Asthma is a serious condition that should be checked by a doctor. People tend to take asthma too casually, until it gets severe. Asthma accounts for several deaths every year worldwide. Here are some tips to identify the signs of asthma and deal with it:

Early Signs Of Asthma (Consult a doctor immediately)

• Mild night time wheezing
• A chronic cough
• A wheezing or whistling sound when you exhale
• Difficulty breathing without any apparent reason or heavy exertion
• Shortness of breath during or after moderate exercise
• Feeling of restlessness or trouble sleeping because of problems in airway passage

Danger Signs (Consult a doctor immediately)

• Chest tightness
• Heavy wheezing or whistling
• Severe shortness of breath, that you find difficulty in talking
• Lips or nails turn blue
• Severe contraction of chest when you breathe

Tips For Handling Asthma

1. Get your asthma and flu shots: This can protect you from influenza and its complications. Allergy shots or immunotherapy can also protect you from common allergens like pollen that can trigger attacks.

2. Make your home allergy-proof: Do not smoke and do not allow smoking in your home. If animals are a problem for you, then stay away from pets. Dust mites also trigger an asthma, but dust-mite impermeable pillows and mattress covers alone cannot provide significant benefits. Instead, you can wash your bed covers twice in a week in hot water. Do not use carpets and wash your curtains frequently. Try to get someone to vacuum for you or use a vacuum with a microfilter system and wear a dust mask.

3. Watch your diet: Foods like dry fruits and nuts, shrimp, beer and wine might trigger an attack or make asthma worse for some people.

4. Take proper care while exercising: If exercising triggers your asthma, take the proper prescription drugs before exercising. You also need to warm up for about 5 to 10 minutes and cool down afterwards. Moderate physical activity and an ideal weight may improve asthma control or reduce the severity. But you should not work out or play outside when it is cold or when pollution or pollen levels are high.

5. Take your medicines on time and see the doctor at regular intervals: With proper treatment, you can ease the asthma symptoms and reduce the severity. Do not stop asthma drugs abruptly without consulting a doctor, as this can be fatal.