by Amber Craig

Created on: July 15, 2008

Asthma is a condition that affects many people, myself included. It's unfortunately very common; about three to six per cent of the total population in developed countries have asthma. I was diagnosed with the condition at a very young age, and although there is no known cure for asthma, there are several effective ways to treat and prevent symptoms.

The best method to prevent symptoms is to desensitize your home. This simply means identifying things that could possibly trigger an attack. Examples of this would be mold, dust and pet dander. It's a good idea to get an allergy test to determine what triggers you have. For myself and many other asthma sufferers, dust and pet hair are major contributors to symptoms and attacks. The easiest way to deal with these are to make sure you keep a clean home. Dusting and vacuuming on a regular basis will help this a lot. It's extra work, but worth it. If you wanted to take extreme measurements you could even go as far as to remove all carpeting from your home and replace it with tile or hardwood-any surface that can't harbor allergens. You may also want to try installing an air purifier - you can get portable ones for reasonable prices if you don't want to splurge on an extensive system.

Cigarette smoke is a huge contributor of flare-ups. First off, if you do smoke, it is highly recommended that you quit as smoke inhalation is especially bad for asthmatics (although it is not good for anyone). If you live with someone who smokes, ask them to make small changes to accommodate your health, such as smoking outside.

As you probably notice, many asthma flare-ups occur at night. There are several easy steps you can take to deal with these symptoms. The first is to always sleep with your head propped up. Sleeping with two or even three pillows will help increase air flow. It also prevents mucous from traveling back into the throat, which can cause coughing. Secondly, make sure you clean your sheets at least once a month, even more often during times of increased symptoms. This decreases the number of dust mites in your bed. Finally, try sleeping with a humidifier in your room. The moist air is often helpful.

If you experience an asthma attack, the best treatment is to suck on a popsicle or ice cube. Anything frozen. I know it sounds like an excuse to have a tasty treat, but it really works. The whole idea is that the coldness freezes the back of your throat where that itching sensation comes from that makes you cough. It's not a bad idea to keep your freezer stocked. If you have an attack where you're not able to get anything frozen, simply swallow your saliva. Just keep swallowing it helps create breaks between cough attacks. Also, drink lots of water. Another tip, as much as you will have the urge to hold it in, don't. You will more than likely just cough even more once you let it out.

Obviously if the attack does not desist and breathing becomes hard, enlist the help of a medical professional immediately. All of these tips have helped me deal with my asthma and now I rarely suffer from flare-ups. Of course continue to use any and all prescribed asthma medications while using these methods.

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