Frequently Asked Questions about Asthma
There are many things that you can do to help prevent worsening of your asthma and an asthma attack. Some of the most important are:
If you suspect that you may have allergies as a trigger for your asthma, ask your doctor to refer you to a board certified allergist who can perform skin testing or any other procedures needed to properly identify your allergies.
One possibility is that you are sensitive to aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (also called NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve or Naprosyn). This is a serious asthma trigger and you should completely avoid all of these drugs. Your doctor should also see you so he can evaluate this problem. Acetaminophen (Tylenol is often safe to use for treatment of pain and/or fever.
Side effects of bronchodilators are:
These bronchodilator side effects tend to occur more with oral forms (pills and liquids that you swallow) than with inhaled forms. However, sometimes even with inhaled forms these can occur. They generally go away as your body adjusts to the medication. If they are bothersome or continue to occur, you should contact your doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Asthma
In this article
- 1. How Can I Prevent an Asthma Attack?
- 2. How Can I Discover my Allergies?
- 3. My Asthma Worsens Whenever I Take Pain Medication. Why?
- 4. What Are the Side Effects of my Bronchodilator Medicine?
- 5. Can Asthma Drugs Affect my Baby if I'm Pregnant?
- 6. How Can I Prevent Asthma Symptoms After Exercise?
- 7. I'm Exposed to Substances at Work That Worsen my Asthma. What Can I Do to Prevent This?
- 8. I Have Heartburn; Can It Worsen Asthma?
- 9. I Have Allergies to Mites and Mold; How Do I Avoid Them?
- 10. What Do I Do If I Have an Asthma Attack?
1. How Can I Prevent an Asthma Attack?
There are many things that you can do to help prevent worsening of your asthma and an asthma attack. Some of the most important are:
- Minimize asthma triggers. People with asthma can take an active role in controlling their condition by identifying those things that trigger their asthma attacks and taking measures to minimize these triggers at home and at work or school. For example, if cats and dogs trigger your asthma, then not having a cat or dog or minimizing exposure to their dander (skin, saliva, and urine) will help to reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks. If there is a situation where you cannot avoid the trigger, pretreatment with appropriate medications prescribed by your doctor may help prevent symptoms.
- Take your asthma medicine. Many people with chronic asthma take drugs (usually an inhaled corticosteroid) that decreases the inflammation of the airways. Studies show that taking these drugs on a daily basis decreases your risk of having asthma attacks. If your doctor puts you on a daily asthma medication, it's important that you take it as prescribed.
2. How Can I Discover my Allergies?
If you suspect that you may have allergies as a trigger for your asthma, ask your doctor to refer you to a board certified allergist who can perform skin testing or any other procedures needed to properly identify your allergies.
3. My Asthma Worsens Whenever I Take Pain Medication. Why?
One possibility is that you are sensitive to aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (also called NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve or Naprosyn). This is a serious asthma trigger and you should completely avoid all of these drugs. Your doctor should also see you so he can evaluate this problem. Acetaminophen (Tylenol is often safe to use for treatment of pain and/or fever.
4. What Are the Side Effects of my Bronchodilator Medicine?
Side effects of bronchodilators are:
- Rapid heartbeat
- Headache
- Nervousness
- Tremor
These bronchodilator side effects tend to occur more with oral forms (pills and liquids that you swallow) than with inhaled forms. However, sometimes even with inhaled forms these can occur. They generally go away as your body adjusts to the medication. If they are bothersome or continue to occur, you should contact your doctor.
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