing exercises strengthen respiratory muscles,
improve breathing efficiency, and may help reduce asthma symptoms.
Some of the breathing exercises include diaphragmatic breathing, nasal
breathing, the Papworth method, Buteyko breathing, pursed-lip breathing, and
pranayama breathing exercises as prescribed in Yoga.
4. Eating a balanced diet
Eating nutritious foods not only improves the symptoms of asthma but
also improves overall health.
Vitamin D-rich foods such as salmon, fortified milk, fortified orange
juice, and eggs may help support immune function and have been associated with
improved asthma outcomes in some studies.
Vitamin A in carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, romaine lettuce,
spinach, broccoli, etc., helps in better functioning of the lungs.
Spinach, pumpkin seeds, Swiss chard, dark chocolate, and salmon that
are rich in magnesium, play an important role in muscle and nerve function and
may support normal airway function, especially in children.
Some studies suggest that diets rich in fruits such as apples may be associated with better lung health. Some research suggests that children who
consume potassium-rich fruits such as bananas may have a lower prevalence ofwheezing.
Foods to be avoided include salicylates, foods that cause gas like
beans, cabbage, onions, garlic, carbonated drinks, fried foods, etc., sulfites
like wine, pickled food, shrimp, dried fruits, lime juice, etc.
5. Reduce stress
According to a research, the body's response to stress triggers the
immune system, causing the release of some hormones. This could lead to
inflammation of the airways in the lungs, resulting in an asthma attack. Stress
and some intense emotions such as anger also can cause an asthma attack.
Shallow upper chest breathing can sometimes be the response to a stressful
situation.
Learning how to manage stress levels will help in managing asthma. It
is thus important to identify the major stressors in life and plan on how to
reduce them. Stress management involves learning to change thought patterns
that produce stress. The key points to better address the stress issues are
what you expect, what you think, how you think, and what you tell yourself.
Professional help may sometimes be necessary when it gets difficult to deal
independently.
6. Sleep well
Sleep deprivation can make asthma worse. Lack of adequate sleep
in asthma patients causes inflammation in the body and this affects the proper
lung function, increasing the risk of an asthma attack. According to a study,
reduced sleep and sometimes excessive sleep can negatively affect adults with
asthma conditions. Asthma is often associated with decreased quality of
sleep, increased daytime sleepiness, sleep fragmentation, difficulty falling
asleep, and early morning awakenings. Asthma sometimes gets worse at night
while sleeping. The symptoms at night like chest tightness, coughing that makes
it hard to rest, shortness of breath, and wheezing could indicate nocturnal
asthma.
Good sleep habits include going to bed and getting up at the same time
every day, not watching TV before going to bed, not eating in bed, avoiding
exercise or any strenuous activity immediately before bedtime, avoiding
caffeine before bed, and avoiding daytime napping, etc.
7. Follow an asthma action plan
The symptoms of asthma are variable, so they may get worse or better
depending on various factors, and one needs to know how to adjust the medicines
depending on the symptoms, and when to seek professional help.
Working with a healthcare provider is important in creating a
personalized asthma action plan. The action plan usually contains different
steps to be taken for various conditions of asthma. The healthcare provider
monitors the status of the disease as necessary and ensures good control of the
condition. Being prepared for an emergency is a good practice and should be
followed by keeping the emergency inhaler handy within reach, getting the peak
flow reading if possible, and getting in touch with the healthcare provider as
needed.
8. Moderate body weight
Extra weight around the chest and abdomen can constrict the lungs and
this could make it more difficult for the lungs to work optimally. Moreover,
fat tissue produces some inflammatory substances that could affect the lungs
adversely. Excessive weight can increase the risk of having asthma and could
result in having more severe and difficult-to-control asthma.
Losing weight with exercises could be challenging in asthma patients as
asthma makes it difficult to exercise. Maintaining a balanced
calorie-controlled diet and limiting excess saturated and trans fats may
support healthy weight management. Moderate physical activity like walking
usually helps, depending on the status of the condition.
9. Take medications as prescribed
The medicines work by relaxing the muscles that tighten around the
airways of the lungs. They relax the contracted airways. They also reduce
the swelling and the mucus accumulation inside the airways. These
anti-inflammatory medicines could be both steroidal and non-steroidal. The
medicines could be short-acting or long-acting.
The duration of medication treatment depends on how severe the
condition is and how frequent the symptoms are. It is very
important to follow the healthcare provider's advice about the treatment and
take the medicines as directed.
Skipping the medications should be avoided and all medications should
be taken even when there are no symptoms, as skipping could result in more
flare-ups and worsening of asthma in the future. Thus it is important to take
the medications as prescribed and directed.
10. Viral infections
Viruses like the cold and flu can infect the airways and lungs and
viral infections are the common causes of asthma symptoms. The more ways the viruses
can be avoided, the fewer are the asthma symptoms. The risk of viral infections
can be reduced by washing hands regularly, receiving recommended vaccinations,
and avoiding exposure to infected individuals whenever possible.
If a viral infection is detected, attention should be paid to the
symptoms and if the symptoms worsen, professional help could be needed.
11. Learn how to use your inhaler properly
The healthcare provider would help in educating on how to use the inhaler properly for enabling the medication to reach the airways properly. The
professional may also ask the patient to use the inhaler in his presence to
ensure that the inhaler is being properly used. The healthcare provider may
even provide the educational material needed to enable a better understanding of
the techniques to be followed while using the inhaler. Proper inhaler use is
important to ensure optimum utilization of the medication.
12. Identify and treat attacks early
A severe asthma attack can be prevented by acting quickly. A decrease
in the peak flow measurements could indicate an oncoming attack. Taking the
medications as instructed in the asthma action plan would become important in
such situations.
Early warning signs of an asthma attack could be frequent cough,
especially at night, reduced peak flow measurements, shortness of breath, chest
tightness, feeling weak or very tired while exercising, wheezing or coughing
during or after exercise (exercise-induced asthma), symptoms that fail to
respond to the use of quick-acting inhaler (rescue inhaler), etc.
One should identify and immediately stop any activity that could have
triggered the symptoms. If the symptoms fail to improve, medical help may
be warranted.
Conclusion
Though asthma cannot be cured, the symptoms can very well be controlled
and managed with all sorts of support available at your disposal.
Many of these strategies are supported by scientific evidence and may
help improve asthma control when used consistently may be along with professional
medical care.
The above-mentioned simple tips on lifestyle
modifications can help a lot in effectively controlling and managing the
symptoms of asthma. However, one can start with some methods at a time and
slowly keep increasing more methods and continue to progress.
Some methods may seem easy to some people and some methods may seem not
so easy to some people. But these are the time-tested and scientifically proven
techniques that are bound to help in providing the desired results.
Medical Disclaimer: This article is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding diagnosis, treatment, or changes to your asthma management plan.
