Written by: Emily Joswiak • October 2, 2020• Health & Wellness

Daily Health: How To Reduce Your Chances of an Asthma Attack

If you suffer from asthma, episodes can be sudden and seem impossible to predict. As such, it can leave you constantly on-edge—wondering when the next attack will come. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to manage your symptoms so that future respiratory events are fewer and less frequent. Here is how to reduce your chances of an asthma attack in your day-to-day life.

Learn To Recognize Your Triggers

Believe it or not, while many asthma attacks seem to set in with little notice, there’s always something that triggers them. From dust and pet dander to smoke and other allergens, these things can all irritate your bronchial tubes and cause them swell—creating an asthmatic event. So if you want to reduce the frequency at which you have these attacks, you’ll want to start by identifying what your personal triggers are. Then, you can work to limit your access to them in your immediate environment.

Know Your Oxygen Saturation Levels

It also helps if you keep yourself informed about your overall oxygen saturation levels by using a pulse oximeter. Oxygen saturation is how much oxygen your blood is transporting throughout your body at a given time. In healthy individuals, this value often rests at 98 or 99 percent. However, those with asthma may see readings closer to 95 percent due to their struggles with breathing. Knowing what your saturation is at various times throughout the day allows you to identify when you aren’t getting enough air and, therefore, when you have cause for concern.

Limit Your Exposure To Air Pollution

Take care to limit your exposure to pollution and other toxins, as well, when you’re outside of your home. Though it’s easy to cut back on triggers inside your home, the outside world is a different story. There, air pollution is the number one cause of asthma attacks, and it can be hard to avoid these areas since they’re out of your control. For this reason, should you notice any excessive smoke or smog, make sure you go around these areas to minimize the risk.

Take Your Asthma Medications Properly

Most importantly, you can reduce your chances of an asthma attack by taking your medications as prescribed by your doctor. While asthma may be common, every individual case is different. As such, you might need to stick to a stricter treatment plan than one of your family members. So for the best results, it’s crucial that you discuss your condition at length with your physician and allow them to make the best calls in regards to your medications.

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