Making helpful lifestyle adjustments can be supportive for asthma cure. They can help manage your symptoms and prevent them from becoming worse. Although some people need special care to manage their symptoms, most people with this respiratory infection can self-treat their condition by taking medications on time, eating a supportive diet, and making essential lifestyle shifts. Along with taking medications and using Ventolin inhaler, you can consider the following-
Drink plenty of water
Water is one of the best remedies for most diseases. An adequate amount of water in the body makes the mucus thinner. As a result, you may feel easy to breathe.
Make your air filters dust-free
Clean your air filters or change them if needed. Dust can be trapped in the air filters, and it can disseminate in your home. Dust can trigger your asthma symptoms. Therefore, clean them up before they harm you.
Stay away from fragrance sprays
Perfumes, cleaning sprays, Air fresheners, and other fragrance sprays are powerful triggers of this lung infection. If you are allergic to these components, stay away from them.
Quit smoking
Smoking can make your condition more critical as the harmful components of cigarettes like nicotine constrict the blood vessels and make breathing difficult. Therefore, do not smoke and avoid going to people and places where you may expose to cigarette smoke.
Keep a check on your diet
Some foods and drinks can tempt the symptoms of asthma. They may include gas-causing foods like beans, fried foods, and carbonated beverages; common allergens such as dairy products, and tree nuts and foods containing salicylates and sulphites. Avoid eating them to manage your condition.
However, if you develop an attack due to exposure to any allergen or eating some foods, take your medications or use Ventolin inhaler as soon as possible.
Avoid coming in contact with allergens
Allergens like dust, pollen, pet dander, and smoke can elicit the symptoms of this respiratory disease. They might, however, differ from person to person. The pre-mentioned are the common ones. You can consult with your doctor for more allergens that can be harmful to you.
Get moving
Regular exercises can help enhance your lung function. However, you should also know that heavy and intense exercises can trigger the symptoms. Prefer doing smooth exercises like walking and swimming. You can also consult with your doctor to know which workouts may suit your health condition.
Identify the warning symptoms
There are some warning symptoms of an asthma attack. Some of them are severe coughing, persistent sound of whistling when you exhale, severe anxiety, or exhaustion. Use your rescue medications immediately in such cases. They may help you get relief. However, if they do not bring satisfactory results or ease off your condition, seek medical attention as quickly as possible.
Carry asthma inhalers with you
Do not forget to carry your Ventolin inhaler with you wherever you go. You can keep it in your pocket, bag, car, and purse, or wherever you find it easy to use whenever you need to.
What precautions should be taken care of during the use of a rescue inhaler?
Ventolin Evohaler Asthma Inhaler 100mcg (200 dose)
Preparing the inhaler for use-
- Shake a new inhaler well before using it. If it is a pressurized aerosol inhaler, release a test spray into the air away from yourself and other people. Do not breathe in this spray.
- Hold the inhaler upright with your thumb on top and shake well.
- Remove the mouthpiece cover by gently squeezing the sides together and pulling it off. If your inhaler contains a dose counter, make sure that you reset to “0” before using it for the first time.
- Breathe out fully (exhale). Close your lips around the mouthpiece and insert it completely into your mouth. Moreover, do not block the air vents with your fingers to relieve asthma.
- While breathing in deeply and slowly through your mouth, press down firmly and fully on the top of the Ventolin inhaler to release a puff of medicine into your lungs. Remove the inhaler from your mouth and your finger from the top of the inhaler.
- After using, spit it out and rinse your mouth with water. This helps prevent a dry mouth.
- Clean the inhaler every 7 days by following the instructions in the patient leaflet provided with your inhaler or ask your doctor/pharmacist for advice. Moreover, always clean the metal canister with dry tissue before putting it back into the plastic casing.
After using your asthma drug-
- Shake your Ventolin inhaler well before using it again to ensure that the dose is being properly delivered.
Avoid contaminating the mouthpiece with saliva or dirt by wiping them with dry tissue after use and before inserting it into an inhaler case/cover, if available. - Always keep your inhaler dry and clean.
- If it gets wet, wipe off any water droplets with a dry tissue and allow it to air-dry thoroughly before using it again.
If you accidentally swallow the mouthpiece-
- The mouthpiece (reservoir) of the Ventolin inhaler contains a dose of medicine. It is unlikely to cause harm if accidentally swallowed. However, it may have a laxative effect, which could make you feel unwell. Rinse your mouth with water and spit out any fragments that remain after 10 minutes.
- If you have swallowed the mouthpiece repeatedly for asthma or in large amounts, seek medical attention immediately
- If you have trouble breathing after inhaling the medicine, get medical help right away.
- Keep your inhaler dry and clean at all times to avoid contaminating it with dirt or water, which may affect its performance.
Cleaning-
- You should clean with dry tissue every week.
- Do not clean the mouthpiece (reservoir) of the Ventolin inhaler because it contains the medicine. Rinse your mouth with water and spit out any fragments that remain after 10 minutes.
- Flush away any excess water gently via the air vents before reassembling the canister.
- Make sure you insert the mouthpiece fully into the inhaler casing or cover before using it again.
- Replace your inhaler every 2 months, even if there is still medicine left in it, to ensure that you are always inhaling a fresh dose of asthma medicine with each breath.
Carrying your inhaler-
- You can carry your inhaler in a pocket, bag, or case. Do not expose it to extreme heat (such as leaving it on your car’s dashboard) or cold temperatures (such as leaving it in the refrigerator). The recommended storage temperature is 15-25°C.
- Always keep your inhaler dry and clean at all times to avoid contaminating it with dirt or water, which may affect its performance.
- If you take more medicine than usual (more puffs), wait five minutes before taking an extra dose because this will prevent a sudden increase in the medicine in your body.
- If your inhaler has been exposed to extreme temperatures, allow it to warm up before using it.
- Never drop your Ventolin inhaler as this could damage the unit and reduce its effectiveness.
Do not try to take apart or fix a damaged inhaler. It may increase the risk of an accidental dose being inhaled into your mouth or lungs. - Follow the instructions in the patient leaflet provided with your inhaler or ask your doctor/pharmacist for advice on cleaning, replacing the asthma medicine (reservoir), and disposing of old inhalers.
